I just read on ncaasports.com that ESPN is carrying the NCAA Division I wrestling championship finals LIVE tonight!! Not delayed!!

Anyway, if this is true I think we need to flood their e-mail boxes with thank you's, and requests for even more LIVE coverage. Afterall they have the option of using a variety of ESPN-U regional satellite channels which would be better than nothing. I don't get these channels at home, but most neighborhood sports bars have the satellite package that enables them to.

Remember - flattery gets you everywhere!! Thank them PROFUSELY, tell them you plan on buying their advertisers products and would be more than happy contact them personally to tell them how much you appreciate their support of ESPN covering YOUR favorite sport. Ask how you can do this. THEN, subtly hint that even MORE coverage would be awesome and that you would even like to set up ESPN watch parties with your kids clubs, usawks message board friends, etc. Mention ESPN alot so they know they have branded their product to you and you remember WHERE you saw the live coverage.

Remember CBS has the rights to March Madness, and if we can convince them that there is a very loyal and wide, yet overlooked, fan base out there that would allow them to steal some thunder without forking out millions to steal broadcast rights... it just might work. I work in media and have seen listener/viewer fan base efforts work, however you have to give them something they can take to advertisers to make MONEY off of. If they have 10,000 emails the night of the finals all from Kansas we may just see the semis, consolation finals, and finals ALL live on ESPN-U Midwest next year.

I've done the homework, you send the e-mail. Here's the link:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?page=contact/espntv

I think we should get ESPN (Not the U) to carry semis live and then have ABC sports (same family of ESPN) carry the finals live.

I just hope you emailed them.

Here's my email:

"I was so happy to see that you choose to air the NCAA D1 Wrestling Championships LIVE!!! I love wrestling and have been associated with the sport for over 21 years and just blown away to see that the Championships were carried live rather than tape delayed! I'm usually frustrated come this time of year that our sport takes a "back seat" to basketball and have to either stay up until 2-3-4am to see tham or record them. To see me beloved sport Live and during Primetime was truely a wonderful sight! I know that I and the 22 people that were watching with me at my house were 100% appriciative of your decision! We look forward to seeing more and more coverage of our sport with the expanded coverage of the NCAA tournament, DII, DIII or even the NAIA tournaments, as I know I and many of my fellow wrestling fanatics have been aware of the increased wrestling events you've carried throughout this past season.

Thanks once again, and here's hoping that you decide to increase the coverage our sport more throughout the years!!!"

Thanks Shane.

Im a very lazy person so i just coppied and pasted shanes email, ok so maybe not but ya i emailed them this is a good idea thanks a oncewas

i sent them an email just before it aired.

Thanks everyone... this is the ONLY way it's going to happen. We all know the fan base is there, and growing. In fact I went to my favorite sports bar and had them put a corner TV on it. By the 157# match I started having alot of tables around me commenting on the matches and asking questions about who was ranked higher, did any Kansas kids make the finals, even how did that kid win... I thought it was tied. (They didn't have a riding time clock on the screen.) Since I now live in Topeka I brought up Tanner Gardner and had alot of people say "Yeah I remember reading in the paper about him, where was it he went?"

Who was it that played basketball Saturday night? I can't seem to remember.

We still have a couple of days to flood them while their memory of airing it is fresh. Tell your friends, email them the link, even if it's a simple "Thanks for airing the wrestling LIVE!!" it'll help. It doesn't take much time, but the more the better.