NCAA Wrestling attendance

[leg turk]

Hopefully the Badgers will be climbing the chart fast!

http://news.theopenmat.com/blog/2018/04/10/wrestling-attendance-iowa-leads-record-number-programs-hit-1000-2000-milestones/

The NCAA Division I Wrestling attendance top 25 for 2017-18:

Rank   School   Avg Attendance
1   Iowa   8996
2   Penn State   7693
3   Ohio State   6681
4   Rutgers   4680
5   Fresno State   4566
6   Iowa State   3361
7   Oklahoma State   3152
8   Lehigh   2705
9   Michigan   2615
10   Minnesota   2185
11   South Dakota State   2004
12   NC State   1868
13   Virginia Tech   1860
14   Oklahoma   1842
15   Northern Iowa   1724
16   West Virginia   1415
17   Arizona State   1411
18   Lock Haven   1262
19   Utah Valley   1148
20   Wyoming   1136
21   Wisconsin   1079
22   Nebraska   1061
23   Cornell   1053
24   Missouri   848
25   Binghamton   794

[bigG]

I sure would be happy to see attendance jump. But, still, wrestling is not (yet) as popular in WI, by any stretch, as it is in the top 10 of that list. It's almost like Bono took over In SD all over again. I certainly wish him the best and hope to attend more Badger wrestling events in the near future.

[leg turk]

I'm curious to see what Bono is going to do to market this team.

[Barou]

Hats off to Fresno State!

That was my first thought as well.  Hope that can be used as a quantifiable measurement for any possible colleges thinking of bringing back (or erecting) a wrestling program.

[FoldEmUp]

I sure would be happy to see attendance jump. But, still, wrestling is not (yet) as popular in WI, by any stretch, as it is in the top 10 of that list. It's almost like Bono took over In SD all over again. I certainly wish him the best and hope to attend more Badger wrestling events in the near future.

I think in Wisconsin, it isn't that wrestling is not popular. It's that it is comparatively less popular. Students (high school and college) have other attractive options drawing their attention (both in participation in high school and as fans in college). Badger Football and Badger Basketball have drawn both bodies and eyes to their sports for a decade or two now.

It's a different ball game in South Dakota. Seth Gross wasn't just the Jackrabbits first division 1 wrestling champion; he represented the school's first division 1 national championship in any sport.

I think there is more interest in wrestling in Wisconsin (and more population with interest). The key is drawing them from other sports. I'm cautiously optimistic that Bono can do that. He's one heck of a promoter.

Population within 60 miles of...

Brookings, SD - 80,348
Madison, WI - 757,863

Undergraduate + Graduate Student Enrollment

South Dakota State - 12,613
University of Wisconsin-Madison - 43,820

Poor excuse.

[wrastle63]

Population within 60 miles of...

Brookings, SD - 80,348
Madison, WI - 757,863

Undergraduate + Graduate Student Enrollment

South Dakota State - 12,613
University of Wisconsin-Madison - 43,820

Poor excuse.

Man, you made it to zero dual meets last season, and you're telling other people "Poor excuse."

Glass houses.

So because you live hours away and can't make it do duals that means you live in a glass house? Just because you can't make it to a dual doesn't mean you don't support the program.

[FoldEmUp]

Population within 60 miles of...

Brookings, SD - 80,348
Madison, WI - 757,863

Undergraduate + Graduate Student Enrollment

South Dakota State - 12,613
University of Wisconsin-Madison - 43,820

Poor excuse.

Man, you made it to zero dual meets last season, and you're telling other people "Poor excuse."

Glass houses.

Here were the days/times of this year's home dual meets:

12/7 - Thursday - 7pm - HS home dual meet
1/26 - Friday - 7pm
2/9 - Friday - 7pm
2/16 - Friday - 7pm
2/18 - Sunday - Noon - CHURCH

I live over 3+ hours from Madison and I work a full-time job.  You tell me when I'm supposed to get to one of these dual meets during the week.  The only one could have been Sunday...but that's my church day and our church is at 10am.  And church is #1 for me and my family.  During the week I'm not driving 3+ hours, watching a dual meet, and then driving back home in the same night.  And I'll let you talk to my wife about doing that on a Friday night before I'm going to be gone all day at regionals and sectionals the day after two of the Friday dates.  The 26th happens to be a weekend we didn't have anything...which I spent with my family because I'm away from them so much during that time of year.

