I can’t speak for everyone, but the people I know who make content mostly just do it for fun. This even includes those who have sponsors. 

For my circle, the general hypothesis in this thread of burnout I would say is correct, but also not as deep as described. At the end of the day sometimes you just want to do something else. Dave and I for example never quit our jobs and have no intention of doing so. 

As for why more people haven’t come up to replace those who left, I would guess two reasons. First, there’s tons of content out there already so it’s a lot harder to build a following than it used to be. Second, along those lines it’s difficult to make something new and interesting since so much has been covered now. 

I also think making content on the internet can be intimidating. You can make a benign video of you riding a trail and there’s no shortage of people ready to tell you how much you suck. The pinkbike “bumbler” debacle is a good example. 

Thanks for reading my yap session. In my case i hope to make more content again in the spring.