Tickets sales surpass 10,000 mark for USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials at Carver-Hawkeye Arena

It seemed like a perfect fit and the evidence is surfacing to prove Iowa City would be a great host to one of amateur wrestling's elite events.

With three weeks until the USA Wrestling Olympic Team Trials, tournament officials have announced that ticket sales have surpassed the 10,000 mark for the event hosted at the University of Iowa's Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 21-22. Wrestlers from across the nation in men's and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling will compete for spots on the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and the chance to represent the United States in the Olympic Games in London, England.

In a news release, the UI announced a single-session attendance record will be broken based on advanced ticket sales.

As of March 28, the event has sold 9,762 all-session tickets for the two-day event. In addition, more than 300 single-day tickets have been purchased for both Saturday and Sunday, pushing total ticket sales for each day to over 10,000 fans.

The previous single-session attendance record for a U.S. Olympic Team Trials event was set at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, June 24, 2000. During the final session there, the paid attendance was 9,434.

The group that earned the bid to host last January have validated the decision to bring the Olympic Trials to Iowa City, "Mecca" of sorts for amateur wrestling.

“We just continue to be pleased with the way the wrestling community and state has responded to this great opportunity to celebrate our nation's best,” said Josh Schamberger, President of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The atmosphere in Carver-Hawkeye Arena those two days will be unlike any previous U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and will be especially rewarding for our competitors.”

Previous host cities have included Pittsburgh, Pa., Dallas, Texas, Indianapolis, Ind., and Las Vegas. The tournament has gained more support than ever in Iowa City.

“USA Wrestling is extremely excited about the response by the wrestling community and sports fans from around the nation about the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City. We appreciate the outstanding effort of our local organizing committee in promoting the competition. This will truly be a wonderful showcase of Olympic wrestling at its best,” said USA Wrestling Director of National Events Pete Isais.

Below is the official news release from UI:

TICKET SALES SURPASS 10K MARK, BREAK SINGLE-SESSION ATTENDANCE RECORD

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa announced today that advance ticket sales for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trails, hosted at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on April 21-22, has surpassed the 10,000 mark and broken the single-session attendance record.

As of March 28, the event has sold 9,762 all-session tickets for the two-day event. In addition, more than 300 single-day tickets have been purchased for both Saturday and Sunday, pushing total ticket sales for each day to over 10,000 fans.

The previous single-session attendance record for a U.S. Olympic Team Trials event was set at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas, June 24, 2000. During the final session there, the paid attendance was 9,434.

The local organizing committee for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling is the University of Iowa and the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.

“We just continue to be pleased with the way the wrestling community and state has responded to this great opportunity to celebrate our nation's best,” said Josh Schamberger, President of the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The atmosphere in Carver-Hawkeye Arena those two days will be unlike any previous U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and will be especially rewarding for our competitors.”

USA Wrestling has hosted the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling since 1984. The event has been held in Allentown, Mich. (1984), Pensacola, Fla. (1988), Pittsburgh, Pa. and Concord, Calif. (1992), Spokane, Wash. and Concord, Calif. (1996), Dallas, Texas (2000), Indianapolis, Ind. (2004) and Las Vegas, Nev. (2008).

“USA Wrestling is extremely excited about the response by the wrestling community and sports fans from around the nation about the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City. We appreciate the outstanding effort of our local organizing committee in promoting the competition. This will truly be a wonderful showcase of Olympic wrestling at its best,” said USA Wrestling Director of National Events Pete Isais.

The U.S. Olympic Team Trials will determine the United States' representatives for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London this August. Competitors in three Olympic Trials events – men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman – will pursue a lifelong dream of qualifying for the U.S. Olympic Team.

Excellent seats are still available for this event, and fans that plan to attend are encouraged to purchase their tickets right away.

Single-day and all-session tickets are available for purchase at iowacitytolondon.com or over the phone at 800-424-2957. Single-day tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for children high school age and younger. All-session tickets cost $70 for adults and $40 for children high school age and younger.