Why not more in attendance?

[imnofish]

My back is sore from sitting in the bleachers all yesterday at sectionals.  Didn't feel like driving 4 hours (sitting) to watch a match (sitting), then drive back 4 more hours (sitting).  I know I would enjoy being there, but getting there and back is just too much of a PAIN.  

I have not been able to get there the last couple years.  After coaching there many times and feeling the excitement in the arena, I could not disagree more.  It is the journey, You have to embrace it to enjoy it.  The fact that it is four and a half hours away makes it worth getting away in my opinion.  Call me crazy, but it is one of the best ways a person could enjoy a long weekend.  Looking forward to this coming weekend as I get to attend!   

I would love to go and I don't mind the trip, but when my back is messed up, the trip represents too much PAIN.  When healthy, I too enjoy getting away.  Have fun!

[stp]

I wonder if more fans would attend if Bucky took some of the matches on the road.  For example, why not wrestle a match at UW-EauClaire, or other campuses with wrestling programs?  Give more people a chance to see a college match without traveling 4-6 hours, then promote the heck out of it.  If the new fans enjoy it, maybe more of them would be willing to travel to Madison in the future. 

Great idea.   Grab the attention of some studs in the the Twin Cities and keep them away from those rodent gophers.

One thing I like that Ohio State does is have a dual at a high school gym in-state.  Usually its held at one of the upperclassman starters former HS.

Pretty sure every year they are close to sell outs.

[Handles II]

A sell out at a high school is often different than a sell out at the field house or carver. Just sayin'. Though there are some giant schools in Ohio...

I really think doing this is something the State and private schools should be doing. Get their product out to the people. Set up a  dual with two high school teams going on another mat. I understand the conflict of giving up one of only a couple home events though for that college.

Though the Badgers could consider doing what UW-L has done the past couple years, bring IN two schools to dual at the same time on a different mat, or perhaps before, on the Badger's mat?

[imnofish]

Handles, that sounds interesting.  Good to see that some folks are thinking outside the box.

[littleguy301]

Zeke and St. John went at it the entire match.  They both were constantly hand fighting and putting pressure on each other.  Zeke wore St. John down and struck with a cold blooded single in the third and was within one second of riding time.  When the best wrestle the score will seldom be 6-5, it comes down to the best move and 6 minutes of wearing an opponent out. 

Distance is a problem for Badger wrestling without premiere programs being within an hour.  Gophers have great HS wrestling within 30 minutes of the Pavillion.  We do need bigger crowds and right now the Badgers are putting one fantastic team on the mat every week.  In the Big Ten a similar schedule in football would be hosting Alabama, LSU, and Fla State within a month.

A group of ten year olds will become much better wrestlers if they become fans, watch the best, and not wrestle in every Sunday tournament in the area.  There is plenty of time for matches but few opps. to see the best in the nation.  My 3 1/2 cents.

Gosh, I like your idea with the 10 year olds to some good wrestling. Actually I think that having youth watch college is awesome, I believe that college show what they are being coached, good position, hand control, head position and the basics with some flare to boot.

Sorry posters, I attended 4 Gopher duals this year, well with parking and walking it takes around 50 minutes from my front door to the Pavillions front door. The do a great job of putting on a show.

Though I do tape the Badgers and watch them also, I might add my 9 year old just loves college duals, 2 hours is just about right for his wrestling watching ability Plus a much more relaxed Sunday with out a youth tourny