2024 NCAA Host City Review

T-Mobile Center

Kansas City, Missouri

I have had a few days to decompress, shake off the almost red-eye of a fight home, and the overall joyous fatigue that comes with attending the NCAA wrestling championships. 

I started attending NCAAs in 2016, in New York City (my credit card just shuddered from the memories). Each year, everyone always quickly reminisces about the past few days so starting this year, I decided to put my thoughts to paper.

Unfortunately, my podcast co-host Todd Szewczyk was unable to get out of his work obligations and missed his first NCAAs in a very, very long time. So for this first Host City Review, I will be flying solo in my criticism.

Everyone seems to have been singing the praises of the town that doesn't have a professional basketball or hockey team (just an arena in hopes of one day having one/both). And while I agree, it was a great host, there are some things I can nitpick.

When it comes to my evaluation, I look at a few different criteria:

1. Hotels

This is always the first criterion for me because it's the one that can disappear the quickest. In fact, as we saw a lot of in Tulsa 2023, might even be taken away a couple months out. But it’s not just about the quantity of hotels, but the options of hotels. Cheap “murder hotels” to the type Kevin McAllister accommodates in for Home Alone 2. 

2. Air Fare/Travel to and from

I fly out of the beautiful, and often worst-rated airport, Philadelphia (don't worry, I actually rarely have a terrible time in and out of PHL and I'm sure you won't either next year). But for me, is there a direct flight? If not, how many connections? Reasonable departure times? And most importantly, price.

3. Food and Drink

Outside of the actual wrestling, this might be the most important. Yeah, we are all going to be in the arena from 10am to 3pm and again from 6pm to 9pm for three days straight. But it's what fuels us in the times in between that creates the atmosphere we all know and love.

4. Walkability

If you meet me, you get it. I'm a fat guy in a little coat.

5. Wrestling Venue

The wrestling is going to be great no matter what. But how were the aesthetics, layout, Wifi, and the view from my seat.

So, on to the evaluation:

Hotels:

Within maybe 10 blocks of the T-Mobile Center there are about 14 hotels ranging from Holiday Inn's to the posh Kansas City Hotel or Loews Hotel. I stayed at the Crowne Plaza Downtown KC which was about four blocks from the arena. Great stumbling distance when you wake up from a hangover at 9:15am for Session 5.

Before taxes and fees, I got my hotel for $188 on average per night for four days (Wednesday to Sunday).

One drawback is the plumbing. Apparently, physics aren't the same in Kansas City as in the rest of the USA and when it goes down one drain it occasionally comes UP another. Other than that, the hotel did what it was supposed to do, have a comfy mattress and pillows.

“B.” High marks on the price and location, hit because of the plumbing and overall , let's say, slight lack of cleanliness.

Air Fare/Travel

Obviously, this is very subjective because the Missouri Tigers didn't have to fly in and many teams bussed it. But, this is my article so you will listen to every word I have to say (joking).

I may have seen at one time a direct flight or two, but the cost was well above the $500 to $600 mark round trip. I mean, I’m a guy who hates paying more than $20 for jeans, if that gives you an indication of my frugalness. 

After multiple searches a day, starting from November 1st, eventually I found round-trip airfare at about $300 on Southwest Airlines. The downsides? To and From both had connecting flights, which isn't that terrible in the grand scheme of it all… but my departure from PHL was 5:50 am, and my departure from Kansas City back home was 6:50pm. 

Now, I have a two-month-old so waking up in the early bits of the morning is something not uncommon to me. I could either do the sensible thing and nap on the couch, so as not to wake anyone, for a few hours before driving at 3am to PHL… or do the stupid thing that I ended up doing.

If I didn't take the crazy departure time route, I saw round trip prices range from $200ish to $450 with the cheaper having crazy long layovers or late-night arrivals into Kansas City on Wednesday night from Frontier, Spirit, or United (without bag fees added in) or the more expensive being, well, shorter layovers but just expensive as hell.

For this, I assumed the risk of the crazy departure times, so that's on me. 

I’ll give travel a “C,” Not a whole lot of options within the price a reasonable person would pay, and nothing direct from Philly. The prices didn't really fluctuate that much at all in the months leading up and honestly I got it as cheap as I did because one leg was $75.

Food and Drink

My motto every NCAAs, “Diet starts Monday”

So if you weren't in Kansas City, or you were somehow blind and deaf, the LIVE! Center was across the street (a blocked-off and shutdown street, thank goodness) where they had multiple bars, eateries, and an open courtyard area with a stage playing hits such as Teenage Dirtbag and various AC/DC classics (even a keytar made an appearance!). The courtyard also had a metal roof with heaters so if the alcohol didn't keep you warm, the LIVE! Center would.

