Boise State Dropping Wrestling

[WYO1016]

This is pretty big news. They've got a solid program up there. Very strange to drop it.
https://twitter.com/OBNUG/status/854457014457475072

[MrTitleist]

That program has dropped WAY off.. but still a bummer whenever another wrestling program disappears. The number in D1 is shrinking. Picking up an expensive sport is a bold strategy.

[Wyo2dal]

So they are dropping wrestling to invest in baseball. Seems the wrong way to go for a cold weather state.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[303cowboy]

Did they have any returning all-Americans we can inherit?

[LanderPoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

[McPeachy]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

[cali2wyo]

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

I agree that Men's soccer should be added, but Golf is the sport that needs to be cut. It's pretty hard to have a winning team when your "home" tournament is held in places like Arizona every year.

Wrestling needs to stay, no sense in cutting any indoor sports in Wyoming

[LanderPoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Well you haven't been paying attention, there has been a very recent trend of schools adding wrestling ( Fresno State, siu edwardsville + too many to mention at lower NCAA levels). Boise is doing the opposite of what it should be with wrestling.

And Wrestling is not struggling at all at the lower levels. That is a comical statement. thanks for the laugh. Wrestling is expanding into areas of the country (Texas and the southeast) pretty rapidly where it wasn't popular before. If wrestling is struggling so bad why did ESPN double the amount of prime time coverage this year? And wrestling is one of only four or five sports to turn a profit on their championships events (sell out every session). We won't even touch on women's wrestling which is massively growing

Also. I don't think there's a lower cost per student athlete sport out there than wrestling

[OrediggerPoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Get rid of Wyoming's most successful sport on a national level (by far). A sport that has been receiving increasing ESPN coverage and from other television and media sources. Glad that you are not a trustee.

[wyokoke]

FloWrestling has an article saying this decision is on pause, essentially cause the student body was pissed about it. It'll still likely happen but it's not a done deal quite yet

[OrediggerPoke]

Did they have any returning all-Americans we can inherit?

No. Boise has no wrestler really worth going after that could crack the lineup at Wyoming. As Fresno is just starting off, I suspect many of Boise's decent upperclassmen will end up at Fresno.

[McPeachy]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Get rid of Wyoming's most successful sport on a national level (by far). A sport that has been receiving increasing ESPN coverage and from other television and media sources. Glad that you are not a trustee.

Hate to break it to you...but very, very, very few people give a poop about wrestling. Further - as you claim it being Wyoming's most "successful sport on a national level (by far)", you clearly have been too busy judging people to pay attention to the national success of UW Skiing. And on that note, being successful at a Olympic sport does nothing to pay the bills (or boost enrollment), whether wrestling, skiing, tennis, etc.

[LanderPoke]

It's all moot anyway because it doesn't involve bball or football. Relatively few really care about wrestling or college baseball on a large scale, this is true.

[cali2wyo]

FloWrestling has an article saying this decision is on pause, essentially cause the student body was pissed about it. It'll still likely happen but it's not a done deal quite yet

It's actually becoming a very heated topic locally.

Flo's article is completely wrong. The student government proposed some sort of student fees change that would delay the termination of the program, but this still has to go through the board of trustees and Pres/AD. So no decision is "on pause" yet, but at the lower level of the University there are things getting done to try and put this on hold.

Very interesting times here in the local sports world in Boise...

[wyokoke]

FloWrestling has an article saying this decision is on pause, essentially cause the student body was pissed about it. It'll still likely happen but it's not a done deal quite yet

It's actually becoming a very heated topic locally.

Flo's article is completely wrong. The student government proposed some sort of student fees change that would delay the termination of the program, but this still has to go through the board of trustees and Pres/AD. So no decision is "on pause" yet, but at the lower level of the University there are things getting done to try and put this on hold.

Very interesting times here in the local sports world in Boise...

What I gathered from the article is that the student body was pissed there was no consultation on changing the fees for that but like I said I doubt it changes anything. I figured the article wasn't totally factual, beings its FloWresting not a bystander. It'll be interesting to see what happens

[McPeachy]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Well you haven't been paying attention, there has been a very recent trend of schools adding wrestling ( Fresno State, siu edwardsville + too many to mention at lower NCAA levels). Boise is doing the opposite of what it should be with wrestling.

And Wrestling is not struggling at all at the lower levels. That is a comical statement. thanks for the laugh. Wrestling is expanding into areas of the country (Texas and the southeast) pretty rapidly where it wasn't popular before. If wrestling is struggling so bad why did ESPN double the amount of prime time coverage this year? And wrestling is one of only four or five sports to turn a profit on their championships events (sell out every session). We won't even touch on women's wrestling which is massively growing

Also. I don't think there's a lower cost per student athlete sport out there than wrestling

Are there currently 77 D1 wrestling programs still? Last time we discussed this, 2 years ago, that was the number. I couldn't find any data for 2017...but I remember there being 81 at one point in our discussions here.

Interesting info:

In 2015 there were just over 10,000 college wrestlers total - all levels. That same year, it appears that there were close to 26,000 baseball players. A lot closer than I expected, honestly.

At the high school level, it is reported that more than 258,000 participated. While baseball was close to 500,000. Still a lot closer than I expected.

Wrestling is more popular than I thought - I was wrong. But it still can't touch the popularity of baseball - at the HS and College level.

[McPeachy]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Get rid of Wyoming's most successful sport on a national level (by far). A sport that has been receiving increasing ESPN coverage and from other television and media sources. Glad that you are not a trustee.

