The answer? It's not at all. Grassroots triathlon doesn't exist because there is a professional field. Most people who pick up triathlon in the US do it post college, similar to Rugby in the US. Triathlon is a mass participation sport and not a spectator sport. The spectators that are at races are mostly there to see their friends or loved ones compete/suffer. We can blame Ironman for this stuff, but this has nothing to do with Ironman and everything to do with general culture around the sport. At least in the US.

Mass Participation Events like Marathons really don't need a pro field to sell at all. Now, I'm on slowtwitch, so I'm clearly not the average triathlete. Everyone on here is not the average US triathlete. I'm a fan of the professional end of the sport because I do find their accomplishments and what they can do with their set of cards amazing. But does that cause me to register for a single race? No.

Now, I will say, a couple years ago it was really cool to get in the water in the same wave as Sebastian Kienle for Cactus Man when it was the week before St George.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.