You've likely never seen powerlifting on national television. In fact, if you've never personally attended a powerlifting meet, chances are slim that you've ever seen footage of a meet outside of your Facebook and Instagram feeds.
This confuses a lot of people. World-class athletes lifting seemingly inhuman amounts of weight, and it isn't covered on television? There's no audience? Why isn't anyone doing something about this? Why aren't meet promoters partnering with broadcasters to bring powerlifting to the main stage?
This is the question Dave Tate takes on in this most recent edition of Table Talk. Instead of asking "what do meet promoters need to do?" maybe we should start asking "what do lifters and powerlifting fans need to do?"
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Dave is right. Does a kid want to emulate Dave Hoff or Michael Jordan? Dan Green or Peyton Manning? Obviously the NBA and NFL have a larger audience because those sports appeal to the masses. So how does powerlifting gain appeal to the masses?
Like anything on TV, it must be entertaining. Take a look at crossfit and its popularity. Why? Because its entertaining. There are multiple facets to the events same as Strongman competitions. It's athletic in nature.
The sad thing is: powerlifting is the basis for all things popular and yet is not popular itself. Powerlifting is the engine and transmission, which no one really cares about. The question is: how does the car look and how does it perform? Who cares what makes it go? The average person does not care.
Personally, I could care less whether or not powerlifting ever makes TV. To most, if its fun, people will generally get involved. Its when the hard work, dedication and commitment to excellence is when people lose interest. There are very few meets where money can be won. That is a BIGGER problem to gaining more interest than most are willing to admit.
There are things I certainly would change in powerlifting to simplify the process to make meets go faster and pay out money so that we get good competition making it worth the trip for the better lifters if they have to travel. Make it worth the elite lifters time to come. Word gets out, they will be worth the price of admission.