National Duals next season

[Roar More]

Reality check. Having this even the third weekend in November is not going to do a thing to "grow the sport." How many casual fans will be tuning in to a college wrestling event when college football is wrapping up its season on Saturday and the NFL is dominating Sunday? Getting eyes new on wrestling won't happen. Now, if you adjust the season to be a second semester sport only, from January to May, you may have a chance.

 

[vhsalum]

Reality check. Having this even the third weekend in November is not going to do a thing to "grow the sport." How many casual fans will be tuning in to a college wrestling event when college football is wrapping up its season on Saturday and the NFL is dominating Sunday? Getting eyes new on wrestling won't happen. Now, if you adjust the season to be a second semester sport only, from January to May, you may have a chance.

That would help, for sure. But Cael has also been very vocal about not liking that idea either.

Events draw eyes. Especially duals. Casual fans like teams. I think people forget that events, participation, consistency and marketing HAVE to happen before they draw.

 

[matter7172]

Bryce Jordan Center hosted at least 2 NWCA National Duals and 1 NCAA tourney. Guess which one(s) sold out and which had way less than capacity attendance.

 

[doubleboots]

My problem is calling it something that it really is not.

 

[PSUbluTX]

My problem is calling it something that it really is not.

In related news, Jake Paul is reportedly planning to box Connor McGregor later this year in a title match that will be billed as the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

 

[GOLDBANGER]

I guess I'm one of the few, but I wanna see PSU and Iowa both go. I don't care that it's in Tulsa, or funded by Chad. I don't care that it's in November. This sport is slowly dying. Give the fans what they want.

You know how I know our sport is not "slowly dying?" It cost well over $55,000 for a suite in Philly for NCAAs.

 

[Callthestall]

I think the National Dual best format is to have top 4 teams at year end go 1 -4 ,2-3: Winners for firstplace, losers for 3rd. If a team chooses not to participate the next highest team seed slides in. Highest seeded team participating host the event with some ticket revenue going to host team. Maybe you treat individual results the same as early season all star event.

If you totally want to revamp year end, eliminate the conference championships and go 8 or 12(top 4 bye) or even 16 team tournament at rotating sites. Make the sight different geographic than year-end individual tournament.

 

[NittanyChris]

NCAA team titles and individual championships are what matters most, as Cael & Company have repeatedly stressed.

Given that, the only way I could see this possibly getting real buy-in from all the top teams is to hold it AFTER the NCAAs. Start the season in December and have the “National” Duals in April sometime.

 

[Bob_Anderson]

So yeah. exactly. You guys are making my point. Duals grow the sport. You can sell that. Teams. It's Iowa setting the attendance record, right?

It's teams - not individuals that will grow the sport. We have to start somewhere and individual tournaments are not it. Duals are easy to understand, easy to consume. I'm not speaking Mandarin here. We all knows Duals are much more palatable to the casual fan.

This "grow the sport" nonsense is getting old. It ain't happening.