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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? The NCAA is thrilled with the fan support during its national wrestling championships.
The next step is to get the casual fan engaged for more than just a weekend.
A
proposal pitched Tuesday to the NCAA's sports management cabinet
includes a new, 24-team dual tournament with points available to pick up
before the event.
The proposal, first reported by the Des Moines
Register, wouldn't be implemented until at least 2016 because of
procedural and budgetary issues. But the idea behind the change is to
emphasize the regular season by forcing teams to compete for a spot in
the 24-team event, said Anthony Holman, the NCAA associate director of
championships.
The wrestling championships are typically among the
most successful the NCAA puts on, selling out again this March in Des
Moines. But lackluster attendance for regular-season matches has long
been an issue.
"Our avid fans come to our national championship.
They're committed to it. They're very supportive. But we've not seem
that trickle down to help programs," said Holman, who presented the
proposal. "By making dual matches early in the season and on campus more
important and more relevant, it strengthens our sport."
Under the
proposal, teams would compete all season for a bid to one of the four,
six-team regional tournaments, likely to be held after the conference
tournaments. The field would be selected in roughly the same manner as
the men's basketball tournament, with the highest seeds hosting the
regionals.
According to Holman, only 11 teams have won a national
title in 85 years. The NCAA would like to see that number grow as it
attempts to broaden the sport's popularity even as the International
Olympic Committee weighs a decision on whether to cut it out of the
Olympics.
"If you've got 24 teams that say 'We've got a chance,'
or we're going to go into the national championships with 12 or 15
points, their fan base is inspired," Holman said.
The championship
cabinet will soon make their recommendations regarding the proposal,
which will then be brought before the National Wrestling Coaches
Association convention in August.
One of the major points that
officials need to figure out is what percentage of points can be carried
from the 24-team event into the national meet, but Holman promised that
it will be "significant."
"It will be very difficult for an
institution that does not compete in the dual portion to win the
national championship," Holman said.
The NCAA doesn't want to take
anything away from the national championship meet. But Holman said that
the IOC's recent recommendation to drop the sport is proof that
improving wrestling's appeal is crucial.
"We need to be creative.
We need to be proactive regarding our sport, our championship and
bringing in and introducing more casual fans to our sport," Holman said.
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) ? The NCAA is thrilled with the fan support during its national wrestling championships.
The next step is to get the casual fan engaged for more than just a weekend.
A
proposal pitched Tuesday to the NCAA's sports management cabinet
includes a new, 24-team dual tournament with points available to pick up
before the event.
The proposal, first reported by the Des Moines
Register, wouldn't be implemented until at least 2016 because of
procedural and budgetary issues. But the idea behind the change is to
emphasize the regular season by forcing teams to compete for a spot in
the 24-team event, said Anthony Holman, the NCAA associate director of
championships.
The wrestling championships are typically among the
most successful the NCAA puts on, selling out again this March in Des
Moines. But lackluster attendance for regular-season matches has long
been an issue.
"Our avid fans come to our national championship.
They're committed to it. They're very supportive. But we've not seem
that trickle down to help programs," said Holman, who presented the
proposal. "By making dual matches early in the season and on campus more
important and more relevant, it strengthens our sport."
Under the
proposal, teams would compete all season for a bid to one of the four,
six-team regional tournaments, likely to be held after the conference
tournaments. The field would be selected in roughly the same manner as
the men's basketball tournament, with the highest seeds hosting the
regionals.
According to Holman, only 11 teams have won a national
title in 85 years. The NCAA would like to see that number grow as it
attempts to broaden the sport's popularity even as the International
Olympic Committee weighs a decision on whether to cut it out of the
Olympics.
"If you've got 24 teams that say 'We've got a chance,'
or we're going to go into the national championships with 12 or 15
points, their fan base is inspired," Holman said.
The championship
cabinet will soon make their recommendations regarding the proposal,
which will then be brought before the National Wrestling Coaches
Association convention in August.
One of the major points that
officials need to figure out is what percentage of points can be carried
from the 24-team event into the national meet, but Holman promised that
it will be "significant."
"It will be very difficult for an
institution that does not compete in the dual portion to win the
national championship," Holman said.
The NCAA doesn't want to take
anything away from the national championship meet. But Holman said that
the IOC's recent recommendation to drop the sport is proof that
improving wrestling's appeal is crucial.
"We need to be creative.
We need to be proactive regarding our sport, our championship and
bringing in and introducing more casual fans to our sport," Holman said.
