@TuesdayPause | #GoDiscover Photo Story by Kristin. March Madness is a big deal. Brackets are picked, games watched, results tracked—sometimes with growing excitement, other times with disappointment and defeat. While most in America know about March Madness, far fewer may be familiar with “March Matness”—the affectionate name for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship.
Eight mats became six mats, became one center-stage mat at the final session of the 2018 Wrestling Championship at Cleveland’s Quicken Loan Arena.
Until recently, I belonged to this know-not group. Not only had I never heard the knock-off nickname, “March Matness,” I had never even watched a wrestling match in person. Had never wanted to, frankly.
So when my husband announced that we had tickets to the three-day NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship tournament, “thrilled” did not exactly capture my response. As we left home for downtown, I assumed we were headed somewhere on campus at Cleveland State University. And I’d have been right if a pocket calendar tucked into my purse revealed a date somewhere in the 1990s, or earlier.
This is collegiate wrestling—passion, strength, perseverance, endurance.
The Growth in Popularity of NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship
You see, the popularity of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship—ongoing since 1928 (excluding a 3-year hiatus during WWII)—has increased to such a degree that it has been held at professional sports arenas in major cities since 2000.
You can’t see the top deck seating very well due to the lighting, but the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship broke attendance records here in Cleveland.
No, just as my bag did not really contain an obsolete paper pocket calendar, neither we were headed to some dark, musty auxiliary gym at CSU. In actuality, my bag held an iPhone with the year 2018 clearly visible each time I swiped into it, and we were, in fact, heading to Quicken Loans Arena (home of the Cavaliers).
Quicken Loans Arena…to watch college wrestling! Call it ignorance on my part, but the thought bewildered me.
[If you’re new here to TuesdayPause, why not take a moment to learn more, or take a peak at other stories: Cleveland’s Money Museum, Akron RubberDucks Double-A Baseball—A Review, or Blue Herons at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.]
Attendance Hits Record High at 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship
Nothing demonstrates the popularity of an event like its venue, except maybe the attendance numbers themselves. Surprised at the size of the crowd, I struck up a conversation with a female seat attendant. “Who knew this many people would be at this event?” I mused. Her response was telling. She shared her personal disbelief that staffing had put out an “all hands on deck” call to all arena staff. “That only happens for games!”
The spectacle at The Q went beyond just wrestling.
Quicken Loans Arena seats 20,562 people when configured for a Cavs game. It is second in the NBA world only to Madison Square Garden, with a max capacity of 20,917. Attendance at the Saturday night session (the finals) hit record numbers for March Matness—19,776. The event was indeed sold out (fewer seats could be set in the wrestling configuration than for NBA basketball).
That is astounding to me!
My Takeaway from the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship
But, the event was more than just numbers—it was people. Enthusiastic people, comprised predominately of men, who came from all around the U.S. to be in attendance. We met visitors from Michigan, Arizona, Florida, and California. None had a child or family member competing. Some were former wrestlers or coaches; others just liked the sport. All were friendly and excited to talk up the sport.
Snyder-Mania on display by Ohio State fans as the enthusiasm continued to build throughout the final tournament session on Saturday night. Ohio State’s heavyweight, Kyle Snyder, strides onto center mat prior to his final match-up against University of Michigan wrestler Adam Coon. Snyder won, becoming the 2018 NCAA Division I Wrestling Heavyweight Champion. (Lower left.)
The exuberance of the fans, along with the passion of both the competitors and their coaches, the athletes’ contortionist displays of flexibility, strength, and grit, and the entertaining flare that you would expect at The Q, made this event downright worthwhile and fun. Yes, even for me, the previously disinclined ticket holder.
The coaching staffs displayed great intensity as they watched and cheered on their wrestlers. (Note: this collage is a random collection of coaches and wrestlers at the tournament.
As we left The Q after that final session, I honestly admitted, “I’m glad we went.” Thanks, Susan and Alan for bringing the tournament to our attention. Thanks, David for securing the tickets for us. Thanks to my husband for the gentle arm-twisting required to get me in the car.
Event Wrap-Up
It was exciting to see Kyle Snyder—Ohio State’s top heavyweight wrestler and the Gold Medalist from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, defeat Michigan’s Adam Coon in the final match of the night. Unfortunately, that win did not push Ohio State’s team standings over the top. At the end of the night, Penn State captured the NCAA Division I Championship for the seventh time in eight years. Disappointingly for all the local Buckeye fans, Ohio State finished in second place—134 ½ to 141 ½.
The Finals on Saturday night began with the Parade of All-Americans. 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, Kyle Snyder, stands with his hand over his heart, wearing white.
While it was fantastic to see it all unfold live at The Q, wrestling fans across the country unable to make it to Cleveland didn’t have to miss a takedown. ESPN provided 19 hours of coverage, including all 640 matches, for the fourth consecutive year. That’s right, ESPN’s cameras captured every session and every match, delivering its coverage through a mix of platforms, from streaming via the ESPN app to prime-time television programming. So, wrestling fans everywhere were sure to find their alma mater or favorite weight class regardless of their personal locale.
ESPN’s Quint Kessenich provides live coverage at the NCAA Div. I Wrestling Championship.
My recommendation? If you ever get the chance to go, do it. Yes, even if you find yourself disinterested r reticent. Go! Watch the wrestling, observe the fans, marvel at the crowd, feel the buzz, engage with those that you meet, ask questions, learn something about what characterizes and motivates a college wrestling fan. I believe you’ll be enriched by the experience.
[Once again, if you’re new here to TuesdayPause, why not take a moment to learn more, or take a peak at other stories: Cleveland’s Money Museum, Akron RubberDucks Double-A Baseball—A Review, or Blue Herons at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.]
What to Know Before You Go
2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship
When: March 21–23, 2019
Where: PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA
Tickets / More Info: Future info about the 2019 Championship and ticket offerings is available at ncaa.com