Casber, who founded Takedown Wrestling Radio six years ago, remains one of wrestling's greatest promoters and most colorful personalities. He generously gives his time, money, and energy -- all for the betterment of the sport. He also has a huge heart when it comes to helping people who are less fortunate. In 2003, Casber was named Wrestling Broadcaster of the Year by The National Wrestling Media Association.
RevWrestling.com recently went one-on-one with Casber to discuss the past, present, and future of Takedown Wrestling Radio.
Talk about the history of Takedown Wrestling Radio. When did it start? And how did the idea come about?
Casber: It started six years ago. Originally, Takedown Wrestling Radio was called Saturday Night Slam. It was on a different radio station called The Jock, here in Des Moines, and it was played 10 p.m. to midnight. I had a partner named Scott McLin who wanted to do a professional wrestling show. The only way that I would agree to it -- the only thing that it would give it any kid of legitimacy -- is if we have a section or element of amateur wrestling, which is exactly what we did. My favorite guys to talk to in the pro ranks were the guys with the amateur backgrounds. I fell in love with the sport back at Iowa -- when I went to school there in the early 80's. The fresh recounting of it really started when we had Dan Gable on the show. He suggested that maybe we should do a show that is all amateur and no pro. And that's exactly what we did.
What is your background in broadcasting?
Casber: I've always been in radio and television. I started my career in 1975 in television. I went to Brown Institute in Minneapolis, then did three years at Iowa, and finished up at Drake University with degrees in public relations, advertising, and marketing. So I understand that this sport needs to be marketed. I understand that this sport needs to be promoted. Sometimes the best kind of promotion is through the art of public relations.
My mentor in PR was the father of PR -- and he died at 103 -- his name was Dr. Edward Bernays. One of my very first big projects, against the wishes of my professors at Drake, was to bring the father of PR to Des Moines. He coined the phrase, "Wheaties -- Breakfast of Champions." He made up Betty Crocker. He turned a little vacuum company into Standard Oil. He represented seven Presidents of the United States. I mean, this cat really set the table for American business and politics for the next 100 years. He did it old school -- and that's how I've done it. That's how I've always been a promoter. I'm very proud to be a part of this sport because it's growing again. Maybe it's not growing as quickly as we would like it to, but it's growing smartly and efficiently.
What has been the biggest change in the six-year history of Takedown Wrestling Radio?
Casber: I think mobility. The fact that the show is able to get out and cover the major events live. I think we have a better level of communication with our listeners to find out what they're interested in hearing. We've never been about play-by-play. We've never been about calling a match for the sake of calling a match. There are a few things that we do each year that would resemble a play-by-play effort. Primarily, we're about the people, the history of this sport, the people who have made the history, the current athletes, their stories, and the future. We are at a really neat period of time in the history of wrestling right now, where we have quite possibly more young coaches today than any time over the last 50 years. These young guys are so assertive and so battle friendly. In other words, they're ready to get in there and fight for their sport.
I'm very proud of the way that this sport has grown, the fact that we have all these young coaches out here who are busting their humps -- desperately trying to make a difference. And I think they are. I really do. I think their making a huge difference out there. Guys like Tom and Terry Brands, Kerry McCoy, Shawn Charles, Chris Bono, Sammie Henson, Carter Jordan -- all these young guys. Sure they may have been there five years as an assistant, but now it's theirs. Now they get to put their stamp on it and honor the guys that came before them. I think they're very cognizant of the fact that the guys that came before them are very, very important to the success of any team and the sport in the future. If you sit down and talk with these cats about the past and about where the teams are now or the future, it's not always about an NCAA title, although that is looming and lurking. It's about how can we best represent. I think that's pretty cool.
What do you enjoy most about doing the shows?
Casber: It's several things. Interaction with the fans … because I'm a fan. I'm not an expert, never have been, never will be. The day I become an expert will probably be the day I sign off the show. The people who come on the show are the experts -- and I enjoy talking with them. I may ask a better question today than I did six years ago. I guarantee I do. But when it comes to giving expert analysis or breaking down the possibilities of the team, I'm going to the coach. I'm not going to second guess these guys. These guys are the pros. They know what they're doing. I'm a radio guy. My ideal is to get a show of five or six guests, let them say their piece, and insert a little humor when we can. As a sport, we often take ourselves a little too seriously. But I also believe that there is room for this sport to continue to invite in new guests, new fans, new participants, and new sponsors. We've been very closed off and very protective for a number of years. In some cases, rightfully so. But now I think it's time to throw our doors wide open and invite in the American public. We need to reintroduce them to wrestling, make it fun again for everybody. It might mean that we have to teach. Gosh, why did they just give that guy two points? Why is he holding up his right hand as opposed to his left? I think there are some very simple things that we can do.
You have been involved with amateur wrestling for a number of years. Is there a specific show, event, or experience that sticks out more than the others?
Casber: I think the one particular event sticks out more than the others is giving a motivational read prior to the NCAA Championships two years ago at Savvis Center in St. Louis. Right before we went live to ESPN, I had a United States Marine hold a clipboard as I stood amongst the masses in the stands with a remote microphone -- with the music of 2001: A Space Odyssey building in the background. It was my job to charge this crowd with passion. As their fever, as their temperament, as their excitement grew, mine did as well. Once I reached the crescendo or the pinnacle of both my speech and the music, I knew right then and there that I would never, ever find another sport that I would be able to call home. That may be one of my fondest memories.
