Hey, not to press anyone the wrong way, but Metro Sports in KC is airing the Finals of the Winnetonka Invite for last Saturday at 7pm tonight. If you have Metro and want to see more wrestling on TV I suggest either setting your DVR or watching it. If we want more mainstream exposure for the sport then have to show there's an audience for it. Not to mention there were some really outstanding matches.


Also, if you do watch it, please shoot back some feedback on what you liked or didn't. Thanks.

Kyle Haas

The sophomore at 160 lbs who won was a monster on top. Not a lot of flash just solid technique. Commentators knew a lot and added some good color from what I have seen.

Unbelievable! The freshman from Parkhill, D'Blasi (??) tech falled Lewis from Blue Springs 17-2. Lewis won the 126 at the Bobcat over Shoemaker from Baldwin.

Perkins, Oak Park went to 68 and 0 in highschool (beat Dulgarian in the Bobcat).

Hey Metro. How about doing the Kansas State 6A, 5A. and 4A tournaments. 321A from Hays is already telecast to western Kansas. I think the 6A and 5A is already telecast in Wichita by the cable company there--perhaps you can get a feed from them for real time KC local viewing. Much appreciated!!!!!

Colston Diblasi from PH is a stud. He will cradle anybody. He beat nationally ranked Jack Hathaway from IA with 6-0 with two cradles at pre-season nationals. Comes from the same kids club that Shoemaker, Haralson, Perkins, Pursel, Skyler Wood, Alan Waters, Darick Lapaglia, Bricker Dixon, Tommy Williams, all trained with.

I'm not sure how much KSHSAA gets in broadcast fees and if it makes up for lost ticket sales but the attendance at these events already sucks. Do we want even less attendance?

I dont think anyone wants less attendance, but it's repeatedly questioned how to get wrestling more exposure. Television coverage of the finals would be a great avenue to provide a step in that direction.
It would seem to me to be a stretch of reasoning to say that showing the finals is going to create a massive loss of ticket sales. If the entire tournament was being televised I could buy that arguement but not when its just the finals. If friends,family, classmates etc. are going to support their wrestler in person, they have already bought a ticket well before the finals have been decided.
I would love to see 4A get some form of televised coverage. Live or Delayed broadcast, either way would be great.

To be honest it's Metro Sports' crew and Truck that do both productions of Finals in Salina and Wichita. Sometimes airing it on our channel live may contradict with something we were already agreed to air, but most of the time it's no issue to air it.

On that note, if you want it - request it. Call up/email Metro Sports and request it. If people want it, we'll put it together. (Ah, the power of the people)

Did that the last two years: email and voice mail to your manager and sports director. Time for a little action!!!!!!!

Thanks

B. Mason
Lansing

Did that the last two years: email and voice mail to your manager and sports director. Time for a little METRO SPORTS action!!!!!!!

Thanks

B. Mason
Lansing

I am of the belief that the 5A and 6A tournaments filled Hartman Arenain Wichita in 2011---no empty seats. Agree with Moeder than family, friend and (rabid) fans will continue to attend State in person!!!

Lets keep looking for one site where they can put 6A-5A-4A State back together.

I have no problem with the finals being taped delayed. Even I like to watch the finals from the other two sites later in the week or month. Sure those you describe will continue to attend the events, but a large number of them must be dying off, because it appears to me, at least in the 4A, that the numbers continue to drop every year. Of course it doesn't help when the semi-finals are scheduled for times before most average fans get off work on a Friday.
We simply won't find a venue to replace the Coliseum where all the classes could be brought back together. The Coliseum for those that don't know was recently sold to a private entity for other purposes.

Intrust Arena , downtown Wichita. They do it in Iowa ( Des Moines ), all the classes in one arena. Wow what a show!

The problem with Intrust is PARKING. I can hear the complaints now when in a rain, sleet or snow storm people have to park in Old Town in order to find a stall on Friday. I have my doubts they could find a suitable place for bus and team transport parking.

Good post Contrarian. I also agree with Moeder. It was pretty full at Hartman last year, and I don't think one of those fans would have stayed home regardless.

My wife and friends go to concerts at Intrust all the time and I have never heard that complaint. I went to a sold out KSU basketball game and the parking was fine.

Dan, if I hear about you attending another BBall game, I'm pulling my investment in that handsfree cellphone device your designed at Tulsa.........

I have been as well. The difference here is, this event will involve a Friday workday when many of those private parking lots are full. If you recall, the one event that they had during working hours was a business/motivational seminar. For that, they had to have people park at Lawrence Dumont and bus them back and forth. I don't think that type of arrangment would sit well with our schools and fans.
Not to mention, to date Intrust has shown no interest in dealing with KSHSAA on a reasonable price. My guess is, that KSHSAA would have to raise ticket prices as much as $2.00 each in order to cover the rental costs. I believe that is one of the things hurting attendance currently. We have priced ourselves out of the market for some people.
I think even the powers that be in Wichita and at Intrust know their limitations where the parking is concerned and know if they put themselves out there for this type of event there will be holy hell to pay later.
Like it or not, that was one of the beauties of the Coliseum, you never had to worry about parking!

The city just finished another 600 parking stalls on 1st & Emporia, two blocks away. My office is 500 S Broadway and everyday I look out my window and see empty parking lots. There was no problems with parking 2 years ago at the STATE WRESTLING TOURNAMENT. None! Lets get the Chamber involved, not only for Wrestling , Basketball (girls & boys), Volleyball. Every state does it but Kansas! Wow Greg the Seminar had 16,000 people, do you really think we would draw that many people. What are you smoking!

Dan Gentzler - Andover Central

"Two blocks"? I don't know what map you are looking at but many of those blocks in downtown are in fact two blocks long. That is, if you can exit Intrust via the north side of the building which I don't think you can. That makes that parking a conservative 5 blocks away at best. In order to utilize the new Coleman parking lot you would need trolley service. Not to mention, most people who know the downtown area would not like walking that area at night.


That's because nobody was there! That is why it couldn't/wouldn't go back the next year. When you move it out to Hartman, such as they did, where parking is handy and plentiful, you see the results.
Nobody wants all three classes back together more than I do. I was one the most vocal against the small minority who dissed the Coliseum on these very boards when we were still there. Now we see some of those same complaints coming against Salina and that venue.