Future Wizards vs. Manchester United Friendly Showcases Soccer's Growth in Kansas City

While large crowds for World Cup matches in Kansas City signaled an increased interest in soccer across the United States and in Kansas City, the upcoming Wizards vs. Manchester United game may be a sign that interest in the world’s most popular sport is more than a passing fad.

The Wizards’ organization is reporting that over 40,000 tickets have been sold for the July 25^th friendly between Kansas City’s MLS team and one of the most popular and successful teams from the English Premiership. Despite drawing Manchester United, 40,000 tickets is an extremely high number of tickets sold for a friendly game not involving the US National Team.

The previous attendance record is 37,319, which occurred in 2001 when the National team played a World Cup qualifying match against fellow CONCAF team Costa Rica. After Kansas City’s Power and Light District announced crowds of over 10,000 to watch the US vs. Ghana Round of 16 game in the World Cup, it appears that soccer has caught significant momentum, at least in the Kansas City area.

Tickets for the game are still available through Ticketmaster and the Kansas City Wizards’ Ticket Office.

Kansas Smoking Ban Bans Smoking In All Enclosed Public Places

Effective July 1^st, Kansas will join many other states in banning smoking in almost all enclosed public places. Prohibiting smoking in enclosed public places is part of a growing trend nationwide that makes the habit more of a hassle for smokers.

Many smokers are being forced to pay higher premiums in health insurance and other acts that are being protested as discriminative. As more anti-smoking laws get passed, the debate between legislature that promotes public health and boundaries of citizen rights presses on.

Republican Representative Ray Merrick has suggested that smoking restrictions remain a local option, which gives businesses a choice on following the ban. Giving local businesses an option may be a way to find a middle ground between personal freedoms and public health, however it may not be an option given the recent momentum in the anti-smoking campaigns.

World Cup Crowds in Kansas City Shows Soccer has Grown - But How Much?

Since the United State’s run to the Quarterfinals in 2002 to the arrival of David Beckham to the LA Galaxy, soccer pundits have waited for the sport to take off in America. Saturday’s game-watching crowds in downtown Kansas City showed an increased interest in the sport, however only time will tell if that support for soccer is here to stay.

After the United States hosted the World Cup in 1994, FIFA mandated the creation of an American soccer league. The MLS, now over a decade old, has been one example of the sport slowly growing in America. With many teams moving from NFL stadiums to their own complexes (such as the Wizards), progress is being made to establish the sport on a national level.

Despite the growth in the MLS league and the international star power of players such as Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, there are many hurdles the sport must overcome to enjoy the following the NFL or MLB has. Unlike European, South American and African nations, the US already has established leagues in several other sports that are extremely popular. The MLS is also a clear step below European leagues such as the English Premiership, which could turn off some casual fans with the stigma of a second-rate league.

The massive crowds in Kansas City’s Power and Light District and other venues show that Americans are willing to take a national interest in their teams, from the world cup to the Olympics. While soccer has and continues to grow, there are many limitations and hurdles the sport must face to escalate to the level of an NFL or MLB.

Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle Showcases Cooking Talent and Great Food

The Great Lenexa Barbeque Battle offered Kansas City residents the opportunity to showcase their cooking skills while enjoying as much free food as they wished. Despite high temperatures, the event was a success drawing in an estimated 14,000 to 15,000 people over two days.

This was the 29^th consecutive year the contest was held, which started as a much more local competition in 1982 and later grew to become the state of Kansas’ barbeque championship. The contest has continued to grow, and contestants can now compete in several categories.

The event, held in Lenexa’s Sar-Ko-Par Trails Park, had over 190 teams compete. Winners of the events are determined from a panel of judges who taste the various entries from competing teams.

KU, K-State Announce Tuition Increases

In-state tuition got more expensive for Kansas college students, as both the University of Kansas and Kansas State University announced increases in semester tuition fees, effective in the fall of 2011.

KU’s tuition increased to $4,012 per semester, $306 or 8.2 percent more than the previous amount. Kansas State’s tuition increased by $253, or 7.4 percent, to a semester fee of $3,688.

KU offers a program known as KU Compact, which allows students to pay one non-adjustable rate for all four of their years at the University. Tuition for this program increased $263 up to $4,366 per semester. The program allows students and families to pay more money now but avoid the possibility of higher tuition in the future, possibly a smart move as college tuition rates have been steadily increasing nationwide.

Despite both major public universities increasing tuition, Kansas residents still enjoy having colleges with some of the lowest tuition rates in the nation. KU is routinely listed on many pundits’ “Best Buy” lists, while Kansas State offers a lower tuition fee than KU.

Tuition increases have become normal for both public and private universities nationwide. With affordable options throughout the state, Kansas residents are presented with many options those in other states are not able to enjoy.