Why Do Rich People Love Endurance Sports?

Participating in endurance sports requires two main things: lots of time and money. Time because training, traveling, racing, recovery, and the inevitable hours one spends tinkering with gear accumulate—training just one hour per day, for example, adds up to more than two full weeks over the course of a year. And money because, well, our sports are not cheap: According to the New York Times, the total cost of running a marathon—arguably the least gear-intensive and costly of all endurance sports—can easily be north of $1,600.

L.A. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer wants to save sports by reinventing the way we watch them

Steve Ballmer pressed the heels of his hands against his thighs and leaned forward. He was sitting in his customary spot at Staples Center, along the baseline in the arena’s north end. Most NBA owners sit at midcourt and dress like the corporate executives with billion-dollar fortunes that they are. Ballmer was wearing a plaid shirt and casual pants. “I can’t wear a sport coat to a basketball game,” he’d said a few minutes earlier.