Will,
Of course you cannot find the data to support the dual argument because for the most part it hasn't been tried in the mass media market that we have now.
To support my argument I offer the following....
1. You and I fundamentally disagree on the idea that wrestling is an individual sport and not a team sport. I think that the individual aspect of wrestling makes it one of the most intersting team sports around.
2. Look at the growth in our state in the elementary and middle school dual teams. Remember when you started these with Ryne....you were calling kids and scrapping to get enough for 1 team. Where are we now....5 teams for both elementary and middle school..that is huge growth. So much growth in fact that we have had to create 2 separate state tournaments in order to determine who qualifies and for which team. The Middle School state is exactly what the proponents want for a High School Grand state.
3. I am not looking at this problem from an individual wrestlers perspective. I am looking at it from an average fan perspective. What causes the average student to walk in to a gym and watch a wrestling match. What gets there interested, gets them excited, what creates hype around the school. Basketball gets it because of the team concept. I don't have to understand the intricacies of the offense, defense, etc. I just have to understand 2 pt shots, 3 pt shots, and maybe the idea of fouls. Wrestling can do the same thing using a dual format. It allows folks to support their team even if they aren't really familiar with wrestling.
4. Adrenalin rush. Close duals bring about an excitement that is like no other. All I have to offer for evidence is personal experience of over 40 years and the feedback I have received from people over the years. Heck, I remember talking to Matt Treaster after the first year we did the Schoolboy duals and Middle School duals. He and I both realized how much more fun they were. Ask the kids, the love them.
5. Look at the threads on this forum. What has become one of the most popular events we do after high school that causes high school kids to not wrestle in the kids state program.....the dual team that Chief forms and takes to Colorado.
Bottomline: Wrestling at the D1 college level is not growing. Wrestling at the international level almost got voted out of the Olympics. What we are currently doing is keeping wrestling on life support at best. You are one that is always preaching change and thinking outside of the box....well here are some ideas that I think would be positive and help grow the sport. It requires a change in thinking that wrestling is predominately an individual sport.
So, you ask for evidence....until we try it for a while we will not get a good enough sample size to provide you the emperical evidence you so desire.
In the mean time all I have to offer for evidence is huge success of the products you have been instrumental in creating....elementary school duals, middle school duals, schoolboy duals, etc.
Shawn Budke
