Since Trump cannot now win on first delegate vote he likely won't be the nominee

Recently I outlined in the following word button article WHY Trump cannot now win on the first delegate vote:

Trump cannot win on first ballot at RNC

Since Trump cannot now (even under ideal circumstances) win more than 900 or so votes(but he needs 1237 votes on the first vote to become the Republican Nominee for President he likely cannot win on a first vote no matter what.

There is something else I read about having to win 8 states with more than 50% of the vote which he already has in 5 states but not 8 states yet. He might reach this criteria still.

So, it is debatable then that Trump could ever be the nominee once delegates are released from voting for them starting on the 2nd vote in stages as you can see here in this quoted article from the New York Times:
Why Trump might not be the nominee

So, this explains why the Republican party (or at least Conservative factions within the party) encouraged Cruz, Rubio and Kasich to stay in to draw off votes from Trump so he could not win on the first delegate vote at the Republican National Convention. It appears they have succeeded at this tactic.