Until when is wrestling guaranteed to remain an Olympics sport, 2024? 2028?

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

 
    Until when is wrestling guaranteed to remain in the Olympics, 2024?  2028 has Los Angeles hosting the Olympics and it seems that wrestling's part of the program.  However, I don't see wrestling mentioned for 2028 here:

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_at_the_Summer_Olympics

More interfacing with Hollywood could seemingly help wrestling nationally and globally.   Perhaps it's time to host the NCAA D1 championships out in L.A.?  

   Cal. Baptist is NCAA D1 now, and could host the NCAA's in or near Los Angeles.   So could new Big 10 members UCLA and USC, if they reinstate or otherwise add wrestling. 

    Hollywood's in L.A. County.   Wrestling's worthy of more movies and television shows.  Such programs promote our sport globally...  Hopefully more could emerge in time to help keep wrestling from eventually losing its status as an Olympic sport.   Perhaps it's time for a re-make of Vision Quest, but with a female in the star role (i.e. Lowden Swain)  and her superior nemesis (i.e. Shute) a female who does well in school, has guys admiringly flocking to her matches, but who hasn't yet landed the college wrestling scholarship that she most wants...    

[nhs67]

8 hours ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

Cal. Baptist is NCAA D1 now, and could host the NCAA's in or near Los Angeles.   So could new Big 10 members UCLA and USC, if they reinstate or otherwise add wrestling.

We have had NCAAs in MSG and they don't have a college team.  I don't see why having a team that competes at an event to 'host' NCAAs would be the requirement.  LA simply being LA should be the reason to have NCAAs out there.

That said, LA is about the most expensive town I have ever been to.  Not exactly enticing as a fan to make a trip there.  That might be a season I do B1Gs and WTT rather than NCAAs.

[Jason Bryant]

We have had NCAAs in MSG and they don't have a college team.  I don't see why having a team that competes at an event to 'host' NCAAs would be the requirement.  LA simply being LA should be the reason to have NCAAs out there.
That said, LA is about the most expensive town I have ever been to.  Not exactly enticing as a fan to make a trip there.  That might be a season I do B1Gs and WTT rather than NCAAs.

Columbia is in NYC …

Hofstra is 20 miles outside of Manhattan. They served as the host institution in 2016.

[nhs67]

1 hour ago, Jason Bryant said:

Columbia is in NYC …

Hofstra is 20 miles outside of Manhattan. They served as the host institution in 2016.

Listen here, JB.  We don't need to be bothered by your facts!

Also, good to know.  I knew they were close, I did not know they were the actual hosts of the event.

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

Los Angeles has its pricey areas, yes.   I wonder if it might sufficiently help one economize now that Los Angeles county has an elaborate light rail (commuter train) system that makes it feasible to access more economical lodging options.   Here's a website for L.A.'s metro system:

https://www.metro.net

It's been years since I've lived & worked in Los Angeles, and I definitely don't have an incentive to get the city chosen as a venue other than my desire for our sport to be able to tap into the media opportunities out there.   

I'm sensing that 2028 is the final year for wrestling in the Olympics unless we manage to extend that to 2032, etc.   Our sport could use the media publicity...   

 

[nhs67]

9 minutes ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

Los Angeles has its pricey areas, yes.   I wonder if it might sufficiently help one economize now that Los Angeles county has an elaborate light rail (commuter train) system that makes it feasible to access more economical lodging options.   Here's a website for L.A.'s metro system:

https://www.metro.net

It's been years since I've lived & worked in Los Angeles, and I definitely don't have an incentive to get the city chosen as a venue other than my desire for our sport to be able to tap into the media opportunities out there.   

I'm sensing that 2028 is the final year for wrestling in the Olympics unless we manage to extend that to 2032, etc.   Our sport could use the media publicity...   

 

I think we might also see one of two things happen in the future as well...

A - Women's Greco is added via UWW.  The change this might do to our Olympic chances is that it may reduce our current '6' weight system down to '4' weights.  That would be shit.

