THE FRONT ROW WITH JASON ELLIOTT: Saturday, August 8, 2015

It never fails to amaze me the kind of lengths some will go to in order to get a leg up on their competition.

This latest one by the Iowa wrestling team to try to set an attendance record might be the best one I've heard in a while.

THE SCHOOL - growing tired of rival Penn State's hold on the record of 16,000 fans at a match - has organized a match between them and the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Nov. 14 at Kinnick Stadium, which seats 70,000.

That's right, 70,000, for a college wrestling match.

Neither Iowa or Oklahoma State needs the attention, as the two have combined to win 57 Division I national championships in wrestling.

Average temperatures in Iowa City for that time of year are 50 degrees, but it won't be the only event in town that day as the Hawkeyes will face Minnesota later that day in a Big Ten Conference football game.

If you want to show off how good your team is, why not in front of one of your biggest rivals?

It does seem like a win-win, as fans will get a chance to see two quality programs step on the mat and face off, no matter what the weather might be.

NOT THAT it could happen in this area, with the unpredictable weather in November, but it could be fun to see the North Idaho College wrestling team opt to face Clackamas Community College somewhere other than Christianson Gym.

Maybe in the park along the beaches of Lake Coeur d'Alene, or on the soccer field, should the weather cooperate.

NIC has quite the home mat advantage at Christianson Gym, with fans sitting near the mats and screaming for most of the match. Just imagine having the mat surrounded by people and the atmosphere that could create, if it could happen.

Those spirit games such as Prairie Pig or Fight for the Fish might be a little a little more chaotic if they were held anywhere other than a gym, but you can't help but wonder what if they weren't.

WHEN BASEBALL teams from Lake City High and Coeur d'Alene played games at McEuen Field in the annual "Homers for the Homeless" game, it was as close to a neutral site game that you'll probably seen.

Outside of holiday and postseason tournaments, teams often play games in front of their home fans, exactly where they're supposed to be played.

Ideas like the one that the folks in Iowa have is great for that area, that will get out and support that fan base, because for some, it might be the only time they get to see something like that.

To see that level of competition locally, usually it comes with NIC playing host to the NJCAA tournament at the Spokane Convention Center.

It might be interesting to see what might happen if an event like a wrestling match or basketball game was played in a setting such as the one that will be in Iowa.

This isn't the Winter Classic by any means, but it could be something worth watching.

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for the Coeur d'Alene Press. He can be reached by telephone at 664-8176, Ext. 2020 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @JEPressSports.