Hi Guys,
Been a lurker for a while, this is my first post. I tend to disagree with Marcus (whom I have met/skied with, prevoiusly).
My view is that if more high quality skiers/ski events are around, the sport gets more / longer exposure, appeals to an broader audience, and lets face it, we 40 + yr olds are the ones with the money that the sponsoring companies are targeting. It may be that initially the prize money drops slightly for the Elite skiers, but, I see more potential for larger sponsorship / promotion in the future.