Obviously, this comes with the downside of EVERYBODY heading there as the session ends. And there was one pizza place there open late (1am) serving pies… FOR $65 EACH! That's not a joke, ask Jeff Upson of PaPower fame. 

Bars were readily available in every concentric circle from the arena and food was available late as it usually is on the East Coast (kitchens closing around 10 or 11pm). 

Now, Kansas City is known for BBQ and I did indulge in some while in town. Once on my first day at the County Road Ice House which got their BBQ from Joe's and on my last day ate at Jack Stack BBQ a little south of Downtown. Very good, very full (restaurant capacity and my stomach wise).

One spot I hit multiple times between sessions, mainly because they somehow had reservations available the hour before the session ended (so duh I made them), was the Streetcar Grill & Tavern. Quick story.

I got a reservation for 6 at a high-top table for me, my buddy Kyle (who showed up later due to a work call), and some of the InterMat/Pa Power Media guys. Well, things ran longer for them than expected so I found myself sitting alone for 15 minutes at a large empty table while people were being turned away for 45-minute wait times.

I noticed three older Oklahoma State apparel-wearing fans who had been walking up and down the row and, from my experience last year in Tulsa, assumed they would be friendly. I waved them over and told them my group was running late so if they wanted to sit and eat, they could and would help keep the death stares from the staff away. Turns out, one was Ellison Beasey who wrestled for OKST in the late 60s and one was Randy Faires. And, maybe most importantly, they bought me some beers! What cool dudes!

Last bit on the food. Me and my buddy Kyle needed to try and reintegrate into some civility (aka use utensils to eat instead of hands) so between sessions 3 and 4, we walked about a mile to an Austrian restaurant called Grunauer. Really good, not crazy expensive, and they had some fancy nets that go over your lemons so when you squeeze them over your schnitzel the seeds don't fall on your food. Fancy A-F.

There were many other options from fine dining to local sandwich shops with great reviews.

My one gripe: Breakfast. The only real breakfast places downtown that I could find was a diner called the Silver Spoon Cafe (that CLOSED from 3/20 to 3/23… idiots), a bagel place, and… sigh, a Starbucks. I love diners and breakfast spots so I was very disappointed there wasn't a greater array of options. There was also a grocery market between my hotel and the arena that bridged the gap with coffee and pastries. Solid “A”, and I didn't even get to visit the numerous craft breweries and distilleries less than 5 blocks south of the arena. Definitely new options to try if it hosts again.

Walkability

If you made it this far, you can surmise that from my previous paragraphs that you could probably throw a stone and hit somewhere to eat or drink. Within one mile of the area, you had basically everything a wrestling fan there to eat, drink, and watch wrestling could need.

But it's not all just “Bachelor” and “Bachelorettes” there. Spouses, children, and relatives not fond, able, or legal enough to partake in the drunken festivities also attend (I can't believe how many toddlers and NEWBORNS IN STROLLERS I saw!). If staying Downtown, a quick (and not too expensive) rideshare jaunt to Kauffman Stadium for a walking tour, or the World War I Museum, or the Negro League Baseball Museum or many other family-oriented activities the city has to offer. You can also take a rideshare to other great BBQ places too. Just sayin.

“A-” mainly because even though there were many options close by, they would get absolutely swamped and it would be so loud that you lost your voice by the end of day 1 (and not from cheering on the wrestling, right Bogle?). Because of this, you might be forced to walk farther out but there was no lack of options, if you didn't mind putting a half mile of tread on the sidewalk. 

Wrestling Venue

A little on the smaller side by a few hundred to thousand compared to the past venues. I sat in Section 102, corner section behind Mat 7 and next to the Michigan & Iowa State fans. For the Finals, I had an almost direct line down the red carpet. Had some great views too.

Food and drink were to be expected in stadium pricing, however, a Miller Lite pounder cost $16. Four beers for a session cost $74. My one meal with Kyle at the Street Car? Fried Pickles, Brisket Nachos, four Yuenglings, and two burgers… $70.56 (albeit during happy hour, but still). Bottled water at the arena was $4, so that actually wasn't bad, comparatively. 

WiFi in the arena was not good, for me at least. Kyle is a T-Mobile guy so he worked magenta fast, but poor ol' Verizon Cellular-me had bad lag times. To be expected, I guess. But we live in the 21st century. C’mon.

“B” and just because I'm nitpicking hard. The wrestling is always amazing, and the stadium is what the stadium is. Seats to hold butts pointed towards the center of the ground floor. The WiFi has been better at other venues, in my experience, and in this day and age when you're running multiple Fantasy Wrestling worksheets, it is kind of important.

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Overall, I really liked Kansas City as a host and would not mind it being there once a cycle instead of St. Louis. That said, I really do get excited every year to see and explore a new city with the food, culture, and overall experience, so I can’t sign off on having it there every year. Four thumbs up from me, KC.