The city of K.C. is "bidding to host" NCAA championships from '14-18 in seven D-I and six D-II sports at venues in and around the region, casting a "wide net in submitting 13 proposals," according to Blair Kerkhoff of the K.C. STAR. The list of targets includes D-I men’s and women’s soccer at Sporting Park; volleyball, wrestling, ice hockey at the Sprint Center; and cross country and track in Lawrence. K.C. Sports Commission President & CEO Kathy Nelson said that "ideally," the city "would land" a D-I and II championship each year. The bids "need a host partner, usually a school or a conference," and the city is "working with several." The Univ. of Missouri-K.C. "would be the host for the soccer championships and co-host with Kansas for volleyball," while the Univ. of Missouri "would be the host for wrestling and Nebraska-Omaha for ice hockey" (K.C. STAR, 9/19). Meanwhile, in St. Louis, Stu Durando reported the city's Sports Commission for its latest proposal "had less than three months to create bids for 30 events in 13 sports, covering four academic years." The commission "bid on national championships" for D-I wrestling, men’s and women’s ice hockey and women’s volleyball, gymnastics and bowling," and also is seeking the '14 D-II Fall Festival. Cities "had through Monday night to submit proposals for more than 500 NCAA events, the most ever during one process" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 9/18).
NASHVILLE AND CINCY BIDDING, TOO: Nashville Sports Council President & CEO Scott Ramsey said that the city's bids were "submitted to host the championships for women's bowling, men's and women's cross-country and men's and women's tennis." He said bids were submitted in all three cases for "at least two years" between '15-17 (NASHVILLE POST, 9/18). In Cincinnati, Steve Watkins reported the city has turned in bids to host "a dozen future NCAA championship events, with a bid coming soon to host NCAA men's basketball tournament games for the first time in more than two decades." The city has not hosted any NCAA title events since '97. The bids were submitted by the Cincinnati Collegiate and Community Collaborative group, which includes ADs from Miami Univ., Univ. of Cincinnati and Xavier Univ., as well as officials from the Greater Cincinnati Sports Corp., Cincinnati USA Convention & Visitors Bureau, the ATP/WTA Western & Southern Open and U.S. Bank Arena (BIZJOURNALS.com, 9/16).
