Yo idk what youre talki g about with fencing. Its entertaining as hell
If you want some real entertainment in that area watch HEMA fencing.
You may as well say "it's an Olympic event, not a sport" or "it's a TV show, not an Olympic event." These are overlapping categories.
* The same money problems that Fencing athletes face would apply to potential 'HEMA athletes'.
* You would hate what HEMA becomes because now it's a sport that people try to win at, with the 'realism' aspect all but destroyed.
HEMA rapier fights look like Olympic fencing but in a ring (although seems linear movement is preferred anyway).