The bullfighting industry in Spain is struggling writes David Román:

• Animal rights concerns about the events in which the bulls almost always die are causing regions across Spain to ban the $3.3 billion industry
• Regional governments used to hold annual celebrations that would include bullfighting events; however with the recent European recession, governments have been unable to afford the events
• The regulations around bullfighting also mean that it remains expensive. Each matador is legally required to pay for at least six assistants
• Due to the blood and gore television channels have increasingly declined to showcase the events
• The government also raised taxes on tickets to novilladas – fights between matadors in training and young bulls.
• With the increase in prices and the decline in television coverage bullfighting may fail to reach the next generation of Spanish citizens and the bullfighting tradition may come to a gentle end

Read more about the economics of the bullfighting industry, those desperately working to keep the industry alive, the ethical problems with the practice, and more over here.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Via: Marginal Revolution