For outsiders, extreme sports enthusiasts appear to be nothing more than “adrenaline junkies.”  Those who have never experienced the thrill of swimming with sharks or feeling the wind on their face from thousands of feet up simply cannot understand the excitement that surrounds extreme sports.  Extreme sports are incredibly popular for a number of reasons, and each sport has its own ways of drawing in competitors and observers the world over.

Money Makes the World Go ‘Round

Though perhaps not the initial intention, extreme sports have opened the doors for major money to be made.  Athletes who become exceptional at any given extreme sport end up being merchandised.  Before you know it there are posters, water bottles, gym bags, and anything else that you can think of with the name, picture, logo, or other symbol of a certain athlete.  Those who follow extreme sports will have their favorite athletes just like with traditional sports; they begin buying the merchandise and just like that, the athlete makes money without even trying.

Of course, the events themselves also bring in a significant amount of money, not to mention that the locations that host the events are extremely well benefited by the rush of people from all over who come to take part.

Living on the Edge

While the excitement and adrenaline are not the only reasons that extreme sports are so popular, they are a major factor.  There are people who believe that living life to the fullest means taking risks, losing your breath, and laughing in the face of danger.  For these people, the more extreme the sport, the better, and they are always looking for new ways to make the even the most extreme sports even more extreme.  This fact alone is what has so many fanatics coming back for more as well as more and more people watching or taking part in extreme sports every day.  There seems to be no end to the number of extreme sports that can be performed.

Once one sport is established, extras are always being added on to add to the element of danger and keep things as exciting as possible. For example, ironing became a big deal very quickly, but what’s even more exciting than ironing?  How about ironing while skydiving?  There is seemingly no end to the possibilities when it comes to extreme sports and there is no such thing as too extreme.

Personal Preference

Not everyone wants to spend their time shooting hoops or watching baseball games, and extreme sports offer an alternative to those looking for something a little more exciting.  Those who like to travel also enjoy extreme sports because they give them the opportunity to travel to new and exciting places to experience the sport in a different way.

There are so many different extreme sports that anyone can find something that they enjoy; from skateboarding to diving to BASE jumping; the list is endless and most cannot helped but be pulled in.

Photo courtesy of Marcos Lacerda

Laura Ginn writes for Extreme Sports X, one of the largest and most comprehensive extreme sports magazines on the web today.