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Increasing Attendance


CoachW33

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What are ways you’ve seen or used to increase attendance and support at home duals?

Drop the lights and put a spotlight on the mat.  Also win state.  Everyone loves to come watch a winning team.  Then you will have new wrestling fans that will yell a bunch of stuff that doesn't make any sense.  Those are my favorites.

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Make weekday evening matches all triple duals. AD's, Coaches and Team has to promote their sport in the school and community. Most people even in their own schools do not know how hard the kids work to get to number one on their own team and able to wrestle each match. How many teachers or administrators are ever at a HS wrestling match??? NOT MANY...

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......... How many teachers or administrators are ever at a HS wrestling match??? NOT MANY...

 

I remember a teammate and I calling out a teacher in  class about not giving wrestling a chance and pretty much told her that she played favorite to the basketball players.  We basically guilted her enough to get her to come to a meet.  She was so excited after the meet, she continued to come to more of them even making it to some Saturday tournaments.  Grew on her so much, she ended up eventually attending the State Finals.

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We have our elementary club wreslte our rival team's club (South Adams) prior to the JV and Varsity each year.  The little kids bring in mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, etc. The goal is that they stay and watch the HS match as well. The little kids also bring alot of energy to the gym. We have done this for a few years and will continue to do so.

Tony Currie

Adams Central

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Drop the lights and put a spotlight on the mat.  Also win state.  Everyone loves to come watch a winning team.  Then you will have new wrestling fans that will yell a bunch of stuff that doesn't make any sense.  Those are my favorites.

 

"Git eem" (Get Him)

-You will hear at every match, no matter what level, classic!

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This year we started giving out promotinal shirts, that were bought by the wretling club. At all the home matches, we would have a manager or someone else throw out a shirt to the crowd after every match that we got a pin. Made sure to have a bunch in all sizes, that way kids or adults could wear the shirt.

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As an early Christmas gift, we gave away over 200 wrestling shirts to any students or teacher in our school. We also gave shirts away to any student that attended our one and only home dual meet. During the season, there were days where I would see 20-50 of the shirts being worn by students and teachers. Even since the season has ended, I still see atleast 5-10 North Montgomery wrestling shirts being worn around school each day. High School kids like free stuff. Great advertisement for your program.

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Even with so many different promational ideas, it is just difficult to increase attendance. I'm sure most schools have noticed in all sports that attendance is down, and student sections are smaller. I think financially some students just can't attend sporting events, even an all-sports pass is overpriced for students at some schools. Another big hit on attendance is the use of webcasts. Especially through this bitter winter. Most people would to choose to stay home and watch it on their computer, instead of going out in the horrible weather we have had this year. I think webcasts are great, especially to be able to watch something I just can not attend. They are great for people overseas, and out of state. It could maybe help home dual attendance to not allow a webcast for every home dual. Maybe just do a couple, and big tournaments. If someone local is watching the webcast, then there is obvious interest. Give them a reason to get off their lazy butts and show support in the stands.

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I wish we could bring back more regular dual meets. I know our school only had 1 home dual this year and 1 all day Saturday tournament. (And my all sports pass didn't get me in for the sat. trny. Basically bought an all sports pass for 5 football games and 1 wrestling meet. So I know I over paid  :'( ) i think it's hard to get other fans outside of die hards like myself and the parents of the kids interested when all we have now are 5-10 hour meets.

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Make it an event that people want to come back to. Lights, music, etc...

You need a gimmick, Think Minor league Baseball. Their marketing people are the best in the business.

Beauty and the Beast Night-a wrestling and Gymnastic dual in the same gym

Bring back a former great wrestler and have them be the honorary captain. Have a famous person from your school?...do the same thing.

We did this when I was coaching in Ohio. On the night we wrestled our biggest rival we would get one of the clubs, VFW, American Legion, Elks, to give a free hotdog to anyone with a ticket stub. You need liquid to wash down a hotdog and weeknights are usually slow for those places. They will love the extra business and they will love helping your team.

Kids club participation has been mentioned.

 

Whatever you do, make it first class. Have a national anthem-invite your school band!

 

The main thing you can do is offer a product that people want to come back and see. Good, hard, CLEAN, in your face wrestling with lots of action. Build it and they will come!

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