B - Greco roman is dropped and only Freestyle is offered.  I don't think they would increase the number of weight classes in this scenario.  It would be likely to add something else that is more 'hip' with the children these days.

[CHROMEBIRD]

15 hours ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

 
    Until when is wrestling guaranteed to remain in the Olympics, 2024?  2028 has Los Angeles hosting the Olympics and it seems that wrestling's part of the program.  However, I don't see wrestling mentioned for 2028 here:

   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrestling_at_the_Summer_Olympics

More interfacing with Hollywood could seemingly help wrestling nationally and globally.   Perhaps it's time to host the NCAA D1 championships out in L.A.?  

   Cal. Baptist is NCAA D1 now, and could host the NCAA's in or near Los Angeles.   So could new Big 10 members UCLA and USC, if they reinstate or otherwise add wrestling. 

    Hollywood's in L.A. County.   Wrestling's worthy of more movies and television shows.  Such programs promote our sport globally...  Hopefully more could emerge in time to help keep wrestling from eventually losing its status as an Olympic sport.   Perhaps it's time for a re-make of Vision Quest, but with a female in the star role (i.e. Lowden Swain)  and her superior nemesis (i.e. Shute) a female who does well in school, has guys admiringly flocking to her matches, but who hasn't yet landed the college wrestling scholarship that she most wants...    

Wrestling is set for Paris. The IOC won't have LA/2028 program finalized until Dec 2024, but I don't know if the sport is at risk for the chopping block again. It definitely caught everyone off-guard last time, but wasn't there a bit of a scandal with rich and influential members of the IOC cutting wrestling in favor of Modern Pentahlon (since dropped) and other pet projects? 

Whatever the case I'm all for more media exposure for wrestling, be it through Hollywood or tech/streaming.

[Yankeefan33]

On 7/24/2023 at 12:38 PM, nhs67 said:

I think we might also see one of two things happen in the future as well...

A - Women's Greco is added via UWW.  The change this might do to our Olympic chances is that it may reduce our current '6' weight system down to '4' weights.  That would be shit.

B - Greco roman is dropped and only Freestyle is offered.  I don't think they would increase the number of weight classes in this scenario.  It would be likely to add something else that is more 'hip' with the children these days.

Beach wrestling is the future in terms of gender equality. Women's beach instead of Greco might be happening if wrestling stays around after 2028.

 

Wrestling, by the way, is guaranteed through the 2028 Olympics. Not sure on the IOC politics, but not a great thing that the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane are in a host country without a wrestling culture. 

[CHROMEBIRD]

3 hours ago, Yankeefan33 said:

Beach wrestling is the future in terms of gender equality. Women's beach instead of Greco might be happening if wrestling stays around after 2028.

I believe the UWW has been pushing for Women's Beach Wrestling in 2028 to preserve Greco. So there would be gender equity in the sport with MFS + GR for men and WFS + WB for women at 6 weight classess apiece.  

Women's Grappling could be another possibility since Jiu-Jitsu is on the 2024 program. I just don't have a feel for how big the sport or participation is relative to Women's Beach Wrestling, but if Jiu-Jitsu takes off in Paris there might be a pathway to Women's Grappling, slim as it may be.

[Scouts Honor]

makes no sense about a culture of a sport

many countries dont have a culture of synchronized swimming... yet...

luge, bobsled, skiing, 

[Ched64]

I really don’t understand all the kvetching about the Olympics.  First off, the Olympics has fallen precipitously since its peak in the 70s. Second, I have never met anyone, not one person, who has become a fan of wrestling from watching the tiny exposure given the sport in that venue. Third, as i have written many times before, building wrestling as a business by kowtowing to the IOC is beyond dumb.  Adhering to their 6 weight diktat and making those weights the same as six of the weights in non-Olympic years screws up the natural weight structure of its participants and relegates the other 4 weights to asterick status 3 out of 4 years.  UWW should tell the IOC to shove it and focus their energies on building the sport on its own or at the very least change the Oly weights to levels between the WC weights so all participants would need to move up or down for the OTTs.

