J Robinson talks about future of College Wrestling

[MNbadger]

I will predict this; If we ever change to the dual format and it determines the National Champion, attendance will decrease.  Meaning there are more fans attending the present, individually scored championships than there will be for a dual format championship.
We have a very well received and very well attended tournament.  We seem to be bent on making it weaker.

[Huckfinn]

If we ever change to the dual format and it determines the National Champion, attendance will decrease.  Meaning there are more fans attending the present, individually scored championships than there will be for a dual format championship.

It doesn't matter if the duals tournament is less well attended than the individual tournament.   Aren't two highly meaningful events better than one?

The individual championship tournament will remain as exciting as ever.

How much drama does the team total add to the existing national tournament?   I'd argue very little.   People are focused on the individual matchups.
When Penn State ran-away with the team totals in recent years, the lack of a close team race didn't detract from the excitement of the tournament a bit.

[MNbadger]

We have two now.  Changing the focus of how the NC is determined will result in less attendance, less interest overall.

[shouldvewrestled]

We have two now.  Changing the focus of how the NC is determined will result in less attendance, less interest overall.

Problem is most people don't even know the one happens and the only people who understand the other are wrestling fanatics. We can keep the status quo and watch the sport dwindle into contraction from D1, Robinson's main point.

[MNbadger]

I disagree.  I don't know if it still holds true but I no for a long time the NCAA Wrestling Championships were/are? the third or fourth biggest event for revenue/attendance (maybe someone wants to do the leg work to see if this is still the case).

[shouldvewrestled]

I disagree.  I don't know if it still holds true but I no for a long time the NCAA Wrestling Championships were/are? the third or fourth biggest event for revenue/attendance (maybe someone wants to do the leg work to see if this is still the case).

I disagree that the individual event would suffer if they held a national championship dual series.  The individual event is already attended by diehard wrestling fans, not just the average guy off the street.  These die hard fans will still go to the individual event no matter what.  It's why like you said its the 3rd or 4th revenue event for college sports.  The team series didn't seem to bring down individual states attendance in WI and doubtfully other states who do this.  We may have to agree to disagree but the state of wrestling as a whole and other non-revenue sports are in jeopardy at the highest levels I feel if football and basketball keep getting bigger.  They are getting bigger too and will only cost more to fund and like Robinson said it's easier to cut sports than raise funds.  I'm just saying lets try to find a way to raise those funds for them and make wrestling more popular and bring in more money through duals and the best way to do that is make them actually meaningful.

[DocWrestling]

A national dual tournament in all levels would generate interest and revenue which are both needed.  Every team qualifies!

Right now would be a perfect time and it would lead into the individual tournament.  Hosting regional championships like basketball.  How great would it be if Wisconsin hosted it somewhere here and it had every D3, D2, and D1 team there from our region fighting to advance.

Lets be honest even the Big Ten duals mean very little as a team because nobody cares about the team title from duals so it is just a series of individual matches.  Would it mean more and generate more excitement if it was used as qualifying for the NCAA tourney, etc.

[MNbadger]

Shouldve... "I disagree that the individual event would suffer if they held a national championship dual series.  The individual event is already attended by diehard wrestling fans, not just the average guy off the street"

We have had the National duals for quite some time (with regional qualifiers).  The attendance has been poor so I don't understand why you think.  To be honest, less die hard fans go to the duals, and the average guy off the street is not attending either.

[shouldvewrestled]

Shouldve... "I disagree that the individual event would suffer if they held a national championship dual series.  The individual event is already attended by diehard wrestling fans, not just the average guy off the street"

We have had the National duals for quite some time (with regional qualifiers).  The attendance has been poor so I don't understand why you think.  To be honest, less die hard fans go to the duals, and the average guy off the street is not attending either.

Do the national duals actually mean anything other than just another tournament?  And what are we doing to get the average badger fan off the street to come to the duals (they don't mean anything) hard to back something that really is just an exhibition.

[MNbadger]

Duals don't mean anything according to you.  Even though they don't mean anything attendance is pretty good at MN, IA, PSU, and others.
Fans have to show up if they value their sport, period.

[Street Glide]

Duals don't mean anything according to you.  Even though they don't mean anything attendance is pretty good at MN, IA, PSU, and others.
Fans have to show up if they value their sport, period.

Well if they don't mean anything and attendance is pretty good, then wouldn't attendence just be better if it did mean something.  Wrestling is one of those unique sports where as fans we have the opportunity to have individual champs and team champs and should be taken advantage of separately.   Maybe scheduling is the problem.  The NCAAs finals now is spread over three days and many of these fans plan vacations for this event.  Still I don't think if there were a team tournament, scheduling could be worked out as not to draw away from the individual tournament.

[shouldvewrestled]

Duals don't mean anything according to you.  Even though they don't mean anything attendance is pretty good at MN, IA, PSU, and others.
Fans have to show up if they value their sport, period.

Would say it's not just me.  You named the 3 powerhouse teams in college wrestling.  I think many of the fans who do value the sport do show up.  Wrestling just doesn't get the fan who is just a fan of the badgers, not the sport itself.  You can say what you want but what does winning a dual actually get you?  Experience for the individual tournament at the end of the year?  If that's it I don't see it growing is all I'm saying.

If we don't try new ideas, how many years down the road do they kick the sport out of the Olympics again?  Maybe it needs a team aspect for the Olympics to actually get the sport covered by the mainstream coverage?  From my experience people, not just fans of the sport, can back the dual system.  Heck I help run the computers for one of our states bigger christmas tournaments.  A father of a wrestler came up to me wondering how the team that was in first place was there.  He's been around wrestling for longer than I have been alive and he doesn't understand the team scoring system of an individual tournament.  Do many others then?  Hard to get excited for a team competition when you don't even understand how it's run.    

[shouldvewrestled]

Duals don't mean anything according to you.  Even though they don't mean anything attendance is pretty good at MN, IA, PSU, and others.
Fans have to show up if they value their sport, period.

Well if they don't mean anything and attendance is pretty good, then wouldn't attendence just be better if it did mean something.  Wrestling is one of those unique sports where as fans we have the opportunity to have individual champs and team champs and should be taken advantage of separately.   Maybe scheduling is the problem.  The NCAAs finals now is spread over three days and many of these fans plan vacations for this event.  Still I don't think if there were a team tournament, scheduling could be worked out as not to draw away from the individual tournament.

Scheduling might be the hardest part would agree there Glide.  Maybe get the individual part done in 2 days and have the (Elite Eight) of the team part be the last day.  First day if you want the team part first.  Just throwing out mumble jumble ideas quickly.  Smarter people than me could figure out something I'm sure.

[DocWrestling]

The other hard part is that when it comes to teams, fans love the unpredictability and love the upset.  There is no parity.  Before the tourney starts everyone know who the final 4 will be and there is very little chance of upsetting those teams.

[MNbadger]

Should've.... " Maybe it needs a team aspect for the Olympics to actually get the sport covered by the mainstream coverage? "

Doubtful, The biggest Olympic sports for fans are gymnastics, swimming, ice skating, and track (you could add skiing and speed skating here too). Though they have a team component, it is rarely mentioned.
The fans watch the individuals of these sports, not the teams.