You should think before you cast judgements about people and why they can or can't be at dual meets.  This is why you rub people the wrong way.  Now that includes me as well.

[wrastle63]

Every post he makes gets worse and worse. Stick to data.

[Numbers]

Note to the new Badger staff - if you schedule a dual in between sessions of the high school state individual tournament, a few thousand extra fans will show.

The northwestern dual a decade back was awesome.

[MNbadger]

You would get better attendance if you schedule Sunday duals.  This gives people that are 3-4 hours away time to attend.  The majority of Gopher duals were on Sundays.  When I attend the duals I se spectators from all over the state.

Population within 60 miles of...

Brookings, SD - 80,348
Madison, WI - 757,863

Undergraduate + Graduate Student Enrollment

South Dakota State - 12,613
University of Wisconsin-Madison - 43,820

Poor excuse.

Man, you made it to zero dual meets last season, and you're telling other people "Poor excuse."

Glass houses.

Here were the days/times of this year's home dual meets:

12/7 - Thursday - 7pm - HS home dual meet
1/26 - Friday - 7pm
2/9 - Friday - 7pm
2/16 - Friday - 7pm
2/18 - Sunday - Noon - CHURCH

I live over 3+ hours from Madison and I work a full-time job.  You tell me when I'm supposed to get to one of these dual meets during the week.  The only one could have been Sunday...but that's my church day and our church is at 10am.  And church is #1 for me and my family.  During the week I'm not driving 3+ hours, watching a dual meet, and then driving back home in the same night.  And I'll let you talk to my wife about doing that on a Friday night before I'm going to be gone all day at regionals and sectionals the day after two of the Friday dates.  The 26th happens to be a weekend we didn't have anything...which I spent with my family because I'm away from them so much during that time of year.

You should think before you cast judgements about people and why they can or can't be at dual meets.  This is why you rub people the wrong way.  Now that includes me as well.

[Barou]

Note to the new Badger staff - if you schedule a dual in between sessions of the high school state individual tournament, a few thousand extra fans will show.

The northwestern dual a decade back was awesome.

I was at that dual.  Complete success and baffled me that it was never duplicated. 

[wrastle63]

Note to the new Badger staff - if you schedule a dual in between sessions of the high school state individual tournament, a few thousand extra fans will show.

The northwestern dual a decade back was awesome.

I was at that dual.  Complete success and baffled me that it was never duplicated. 

Hopefully our new coach will come up with some great ideas like this to promote the program to the average wrestling fans in Wisconsin.

[Gutwrench]

Kind of surprised Minny wasn't further up the list.

[bigG]

I sure would be happy to see attendance jump. But, still, wrestling is not (yet) as popular in WI, by any stretch, as it is in the top 10 of that list. It's almost like Bono took over In SD all over again. I certainly wish him the best and hope to attend more Badger wrestling events in the near future.

I think in Wisconsin, it isn't that wrestling is not popular. It's that it is comparatively less popular. Students (high school and college) have other attractive options drawing their attention (both in participation in high school and as fans in college). Badger Football and Badger Basketball have drawn both bodies and eyes to their sports for a decade or two now.

It's a different ball game in South Dakota. Seth Gross wasn't just the Jackrabbits first division 1 wrestling champion; he represented the school's first division 1 national championship in any sport.

I think there is more interest in wrestling in Wisconsin (and more population with interest). The key is drawing them from other sports. I'm cautiously optimistic that Bono can do that. He's one heck of a promoter.

Good point. It is less popular. One hope I have is that Badger fans across the board will take more interest in our favorite sport. I'll watch the Badgers play basketball, Hockey, whatever; cuz I love the Badgers. It'd be sweet if the hockey version of us took more interest; and the basketball folks. We're all Badgers, baby; and we want to up our school higher more than its current status. I think our new coach will do a fine job. Let's let the man breath and we'll have to come a screamin' to the duals. Iowa might get many more fans; but Wisconsinites have a loud tradition.

[ElectricGuy]

Maybe it's been said, but just heard on the radio this am that WI volleyball was 3rd in the nation for avg attendance 6k+ per event - so much so that next year they are opening some upper parts of the barn now for their events.

IMO = wrestling has a stronger more loyal fan base,  so IMO put a quality product out & market it = they will come