[Jason Bryant]

I really don’t understand all the kvetching about the Olympics.  First off, the Olympics has fallen precipitously since its peak in the 70s. Second, I have never met anyone, not one person, who has become a fan of wrestling from watching the tiny exposure given the sport in that venue. Third, as i have written many times before, building wrestling as a business by kowtowing to the IOC is beyond dumb.  Adhering to their 6 weight diktat and making those weights the same as six of the weights in non-Olympic years screws up the natural weight structure of its participants and relegates the other 4 weights to asterick status 3 out of 4 years.  UWW should tell the IOC to shove it and focus their energies on building the sport on its own or at the very least change the Oly weights to levels between the WC weights so all participants would need to move up or down for the OTTs.

That would sever much of the funding to the rest of the world’s NGBs. If it’s not an Olympic sport, then they won’t get funded by their government and Olympic committees.

I get the position, but it’s sport suicide on a global level.

[Crotalus]

On 7/29/2023 at 12:16 PM, Jason Bryant said:

That would sever much of the funding to the rest of the world’s NGBs. If it’s not an Olympic sport, then they won’t get funded by their government and Olympic committees.

I get the position, but it’s sport suicide on a global level.

This is pointed out everytime someone says we shouldn't care about the Olympics and folks still don't get it. 

What would happen to international wrestling in the US if wrestling was no longer an Olympic sport? Seems like we're finally getting to a place with enough incentive (money) to have most of our best stay in the game and not run off to MMA or other ventures. Would that money dry up considerably if we lost the Olympics? 

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

On 7/29/2023 at 8:01 AM, Ched64 said:

I really don’t understand all the kvetching about the Olympics.  First off, the Olympics has fallen precipitously since its peak in the 70s. Second, I have never met anyone, not one person, who has become a fan of wrestling from watching the tiny exposure given the sport in that venue. 

How have the Olympics fallen precipitously since the '70's peak?  Viewership-wise?    If so then perhaps viewership has simply morphed to online score-checking.   

By the way, as a kid, the Olympics prospects thrilled me considerably.  I subscribed to the self-delusion that I could qualify someday if I trained hard enough while a young teen.   It kept me involved with the sport, which I'd not begun to participate in until I was a young teen.   The sport's other benefits helped me reach adulthood.  By the way, Olympics raised the profile of our sport to the level of acceptable weekend party conversations with non-wrestlers.   The Olympics tend to inspire folks to notice other sports that they'd otherwise not see.  I'd be sad to see the Olympics no longer sponsor wrestling.  I'm glad to see that we're taking the subject reasonably seriously, and hopefully in time. 

[jchapman]

On 7/23/2023 at 10:07 PM, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

 
  Perhaps it's time for a re-make of Vision Quest, but with a female in the star role (i.e. Lowden Swain)  and her superior nemesis (i.e. Shute) a female who does well in school, has guys admiringly flocking to her matches, but who hasn't yet landed the college wrestling scholarship that she most wants...    

Would she write a urology article in the school newspaper?

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

30 minutes ago, jchapman said:

Would she write a urology article in the school newspaper?

I'm not sure I'm understanding what you mean by that.

[jchapman]

27 minutes ago, TitleIX is ripe for reform said:

I'm not sure I'm understanding what you mean by that.

Louden Swain aspired to be an OB/GYN and wrote an article for the school newspaper about a particular part of the female anatomy.

[Paul158]

On 7/29/2023 at 12:16 PM, Jason Bryant said:

That would sever much of the funding to the rest of the world’s NGBs. If it’s not an Olympic sport, then they won’t get funded by their government and Olympic committees.

I get the position, but it’s sport suicide on a global level.

So be it. Lowering wrestling to 6 weights is ridiculous at best. I would say go with suicide. Just hold the world championships during Olympic years with 10 weights and call it the Universe Championships. We could even have some of the aliens compete now that we have had congressional hearings on the matter. 

[Jason Bryant]

11 minutes ago, Paul158 said:

So be it. Lowering wrestling to 6 weights is ridiculous at best. I would say go with suicide. Just hold the world championships during Olympic years with 10 weights and call it the Universe Championships. We could even have some of the aliens compete now that we have had congressional hearings on the matter. 