Hate to break it to you...but very, very, very few people give a poop about wrestling. Further - as you claim it being Wyoming's most "successful sport on a national level (by far)", you clearly have been too busy judging people to pay attention to the national success of UW Skiing. And on that note, being successful at a Olympic sport does nothing to pay the bills (or boost enrollment), whether wrestling, skiing, tennis, etc.

OH, forgot to mention by the way, if I were a trustee (as you inferred you are glad I am not) my first order of business would be to kick you in the nuts for being a judgmental asshole. My second would be to resign so I wouldn't have to listen to the chirping of the good 'ol boys club.

[WestWYOPoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Get rid of Wyoming's most successful sport on a national level (by far). A sport that has been receiving increasing ESPN coverage and from other television and media sources. Glad that you are not a trustee.

Hate to break it to you...but very, very, very few people give a poop about wrestling. Further - as you claim it being Wyoming's most "successful sport on a national level (by far)", you clearly have been too busy judging people to pay attention to the national success of UW Skiing. And on that note, being successful at a Olympic sport does nothing to pay the bills (or boost enrollment), whether wrestling, skiing, tennis, etc.

Not to agree or disagree with the rest of your posts, but UW skiing is a club sport. To compare them to wrestling is apples to oranges. The UW Wrestling team competes (and does well) at the highest possible level, where as skiing (although successful), only competes at the 2nd or 3rd tier.

[LanderPoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Well you haven't been paying attention, there has been a very recent trend of schools adding wrestling ( Fresno State, siu edwardsville + too many to mention at lower NCAA levels). Boise is doing the opposite of what it should be with wrestling.

And Wrestling is not struggling at all at the lower levels. That is a comical statement. thanks for the laugh. Wrestling is expanding into areas of the country (Texas and the southeast) pretty rapidly where it wasn't popular before. If wrestling is struggling so bad why did ESPN double the amount of prime time coverage this year? And wrestling is one of only four or five sports to turn a profit on their championships events (sell out every session). We won't even touch on women's wrestling which is massively growing

Also. I don't think there's a lower cost per student athlete sport out there than wrestling

Are there currently 77 D1 wrestling programs still? Last time we discussed this, 2 years ago, that was the number. I couldn't find any data for 2017...but I remember there being 81 at one point in our discussions here.

Interesting info:

In 2015 there were just over 10,000 college wrestlers total - all levels. That same year, it appears that there were close to 26,000 baseball players. A lot closer than I expected, honestly.

At the high school level, it is reported that more than 258,000 participated. While baseball was close to 500,000. Still a lot closer than I expected.

Wrestling is more popular than I thought - I was wrong. But it still can't touch the popularity of baseball - at the HS and College level.

Interesting numbers indeed. I know that the # of kids participating grows every year for wrestling and I would think that it is going down for baseball. When i was a kid there were literally twice as many kids in Laramie youth baseball as there are today (same for football so maybe it's a Laramie thing - kids in Laramie are kitty for the most part btw).

Wrestling is actually insanely popular in the upper midwest and northeast and not so much everywhere else. I think that wrestling will see continued growth as it spreads into Texas and the southeast. I would bet $2 that we'll see more D-1 schools add wrestling in the near future. Especially in the south. It's already happening at the DII and DII levels.

If football declines because of the concussion issues then wrestling will benefit from that. Baseball is the sport that has real problems imo

[NowherePoke]

The number of DI wrestling schools has actually been rising over the past decade. This is weird. No one cares about baseball anymore, whereas wrestling has a small but steady die hard following.

Actually, the number of schools with wrestling has been decreasing, steadily, since - well - forever. Wrestling is a dying sport...and although maybe not in my lifetime, it will cease to exist competitively at the college level at some point in the future. The lower levels are already struggling (HS, JHS, AAU).

Not to argue baseball vs. wrestling anymore than we already have here on Wyonation the last 10 years, but I think Boise was super-smart in doing this to position themselves for an opportunity at the PAC or BIG or whatever you want to call it...in the event it ever comes along.

Frankly, and although this sucks ass to say it, Wyoming would be wise to dump wrestling and put in men's soccer (to meet the title IX requirements). And I hate everything soccer! But, no other sport out there could Wyoming get the bang-for-the-buck and be instantly competitive, than men's soccer. And in the cash-poor condition we are in right now, it just makes the most sense.

From a personal standpoint? I would prefer UW add D1 hockey, and add D1 baseball and women's softball, and lose wrestling - but that will never, ever, happen. Not only from a money standpoint, but from a poop trustee standpoint as well.

Get rid of Wyoming's most successful sport on a national level (by far). A sport that has been receiving increasing ESPN coverage and from other television and media sources. Glad that you are not a trustee.

Hate to break it to you...but very, very, very few people give a poop about wrestling. Further - as you claim it being Wyoming's most "successful sport on a national level (by far)", you clearly have been too busy judging people to pay attention to the national success of UW Skiing. And on that note, being successful at a Olympic sport does nothing to pay the bills (or boost enrollment), whether wrestling, skiing, tennis, etc.

Not to agree or disagree with the rest of your posts, but UW skiing is a club sport. To compare them to wrestling is apples to oranges. The UW Wrestling team competes (and does well) at the highest possible level, where as skiing (although successful), only competes at the 2nd or 3rd tier.

It is now, but at one time we competed at the NCAA D1 level in skiing and won a national title. That didn't stop the program from being cut. I think that was McPeachy's point. Success at the national level wasn't enough to justify having a skiing program, and it might not be enough long term for Wrestling.

Having said that, I would probably disagree. Wrestling is more of a spectator sport (on a small scale, but still) than skiing, and is not very expensive to operate in the grand scheme of things.