President Donald Trump’s appearance at the final rounds of the NCAA wrestling championships in Philadelphia was met with both praise and protests.
“USA! USA!” cheered the crowd of wrestling fans, as President Trump arrived at the Wells Fargo Center on Saturday. A few fans audibly booed as the president walked in and took his seat alongside Tesla CEO Elon Musk and U.S. Senator Dave McCormick (R-PA).
For the past three days, thousands of wrestling fans have been in Philadelphia for the NCAA wrestling championships. Kris Austin is from South Jersey and was watching the national championship with his son for the first time.
“I have been a Penn State fan for a while, yeah. We usually try to catch at least one or two matches, especially with my son here getting into wrestling now being 8 years old,” Austin said. “It’s always fun getting him out on the bigger stage.”
According to PHL Sports, a division of the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, 80% of the fans who went to the matches were from out of town. They were from 42 states and Canada. The agency says the last two host cities saw an economic impact of $20 million dollars.
Alex Steen watched the matches with his wife Chaunna and parents. Their family is visiting from Oklahoma. Though he’s been to 18 NCAA wrestling championships and his wife has been to 16, Steen said it’s his first time in Philadelphia.
“It’s been great. Very walkable. Public transit is nice. Restaurants are good. It’s great,” he said.
Outside of the arena, several dozen protestors gathered along Pattison Avenue. In response to President Trump’s visit, event organizers held an “anti-fascist tailgate.”
Zach Hasse of Philadelphia said a number of issues compelled him to protest alongside others Saturday.
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“Whether it’s healthcare, whether it’s education, whether it’s the rule of law, and freedom of speech, there’s all the things that bring us out,” Hasse said. “It’s a time in this country to stand up. We’ve seen a lot of our
leaders lay down. It’s a time for courage. It’s a time to stand up for the least of those.”
Down the street, a smaller group of counter-protestors voiced their support for the president.
“America’s back, baby!” shouted one man.
Inside the arena, some wrestling fans said the president’s visit added excitement to the event. Some, like the Austin family, said it was a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ experience.
The last time Philadelphia hosted the NCAA wrestling championships was in 2011.
“If I had to bet, I don’t think it will come back until he’s [son] out of high school. Probably 10, 11, 12 years from now,” Austin said.
Though some fans said they weren’t sure what to expect with the added security and traffic due to President Trump’s visit, they did not report any major issues.
