ok, I've been reading this post for awhile, and I had the opportunity to talk to a few folks this past weekend about this idea, so let me throw my 2 cents into this discussion.
The only real issue that exists, from TSSAA's perspective is this: $$$$$$$$$
Find a way to run a double elimination tournament without it costing TSSAA any additional money then you might have their attention and find the Board of Control more receptive. We know that we can find the time in the current way the tournament is run to fit in the additonal matches. An additional 210 matches which would add approximately 4 to 4.5 hours to the total tournament time has been shown to be able to work. But where does the money come from to pay the Ref's and the Trainers for their time.
Let me throw out a suggestion. there were 104 schools participating in the D1 tournament this past weekend, if each coach were asked if they would be willing to pay an additional $50 to $100 to TSSAA specifically to be able to have a double elimination tournament, what do you think the response rate would be?? I would guess that we would have enough additional funds to cover the additional costs that TSSAA would incur for a double elimination tournament.
And while I'm on the idea of increasing the revenues that this tournament draws, how about adding a few more vendors in the arena. Example: if you're going to confiscate all the food and gatorade/powerade that the wrestlers are bringing into the arena, then have someone selling those items in the arena. There was no vendor selling power bars/powerade/health food anywhere in that arena. Here we are trying to get kids to eat healthy all year, (promoting safe weight loss and healthful living styles) and we come to the biggest tournament of the year and we have NO healthy food ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING!!!! HOW STUPID IS THAT!!!!
And while we're at it, bring vendors in that sell wrestling equipment: singlets, shoes, workout gear; and how about some other vendors that those of us who go to national tournaments know will be at every national tournament that exists. These folks pay a fee to set up at a tournament, so why don't we MARKET this tournament like other big tournaments do.
If TSSAA needs to see more revenues, surely we can come up with ideas to increase the revenues for the state tournament.