Later this week, thousands of people will descend upon “the world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden, in New York City. Although drawn for a championship tournament, it has nothing to do with the ubiquitous NCAA men’s basketball March Madness. Instead, tickets are selling for upwards of $500 for the DI college wrestling championships, and people are coming from afar and paying exorbitant prices to witness the best week of the year for collegiate wrestling.
I’ve written about wrestling in the past in this space, observing that despite history being made regularly schools are cutting programs and discussing the creative use of venues by top teams to build excitement around this ancient sport. This week, with all its fanfare, ESPN coverage, and rotating commercials, it is easy to be a wrestling fan. However, follow wrestling year-round and one will notice the drop-off in attention paid and money spent between this week and the remainder of the wrestling season. How does a sport that fills Madison Square Garden for three days, sets a new championship attendance record of 113,000-plus last year in St. Louis, and is inarguably one of the world’s oldest forms of competition almost get excised from the Olympics?
Contrary to a sport that is still gaining traction on the university level and doesn’t receive substantial national coverage at any point during its season (like rugby), it can feel as if wrestling’s ebbs and flows are the most extreme in college athletics. Why does the sport make such a splash then all-but-disappear from national consciousness for the remainder of the season? And, perhaps more importantly, what can college coaches and athletic departments do to help close the gap between the extremes of interest that pervade wrestling?
Connect wrestling to its somewhat-related cousin, MMA.
According to UFC president Dana White, approximately 1.5 million viewers paid to watch UFC 196, which ended in grappling, not a boxing-style knockout. Although more rules-based and less violent, wrestling should have an appeal to those who enjoy mixed martial arts. Finding a creative way to connect the two in viewers’ minds might create some coveted college-aged fans.
Push Your Star Athletes and Their Marquee Matchups
College wrestling has a well-established ranking system that allows for clear, measurable standings among its athletes. These wrestlers are often battling other top-tier competitors, creating clashes that have resounding consequences for a season. And, even better, there are ten weight classes per match, so there is a possibility of multiple highly-ranked foes meeting in a single night. If a school has a premier wrestler, make him known around campus and tout his bouts.
Tap into the Growing Online Community
FloWrestling, the premier content provider for wrestling across a variety of ages and experience levels, is doing fantastic work streaming instructionals, live matches, tournament results, and other wrestling-related information. In a world where streaming video is gaining greater and greater momentum across college campuses, publicizing content providers like FloWrestling is a great way to build viewership for the school team as well as build knowledge for those unfamiliar with wrestling and its rule system.
Wrestling is on its biggest stage this week; the national championships are intriguing for fans, both veteran and nascent. However, athletic departments need to continue to find ways to close the interest gap that exists between the sport’s premier event and the rest of an exciting season. Hopefully, these suggestions might help in sparking a conversation.
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