Where should nationals be held?

[Tripnsweep]

11 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Weather in Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale area is fantastic in March

Second this. Several suitable arenas. 

[Sheerstress]

12 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

My top 5. No paticular order

Vegas, Phoenix, Tampa, Miami, San Diego

Great cities, but what arena in San Diego would be big enough for NCAAs?

[CementMixer]

18 hours ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Iowa City, the Mecca of Wrestling

The Mecca Of wrestling is State College Pennsylvania.

[82bordeaux]

13 hours ago, PortaJohn said:

Been spending a lot of time on BWI GIF'ing I see

I played a large part in making BWI/HVI the GIF capital of wrestling forums.

Edited May 3, 2023 by 82bordeaux

[Formally140]

17 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

Mid-sized convention cities should be the primary discussion. Close to an airport, abundance of hotels within 15 minutes walking distance to the venue, nightlife, etc. I have travelled extensively throughout my career and here are some off the top of my head that would be great sites that can either check every box, or make up for a missing box by over-excelling in other areas.

Kansas City, MO, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Nashville, Boston, Philadelphia, Columbus, Phoenix, St. Louis, Detroit, DFW, (Arlington/Jerry-world would be too big but Dallas proper could do this). Atlanta and Nashville could really awaken Georgia and Tennessee wrestling over the long-term via youth-friendly exposure.

Of course there is the big boy that offers something for everyone, except the long flights and costs that could add up real quick: Vegas baby!

Chicago is spread too far apart in the distance delta of airport-venue-hotels-nightlife (you either do McCormick with only one train and absolutely not built for a mass exit, or you do the burbs which is an even worse choice). NYC is fun but too expensive for families and can quickly become a logistics nightmare for the uninitiated. Providence is too small at 14k capacity but would otherwise be a good choice for NCAAs.

 

Yeah every time someone mentions Chicago. I always want to ask. Where would you actually have it? No good answer

[DiverDownBrian]

Raleigh ... of course

[PortaJohn]

5 hours ago, Sheerstress said:

Great cities, but what arena in San Diego would be big enough for NCAAs?

I guess there's none unless they downsized it and went with Viejas arena.  But can we go somewhere warm for once

[D3 for LU]

... my back yard.

D3

[PencilNeck]

1 hour ago, Formally140 said:

Yeah every time someone mentions Chicago. I always want to ask. Where would you actually have it? No good answer

The United Center or the Allstate Arena (fka Rosemont Horizon). How is this complicated?

[bnwtwg]

3 minutes ago, PencilNeck said:

The United Center or the Allstate Arena (fka Rosemont Horizon). How is this complicated?

Have you ever left UC after an event? Have you ever stayed at “downtown” Rosemont which is nowhere near Chicago proper? Both options suck and I’m a ten year Logan Square/Old Town/ Lincoln Park resident that loves this city more than anything 

[ionel]

59 minutes ago, D3 for LU said:

... my back yard.

D3

photo?

[PencilNeck]

7 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Have you ever left UC after an event? 

I think a fan would have a blast if they chose a hotel in/near the west loop and were up for a little bit of walking.

9 minutes ago, bnwtwg said:

Have you ever stayed at “downtown” Rosemon

Yeah, always unplanned...probably about half of the time I fly home connecting through O'Hare. Agree it sucks, but the upside is many cheap hotel rooms, and close to the airport. and Allstate is probably a better sized arena for the NCAA tournament anyway? Not saying chicago would be the best choice, it's certainly a viable option. 

[ionel]

22 hours ago, Jimmy Cinnabon said:

Iowa City

There's a reason it will never again be in Iowa City (or Grumpy Valley), was there for the final version of that era, it was most dissapointing.  

[Interviewed_at_Weehawken]

4 hours ago, CementMixer said:

The Mecca Of wrestling is State College Pennsylvania.

Don't tell Aaron Brooks that!

[Formally140]

1 hour ago, bnwtwg said:

Have you ever left UC after an event? Have you ever stayed at “downtown” Rosemont which is nowhere near Chicago proper? Both options suck and I’m a ten year Logan Square/Old Town/ Lincoln Park resident that loves this city more than anything 

I mean we’re being realistic 

[TylerDurden]

2 hours ago, PencilNeck said:

The United Center or the Allstate Arena (fka Rosemont Horizon). How is this complicated?

Chicago is a great city, but it's not a good host city for a variety of reasons. 

[Ivan Stankowski]

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

[Le duke]

3 hours ago, bnwtwg said:

Have you ever left UC after an event? Have you ever stayed at “downtown” Rosemont which is nowhere near Chicago proper? Both options suck and I’m a ten year Logan Square/Old Town/ Lincoln Park resident that loves this city more than anything 

Ah. I always knew you were a U of I sorority girl.

No, but seriously, half of the women I knew at Illinois moved to Lincoln Park immediately after graduating. A good number still live there, from what I gather. 

[bnwtwg]

2 minutes ago, Le duke said:

Ah. I always knew you were a U of I sorority girl.

No, but seriously, half of the women I knew at Illinois moved to Lincoln Park immediately after graduating. A good number still live there, from what I gather. 

We call that person a Lincoln Park Trixie

For real though, it’s a great spot if you are the type that enjoys large city living. Clean, safe, plenty of shopping, plenty of food, and less than a mile to Diversey Harbor where I run along Lake Michigan every morning. Also has a bar for every B1G school if you’re young and can still hang.

[JVStateChamp]

Going back to the COVID year, I was really excited and interested in how a football stadium would host an NCAA wrestling tournament. I would imagine that there would be plenty of tickets for people, I just imagine the seating being a little far from the mats for some. Still, a cool concept would've loved to see how it would have played out. 

[KennyEBHS]

Based on how hard it is to get tickets regardless of the venue - wrestling fans will travel anywhere. I show below the largest arenas in the US. Some cities are not in traditional wrestling regions, but who cares? For instance, having the nationals in Florida would be great! It will still sell out and boost wrestling in FL where it is very popular in HS.

 

 

[ionel]

5 minutes ago, KennyEBHS said:

Based on how hard it is to get tickets regardless of the venue - wrestling fans will travel anywhere. I show below the largest arenas in the US. Some cities are not in traditional wrestling regions, but who cares? For instance, having the nationals in Florida would be great! It will still sell out and boost wrestling in FL where it is very popular in HS.

The teams also have to get there (all the $s going to NIL now) so you can knock off talk of Tacoma, Scottsdale/Tempe, Tampa & Sunrise etc. and with that lousy Midlands thing in Chicago area I'd dump that idea too.

Edited May 3, 2023 by ionel

[MPhillips]

6 minutes ago, ionel said:

The teams also have to get there (all the $s going to NIL now) so you can knock off talk of Tacoma, Scottsdale/Tempe, Tampa & Sunrise etc. and with that lousy Midlands thing in Chicago area I'd dump that idea too.

CBUS is looking better and better.

[ionel]

3 minutes ago, MPhillips said:

CBUS is looking better and better.

But is it a dry city or do they have liquids.  JB says we need liquids (at least 1 or 3) available till 2am.  

Edited May 3, 2023 by ionel

[MPhillips]

4 minutes ago, ionel said:

JB says we need liquids (at least 1 or 3) available till 2am. 

'Who am I to disagree.'

I present to you the Short North. https://shortnorth.org/eat-drink/bars-nightlife/