AWing... The difference is variables..

[Rob Vigeant Jr.]

This is my belief after comparing AWing to other sports... Hobbies... Games... Etc.
It's the lack of variables that lose viewers... Make pullers lose interest and can keep us from growing like other sports.

Stick with me... I'll elaborate

Take any major sport or activity... Something that has a mass following... Break down the variables that change the game... Or reasons people can rationalize why they " coulda won "... Or greatly improve... Or game changers that shake up the whole game.

Example... Crossfit was used as a comparison to AWing as a new sport that grew wildly... Well, bad example. Crossfit is a new form of fitness... And the fitness industry has been a gazillion dollar market for decades now... This is the new thing. Plus, you figure it's made for everybody... You essentially do the same workouts rich froening does... Just not as efficiently... But there are small victories that makes legions think they can become him.
If a guy can't do 50 burpees without dying, but can out squat at snatch everybody... He already has a realm he feels dominant... An area of excellence that justifies tightening up the weak ones. That's what the crossfit games is and what makes it fun to watch... Sooo many events and it's the overall. Someone can be dusting everyone in a heat... Then get to their one area of being average... When that's the area of strength of another competitor that was getting smoked... Now it evens out... It gets exciting.

I played pool at a very high level...
Everyone that was half a$$ decent rationalized how they coulda won every rack even if they were severely out matched... " if that ball didn't roll that much" " bad bounce" " lousy break"... " I had the game but I scratched"... " I made every ball but the last one... I had him man "... It goes on and on... Plus every rack is totally different... So it creates infinite variables and keeps people engaged and thinking they can get to that level.

Basketball... You can shoot great... Defend great... Be reall fast... Excellent ball control...just be really tall... Be half decent at it all... You rationalize belonging...Then the infinite variables that can change a game... Missed shot... Blocked pass.. Foul... Tip offs...it goes on forever..

It's the same platform for baseball, football, soccer, hockey...NASCAR...and most any other spectator friendly sport... Even mma which seems cut and dry... But there are sooo many instant game changers it keeps people engaged and the athletes rationalizing their losses along with new guys believing they belong...

Awing...umm ... Be strong... That's the variable.....
That's the level of variables... I mean there is technique, but it only matters when strength is comparable. I'd bet 1/2 all open pullers can execute techniques as effectively as brzenk can... Against weaker pullers... The very thing that set him apart was he was stronger.
He struggled with guys of comparable strength.
If two guys line up that are mismatched.... There is almost never that " miracle on the ice" moment because there is little game changing variables...
Besides the fact that viewers cant recognize micro movements and angles... It looks like the winner is just flat out stronger... It gets to be mundane... And without the variables to justify what you feel if you pull it can seem like you don't belong, because you gotta tell yourself that by some way you will get strong enough to stop what felt like a bus tied to your arm... And you already thought you were strong at sign ups... How you gonna make those gains ?... It takes a special person to persevere. Even the real intricacies of the sport ... What are the variables... Umm hook, toproll, foul, ref, strap, ... Whatever, and again that only matters amongst evenly matched pullers.
How do we have 30 time nat champs... Yet if a football wins 3 super bowls it's a huge thing ?...a dynasty..
I mean even with the same awesome roster... Why is it so hard to beat the same teams you beat last year ?.... Variables... It keeps hopes up... Knowing every move and second changes the whole game... Or season.

Think... When a ref gets involved in football... People get pumped... It means penalties... And game changing... When a ref gets involved in AW it's seen as a nuisance...

Just a brief outline why I believe people come and go...
Why people can't stay engaged and it's a hard sell unless you breathe and bleed this...
I do, but it's inside me, but I can also see what it's missing that makes other more popular sports and hobbies infinitely more popular .

I believe people are naturally ADD.. It's why when scanning through radio stations you probably hear a handful of good songs... But you probably never finish one before scanning or go past one in search of a better one... It's human nature... If viewers can't be constantly engaged.., it's dead duck... Change the channel

[Jeff Janes]

Don't forget almost every other sport has sports casters bantering back and forth during the game. We are trying to incorporate this into our tournaments for the entertainment factor and to keep the crowd engaged so they just don't see strong guys flopping arms around.

[Eric Roussin]

Agreed on all points. The other example I like to use is poker. Poker became huge in the 2000s. The reason being that everyone thinks they have a shot at winning, even the biggest tournaments in the world. Because most people like to think they have decent poker skills, and coupled with a bit of luck, they could be awesome. And they're right, to a degree. Every time I see poker on TV I see some new faces.

Armwrestling is the complete opposite. The vast majority of people couldn't fathom becoming the best armwrestler in the world.

Because not everyone can win, I don't think armwrestling will ever have more than a few thousand active pullers.

[John Wilson]

Excellent points by everyone.

But we have a simpler problem, but a difficult one to overcome: Nobody can see the match. A camera on a boom linked to a closed circuit TV does wonders for the sport, because without it a person sitting in the audience can't see crap.

It would be like going to a football game with no bleachers. The crowd sits on blankets around the field, only the entire field is ringed with referees standing shoulder to shoulder. Maybe if you are lucky you can get a glimpse between the refs.

So, what does everyone do? They stand up around the stage to see, further blocking the people sitting there trying to watch.

We use staging to get around this, but it's really a poor solution. Armwrestling needs to be in a pit that is lower than the seats. A mini-stadium if you will.

Armwrestling could work on TV but never live. Camera placement can make the refs nearly invisible.

TV is the only thing that will ever make the sport reach an audience. Look at Golf, NASCAR, or any other sport that is pretty much impossible to follow in detail if you were there watching it in person. You can never experience it the way TV allows you to. NASCAR in person is a giant bowl of cars going around in a circle. It's nothing like what you see on TV. And I totally agree with Jeff about having announcers. Imagine NASCAR, golf, World's Strongest Man- without announcers.

[John Wilson]

and to RVJs point- totally agree. Add to that the humiliation factor and the reality that armwrestling HURTS.

I don't think the road to armwrestling super stardom lies in getting the masses to compete in armwrestling. That's never going to happen for all the reasons listed. But people will follow characters on TV I believe. It has to be character driven. Nobody on earth will ever give a flying crap about the pure nature of the sport. Name one double elimination event that people watch on TV when they don't know the people competing. Hell, even drag racing only shows the finals when there are only a handful of people the viewer needs to follow through elimination. Ten hours of racing is boiled down to about thirty minutes. It's the whole ADD thing. Too much of anything is boring, and sitting through 186 matches is enough to make you want to take hostages. Call me when we get to the final four.

[Rob Vigeant Jr.]

Agreed... But golf has so many variables...different courses... Wind... Hitting it off the tee just right... A guy can crush 17 holes... Then just one bad shot and it flips... People wait for that flip, that second for the underdog or for the favorite to seal it up staying strong the whole way.
What are armwrestlings... They don't change really

Love the pit idea...
Broadcasters too...

[Adam Martin]

Have a coin toss where the winner decides where the match starts, straight up or in a hook. Maybe make it best of 3 on the winners side where u alternate starts after the flip using fast starts to move it along. Or some way of making endurance more of a factor. That might cut back on 30 time nat champs rob...i dont know just athought

[Andy Freeland]

Def agree Rob, but just like any sport it all about a brilliant promoter coming along, adressing ideas like your and the others listed and bringing it main stream. Just about any sport's success can be traced to one man. That man simply hasnt came along yet IMO. It could be Rob D, all he needs is to see some return and he will invest more time and money. I dont know him personally but i'm a fellow buisnessman and that's what I would need. If armwrestlers come together, we can go main stream, but armwrestlers are "true professional armwrestling's" worst enemy.