I've had coaches and athletes cry on my show, break down emotionally. And it's not because I've asked mean questions, or asked good questions in a mean-spirited way, it's because wrestling is an emotional sport. And for some, they have no other release. I find that very intriguing. I, too, have cried on broadcasts before. I've broken down and become emotional. In some instances, I think it's because I never did wrestle. It's because I've never been able to feel what these guys feel. It's because I know that they understand now that they have reached the end of their physical ability. They can do no more. This is as good as it gets. They understand that they must ask for help from a coach or from a higher power. They have to figure where to draw more strength from.
You have worked side-by-side with Steve Foster for the last few years. What has it been like working with him?
Casber: Working with Steve Foster has truly been a dream. He is somebody who understands that there is no money in what we do. He doesn't expect to be paid. As we've grown together, he expects to be a bigger part of the picture. But at the same time, he understands how the picture is being drawn. He knows that this is not about making money. This is about promoting the sport for the love of it. For the love and appreciation of the people in it. There's no greater moment than when I'm asked to MC or host an event where I get to salute guys who have done their best -- and have earned a gold medal or an NCAA title. Steve understands that. Steve has been with me the last three or three and a half years. Steve has been a lot of fun. He's willing to travel for the sport. He has an incredible memory. He has an incredible wealth of friends. And he has a huge, huge heart. He personally gives thousands of dollars to this sport every year -- with no expectations ever of getting anything back. He will never tell people that. He will only share that he loves the sport. He just likes to be a part of it. Steve has found salvation and calling, like I have, in this sport.
With your show is based in central Iowa, near a lot of college campuses, is it tough trying to stay neutral -- not giving the Iowa schools more attention?
Casber: No, not really. We do one show a year for each of the Division I schools in Iowa -- Iowa, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa. We're as interested in them as they are in us coming to see them. Other than that, I don't think we spend an inordinate amount of time with those coaches throughout the balance of the year -- whether we are live on location at an event or on the phone. We just don't. There are 86 or 87 Division I level coaches out there who desperately need attention -- all of them do. It's to the sport that I owe my program to, not an individual coach. And my coaches understand that. There are some out there who don't quite get what we do yet -- and that's okay. I don't think they look at us like we're a weekly news magazine, when in fact, we are. Just like print, you have to pay your bills for radio. We buy our time. So we're very unique in the world of broadcasting. It's almost like leasing a space in the mall. We have to pay our bills. When someone doesn't pay, it can kind of screw up the whole thing. But one day he'll pay. I truly believe he will.
Scott CasberCasber: I think Vegas. The Cliff Keen is a good one because it really signifies the beginning of the year. I think midyear, one of my favorites to attend is the Midlands because of it's historic significance. Certainly there are other good tournaments happening at the same time, but Midlands has historic significance and history, which is very important to me and the sport. I think the National Duals can be a real good event if it's done in an appropriate building, an appropriate place. So I'm looking forward to the event happening up at the UNI Dome, where they will draw well.
How about the NCAA Division I Championships? How many times have you broadcast there?
Casber: We've done it four times. They can be expensive for us, though. We've had to pay airfare, hotel, phones lines, and computer lines. The average NCAA Tournament can cost us two, three, four grand. And for a little show like ours, that's quite pricey.
What is your vision for the future of Takedown Wrestling Radio?
Casber: I'd like to see us on more radio stations, reaching more of the general public. In other words, wrestling fans are going to find us. I want more people to tune into us, like they do throughout Iowa and southern Minnesota on radio. I would like to see more stations carry us. They can have our show for free. They can take out all of my local commercials and plug in their own stuff -- sell their own time. The bottom line is getting it out there for more people to hear it. That would be my ultimate goal -- get it out there to more radio stations in the hotbeds of Pennsylvania, Ohio, upstate New York, the Virginias.
What about getting Takedown Wrestling Radio on XM Satellite Radio? Is that something you've thought about?
Casber: Oh, absolutely. But trying to get through to them, trying to get a specialty product like this on is tough. They view wrestling as north of the Mason-Dixon line. They view wrestling as a seasonal sport. It's tough. I've turned down opportunities to broadcast our show on ESPN.com and CSTV.com. I don't know that I want to say turned down … better terms might be, 'We have not been able to come to an agreement.' And these people contacted us. I didn't contact them. The reason is because they want to charge for it. I feel that if we're going to do the sport justice, we have to make it available to anybody and everybody that we can, to constantly inform, educate, and entertain. Those are our three goals.
But we also provide another service, we counsel young coaches that we have become friends with. Young assistants that are struggling to make decisions. Or even head coaches who want to make a move back to their alma mater -- and recently that happened. Sometimes just a sounding board is a good thing for these guys -- and we provide that. They are my friends. We are a very small family, this family of wrestling. Family means brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, parents. I hope we respect each other enough to be able to move forward.
In June, you did the announcing for the World Team Trials in Ames, Iowa. Do you have plans to do the announcing for any major amateur wrestling events in the near future?
Casber: Yeah, I'll be doing the NWCA National Duals in January with Sandy Stevens in Cedar Falls. I've been asked to do other events like the World Team Trials, Olympic Team Trials, things like that. Nothing is firm. I'm a professional announcer as it is. I announce professional boxing and mixed martial arts. I just love announcing. If that means putting together a broadcast team, I'll do it because I know that they're doing a good job. They have a passion for doing it. They love to sit and talk about what they see and do the interviews -- just like I do. Once in a while, a little break for me is not bad. Let's face it -- I don't take a Saturday off. I can tell you how many shows I've missed since we've been on the air -- and it's all on one hand.
I think that's all I have for you. Is there anything else you would like to add?
Casber: I can only ask that our sport continue to give thanks to all of the wonderful supporters we have out there. And also continue to remind our graduating seniors that your obligation to this sport is only beginning. Don't forget wrestling. Always come back. Wrestling will never abandon you, so don't abandon wrestling.
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