FINAL X IN STATE COLLEGE
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As a merely casual Freestyle fan I am a little confused but this Final X is not really all of the finals to make the world team, correct? Only a few of the weights are? If not then why is there a different Final X location with Burroughs/Imar, Fix/Gilman, etc.? If the high prices for this event included all the premier wrestlers I think sales would reflect that, but since this seems like 1 of a few finals, it’s harder to justify the prices?
The experiment here is to try and make it feel more like a "season," and expose more people by a divide & conquer approach. In the old way, it all would have been decided in Rochester MN 2 weeks ago at the conclusion of the WTT challenge bracket. They tried to distribute the weight classes to attract the most local interest: Burroughs, Green, and Gilman in Nebraska; DT, Dake & they assumed Zain in SC. Then there's the women's bouts too. I'm sure all this costs a good bit to do, but it does seem they set the price too high this year. Otherwise, I like the format: of course I'd like to see them all, but travel costs to Rochester would have discouraged me.
I’ve seen/heard a lot of people talk about ticket prices. Is $40 for a good seat really that high when you consider who is wrestling and the importance of these matches? ESP considering these are best of 3 series and not single matches. Think about it: David Taylor (psu 4x finalist) trying to make this 1st world team. Valencia (18 ncaa champ, 1 loss in 2 year ncaa career) vs Dake (4x ncaa champ looking to make first world team). Steiber (4x ncaa champ) vs McKenna ( will be 3x aa by the end if 2019). Plus 3 of the women’s weights will be decided including Adelyn Gray (3x world champ) and Kayla Miracle (4x wc was champ & fs up and comer). If you won’t shell out $40 to see all that you hate wrestling haha.
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https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestli...USA-Wrestling-and-Flo-Sports-announce-Final-X
The link above gives a bit of the thinking.
Personally, while I'll wait and see how the 3 weekends go, the idea sounds great. Three locations, a couple hours of wrestling, 20 weight classes overall (10 Men's, 10 Women's).
Not as many would be able to enjoy this under the old system, and while it's split into thirds, I am more keen on this than watching an entire day, and all the weight classes.
I drove from NJ to Pittsburgh for the 1992 trials and can say that the John Smith/John Fisher series at the Palumbo Center of Duquesne by itself was worth the time and expense. I don't expect to see anything of that caliber (probably the best wrestling I've ever witnessed in person. Available on YouTube) at State College or Bethlehem, but at $60 a ticket, I am sure I will be satisfied.
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Does Dake even own a shirt?
The idea was a good one, but understanding pricing and value is rather important. We can suggest on this forum that the higher price seems a good value for what is going to be seen.....but the purchasing is so far saying exactly the opposite.
That, coupled along with many don’t understand freestyle enough to invest more time to go see it. (And passivity rules don’t help).
Maybe other factors too. The good news is there was an effort to get more people watching it. Unfortunately, the state with the most wrestling fans came up small. State College will sell 3500 to a city that boasts 16000 on occasion and SRO 6300 6 or 7 times a year. Allentown with its D11 big population sold less than 500 seats and moved to Grace Hall and its 1800 seats won’t remotely sell out.
Good try in any event. More work at the drawing board is needed. I won’t lie. It was interesting but not enough to drag me away from 10 friends on a 50 mike bicycle ride with 7 breweries on the way.
Freestyle in State College will never draw as many as the "local" team does in folkstyle. It's a numbers game that includes; price, the local fan connection to the university and PSU Wrestling, the number of local guys that wrestle at a freestyle event, and several others.
Ramos tweeted about starting "our" (?) survey (I dunno if he has any official capacity or not) on this format, and how to improve it. That said, one thing he's talking about is adding some big-name exhibition match-ups to bolster the turnout in each location. For those of you not attending, would you consider it if you could see Nico vs. Delgado (how about in folkstyle?), or Zain vs. Metcalf? I feel like this could just dilute the "meaning" of the event, potentially the pay-out to the competetors too (or USA W could not want the competition). At lot of the online complaints have been that turnout is low because it's not all in one place. Seems odd to me, though I can imagine for those who actually do travel to WTT every year, this would be the perspective. Myself, having NEVER done so, I prefer the opportunity the current setup provides. In this day and age, I feel like people are going to complain from their own narrow POV no matter what though.
Freestyle (and, more so, Greco) just doesn't draw crowds in the USA. The crowd in State College is fairly impressive actually.
I love how they chose a picture of a roaring lion, and a frightened little boy.
A lot goes into this type of thing and there are many variables. Summer is not wrestling season. People are doing other things and it is hard to draw a crowd. The average fan will not spend 10 hours a day watching the finals. Just like the average BB or FB fan will not go to a game for 10 hours. A couple hour event is a good idea. Drawing people is a bit tougher. Hopefully they will work it out.
McKenna up 7-6, 2min left in 2nd period.
This match has been more entertaining than 90% of Lincoln last weekend, already.
This match has been more entertaining than 90% of Lincoln last weekend, already.
McKenna scores a step-out with :09 left to tie it up, but Logan had a 4, so he wins 8-8 on criteria.
This is probably a question to ask my officiating friends, but does a woman have to whistle women's bouts at this level?
Both whistle officials so far are people i'm fans of, which is a rarity.
Both whistle officials so far are people i'm fans of, which is a rarity.
4-0, all Miracle so far in the second bout. Velte had a couple of good opportunities to score on counter-offense but no dice.
Velte finally capitalizes on a leg attack. 4-2.
Velte came close on an arm drag, but nothing. 4-2 Miracle final.
Velte finally capitalizes on a leg attack. 4-2.
Velte came close on an arm drag, but nothing. 4-2 Miracle final.
To answer my question about female officials: No. We have a male whistle this match. Clodgo vs Watters
Now that Clodgo to rear-standing, Watters immediately to the out of bounds should have been a caution +1.
1-0, nevertheless Clodgo going into 2.
1-0, nevertheless Clodgo going into 2.
Clodgo crotch lift after good attempt by Watters, scramble ensues. No further scores. 3-0 neutral.
Couple Watters attempts. Nothing. Clodgo killing Watters in front head. Watters gets one off and scores. 3-2 with :02 left, blue bricks. Poor challenge. Fine that coach.
Clodgo wins after failed challenge 4-2.
Couple Watters attempts. Nothing. Clodgo killing Watters in front head. Watters gets one off and scores. 3-2 with :02 left, blue bricks. Poor challenge. Fine that coach.
Clodgo wins after failed challenge 4-2.
Dake fights off one more score and scrambles to a takedown. Has lace out of turk, but can't turn. 4-0.
Dake wins 4-0.
You're right. Nobody can score on this fool.
Dake wins 4-0.
You're right. Nobody can score on this fool.
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