Will the losers bother?

If the first team to attempt to win the x-prize wins, and most likely that will be Spaceship One, will the other teams bother? How many have entered just for the fame and fortune?

I guess only the teams that will have the ship ready this year will. Some of the teams seem to have planes of going further or promoting equipment. And some may drop out all together. But we will not know until it is done.

I don't think people should see the x-prize teams, as teams created to win the x-prize. (not for the xprize fortune).

X-Prize is a competation, to encourage people and teams to get into space, but the prize is "less" as most(if not all) teams will put into their vehicle(s).

It's neither about winning it on the long run, but about beeing capable of making your vehicles ready to fly people into space, and starting on this way a commercial business for space visitors.

If a team isn't on the first place, they will get the chance to win one of the x-cup prices each year, so the x-prize is just a reason more to try to get your vehicle into space, not the main reason, nor that it will give you more money then you have put in it...
And most teams (if not all) existed before they joined the x-prize race, just to make their own dreams come true.

I think each of the teams would love to see their ideas though to completion. The problem I see might be in funding. Many of the sponsors and contributers want to be part of the team that wins the prize. Once the prize is won, then why contribute? For the X-Cup, there may be corporate sponsorship, but you'd have to demonstrate viewers/public interest first.