NJSIAA Weighs Moving State Wrestling Tournament Away from Atlantic City Amid Scheduling Conflict

Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall has long been the cathedral of New Jersey high school wrestling but a looming scheduling clash could force the NJSIAA to make one of the most consequential venue decisions in state history.

Ankle bracelets sit in the middle of the NJSIAA wrestling mat finals of the NJSIAA individual wrestling state championships at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Friday, March 8, 2025. / Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) is officially exploring the possibility of moving its individual wrestling championships from their longtime home in Atlantic City,
according to a report on the courierpostonline.

The conversation surfaced prominently during the Feb. 25 virtual executive committee meeting, where a new five-year agreement between the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) and Boardwalk Hall took center stage.

For decades, Atlantic City has represented the grand stage of New Jersey high school wrestling, the culminating spotlight for one of the state’s most storied and culturally significant sports events. Now, that stage faces uncertainty.

The MAAC’s Move and the Scheduling Squeeze

The MAAC’s decision to ink a long-term deal with Boardwalk Hall to host its men’s basketball tournament, beginning this year from March 5-10, creates a ripple effect. The conference intentionally moved its tournament up a week to secure enhanced national exposure, showcasing its later rounds on ESPN. It plans to continue that early window in future years.

That calendar shift collides directly with the NJSIAA’s preferred timeline for wrestling’s individual championships. Executive director Colleen Maguire acknowledged that the scenario had long been anticipated.

“None of this is a surprise,” Maguire said. "We knew this was coming. We are going to see how this year goes. We will review our options and get feedback.”

This winter, the NJSIAA added an extra week to the regular season to accommodate the MAAC’s presence in Atlantic City. The individual championships will run March 12-14 at Boardwalk Hall. It is a workable short-term solution but whether it’s sustainable is another question.

Tradition, Attendance and the Atlantic City Identity

Atlantic City has become synonymous with the crescendo of the high school sports calendar. In terms of attendance, it remains the NJSIAA’s premier event.

Boardwalk Hall is more than a venue. It is woven into the identity of New Jersey wrestling. The cavernous floor comfortably fits eight mats for preliminary rounds the seating capacity allows for massive crowds. The surrounding infrastructure, including hotel space, restaurants, and walkable access has made the three-day championship experience feel almost like a pilgrimage for wrestling families across the state.

The association is also acutely aware of competitive balance beyond the mats. Extending the wrestling calendar too deep into March risks overlapping with spring sports seasons. Coaches and athletic directors have long guarded against winter championships bleeding into preseason baseball, lacrosse and track preparations.

Lessons From the Past

In the years when Boardwalk Hall underwent renovations, the NJSIAA pivoted. The 1999 championships were staged at the Atlantic City Convention Center. In 2000 and 2001, the tournament moved north to what was then Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford.

Before the Atlantic City era, the event lived for more than two decades at Jadwin Gym on the campus of Princeton University, from 1970 through 1991. Each chapter reflected its time but none matched the scale and spectacle that Atlantic City eventually provided.

Surveying the Limited Options

If the NJSIAA does consider a move, viable options are limited. Jersey Mike’s Arena on the campus of Rutgers University would seem, on the surface, to be an appealing candidate. The NJSIAA recently staged its team state championships there, and the central location is geographically advantageous. Rutgers wrestling’s national prominence in the Big 10 Conference adds to the allure. The concern is spatial: accommodating eight mats simultaneously for preliminary rounds could prove challenging.

Prudential Center in Newark offers expansive floor space and professional-grade locker rooms. Yet practical obstacles linger due to factors such as limited parking, hotel logistics, and potential scheduling conflicts with concerts and the New Jersey Devils.

CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton has history hosting large-scale events, including past Tournament of Champions basketball finals, along with indoor auto racing and professional wrestling. It remains a functional possibility, though it lacks the built-in championship aura of Atlantic City.

In 2021, amid COVID restrictions, the championships were conducted at Phillipsburg High School, which is located in the northwestern section of New Jersey near the Pennsylvania border. It was a necessary solution in extraordinary times. Under normal conditions, however, a high school gymnasium would struggle to handle overflow crowds and statewide demand.

Even the footprint of the former Continental Airlines Arena, which is now repurposed as a state police relay station, is no longer a practical solution. The nearby American Dream mall complex has hosted North Jersey high school events and boasts significant floor space and parking, but logistical concerns, including ticketing infrastructure, complicate its candidacy. In short, the list of potential venues is not long, and none offers a seamless transition.

The Balancing Act Ahead

The NJSIAA’s leadership will not rush a decision. There is no formal executive committee meeting scheduled for March, though association officials will address members at the DAANJ Convention on March 11. Maguire indicated that a clearer game plan should emerge by late spring.

Wrestling in New Jersey is not merely a sport, it’s a generational tradition. Families book hotel rooms months in advance. Alumni return to watch their former schools compete. College coaches line the edges of mats. For three days, Atlantic City feels like the epicenter of the state’s athletic identity.

Any move would require preserving competitive integrity, managing season length, safeguarding athlete welfare and maintaining the event’s economic viability. It would also demand buy-in from athletic directors and school administrators statewide.

At its core, the issue reflects a broader tension facing high school athletics everywhere: how to preserve tradition while navigating evolving commercial partnerships and broadcast opportunities at the collegiate level?

The MAAC’s television-driven strategy is a consequence of the shifting economics of sports scheduling. The NJSIAA must respond within its own mission, which is serving student-athletes first. By May or June, clarity should come. Until then, the wrestling community waits in watchful anticipation.