There are too many out there. Their market is a high-end professional one. While a top zoom still can't match the optical quality of a top fixed focal length, in-camera cropping with a zoom ring easily bridges the quality gap. One reason is clear to a photojournalist who no longer feels the world is a safe place. This is a big lens, but will replace half a bag of telephotos and is always on the camera in fast-breaking situations.
Lens speed is still acceptable with a teleconverter.
It starts at 28mm or 35mm, zooms to a short-telephoto length, and can do everything from photographing groups to taking head shots. It asks for more from a photographer, since wide-angle and telephoto perspectives are worlds apart. Luckily, using one properly is as simple as occasionally resisting the urge to zoom instead of walk. Stock and press photographers use wide-angle lenses to work in close, often relating subjects to their surroundings. Zooming within the wide-angle range allows careful matching of foreground to background for precise storytelling.