Wouldn't be a point, if there's no funding for those NGBs, there will be no way funding for the athletes to even pay to go to these events. The rest of the world's wrestling federations don't. have money like we do. If there's no Olympics for wrestling, the money from those Olympic committees will go to other Olympic sports. Countries NOW don't fund the non-Olympic weights (like Cuba, for example), so if they're all non-Olympic weights, you just cut the head off the sport globally, leaving pretty much who? And who knows how much USAW would be getting domestically if wrestling was no longer an Olympic sport. It's a silly idea to even try to rationalize. 

[mspart]

Can we at least have a WC for the 4 non olympic weights?   It happened once but I don't remember it happening again.  Perhaps I'm wrong on that and would love to find that out. 

mspart

[Jason Bryant]

16 minutes ago, mspart said:

Can we at least have a WC for the 4 non olympic weights?   It happened once but I don't remember it happening again.  Perhaps I'm wrong on that and would love to find that out. 

mspart

The reason we didn't in 2020 was likely due to the whole pandemic. Since we had a 2021 Worlds in the 2021 Olympic Year, I assume we may have a non-Olympic Worlds again sometime in 2024. 

[mspart]

Well that would be something.  Hopefully they do that.   It is only logical.  

mspart

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

9 hours ago, Paul158 said:

So be it. Lowering wrestling to 6 weights is ridiculous at best. I would say go with suicide. Just hold the world championships during Olympic years with 10 weights and call it the Universe Championships. We could even have some of the aliens compete now that we have had congressional hearings on the matter. 

The summer Olympics last around 16 days.   In contrast, the World Cup in soccer lasts 29, nearly twice as long.  

That said, you've inspired the following question, Paul158:   WHAT IF Olympic games (which last weeks) became Olympic years?   During an Olympic year's relevant competition season, host cities would (might?) still feature competitions of Olympic sports...   However, not all sports participants would compete within a period of merely weeks.   Instead, they'd do it sometime during the course of months.  In other words, wrestling wouldn't take months to compete but they'd nevertheless get more time than they presently do.   And more importantly, they could consequently have more weight classes... and even more styles.   

   Would there be as much appreciation of the competitions if they take months?   I bet there could, if it's done right.    Maybe a few wrestlers would get to compete during the final weeks, too, to keep that period as electrifying.   The same style of eliminations would also happen in other sports, too, while each sport is allowed to grow internally (for lack of a better word, I guess).   Notice how the Super Bowl only features two (American) football teams, but the event's watched worldwide?   Eliminations need not be fatal as long as other contenders got to compete within recent memory. 

Alternatively, we could have Olympics-hosting cities empower the hosting of preliminary events in less traditional parts...such as rural high school gyms and such.   Such communities would likely appreciate the tourism dollars enough to provide free transportation, while their local chambers of commerce would see to it that housing's available.  Housing could be mobile and go where the demand is.   This approach could also spare cities and countries the expense of generating infrastructure that's subsequently not used.   FYI:

   https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/abandoned-olympic-venues-sites/

My idea's certainly not perfect but Paul158 has gotten me to thinkin'...   Meanwhile Jason Bryant's concerns seem legitimate, indeed.   Perhaps the idea that I've just pitched could be refined to make this extended time and space reserved for the Olympics viable, while also helping to keep the Olympics spirit sufficiently alive & vigorous?    

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by TitleIX is ripe for reform

[Takuto_Otoguro]

The international styles will be relegated  to the participation of a few hobbyists if they were to be removed from the Olympics. You either need to be in the Olympics or be financially viable on your own. Wrestling is not MMA, internationally the vast majority rely on government handouts for winning medals.  This is true even for countries where wrestling is "huge" like Iran. The sport is not a money maker and has basically no paying fan base.

[TitleIX is ripe for reform]

In Russia and Iran, wrestling has no paying fan base?   I've seen the Iranian fans during World Cup events here in the USA and they were very supportive of our sport.  Perhaps it was because it was a(n) historic showdown, since Iran wasn't guaranteed to even receive visas for the event.