I think your NBA comparison is excessive, though. The point isn't to reach NBA-grade money. It's to get a small fraction of what Lebron *alone* makes feeding back to all pros so it's a viable way to make a living.

There are sports that are effectively non-existent in North American (or world) mainstream media that have healthy, sustainable markets for their elites. And who use niche media rather than depending on major networks.

Hoping to, say, become a sport that's featured daily on ESPN is neither what we *want* our sport to become, nor necessary for it to be a healthy professional sport.

I've participated in niche sports my whole life (cross-country, rowing, triathlon, marathon, road cycling, track cycling), and over that time have had zero hand-wringing because Lebron gets all the attention. (granted I was pro/elite for almost none of that)