For more information, contact:
Marc Schreiber
Director of Marketing & Communications
St. Louis Sports Commission
314-992-0683
dbray@stlouissports.org

TICKET APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR THE 2004 NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN ST. LOUIS

ORGANIZERS SET TO OFFER THE ULTIMATE WRESTLING EXPERIENCE IN THE ULTIMATE SPORTS CITY

ST. LOUIS — March 18, 2003 — Ticket applications for the 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis will be available beginning Wednesday (March 19). Fans may obtain the application by calling 877-722-1604 or by downloading an online version at www.stlouissports.org. Tickets are sold in three-day, six-session packages only and cost $110. Applications will be processed in order of date received. Additional ticket instructions and policies appear on the ticket application.

The 74th NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships take place March 18-20, 2004, at Savvis Center in downtown St. Louis. The University of Missouri and the St. Louis Sports Commission serve as the tournament hosts. St. Louis set an all-time total attendance record of 96,994 when it first hosted the event in March 2000.

"As the cliché goes, records are meant to be broken," said Frank Viverito, president of the St. Louis Sports Commission. "We’re truly in awe of the passion and excitement that the Division I Wrestling Championships — and its fans — generate inside the venue and throughout downtown. There will be a special electricity flowing around St. Louis throughout the weekend, and we look forward to filling Savvis Center and exceeding the attendance figure posted in 2000."

The St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission has established a toll-free number for fans making hotel reservations for the Championships. Fans can call 888-882-5198 to reserve rooms that are part of the event’s fan block. Rooms may also be reserved online by visiting www.stlouissports.org/wrestling <http://www.stlouissports.org/wrestling> .

More than 15,000 out-of-town fans and participants traveled to St. Louis for the 2000 Championships. According to an economic impact study, the event generated more than $7 million for the local economy. Organizers expect the economic impact of the 2004 event to approach $10 million. St. Louis will also host the tournament in 2005, becoming the first city to host the Championships in back-to-back years.

"St. Louis has developed a reputation for being an outstanding host market because of events like the Division I Wrestling Championships," Viverito said. "With our location in the heart of college wrestling country, a spectacular venue in Savvis Center, and a terrific downtown package that enhances the overall fan experience, St. Louis has become wrestling’s perfect match. It means a lot to us that the NCAA, the fans and media recognize that, and we appreciate the relationship we’ve established with the sport."

Fans seeking additional information on the 2004 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships are encouraged to visit www.stlouissports.org. The 2003 Championships take place at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Mo., March 20-22.