Why the Wi-Fee?

Its official…we're spoiled at KU. Almost anywhere we go, we can access the Internet for free. It may not be wireless, but every building you enter has some sort of computer-Internet access. After 24 hours in Detroit, we have yet to find free wireless Internet.

You would think that a swanky hotel (like the Marriott in Detroit) would have in-room access to wireless Internet since this is of course the official media hotel for the NCAA Midwest Regional. So when we called last night to get the Internet password, we were shocked when they told us it would be $12.99 per day. Rumor has it, the hotel lobby might have free wireless, but our room is on the 38th floor and the lobby is on the 3rd floor – not exactly convenient.

And do you think Ford Field would provide Internet access to the media for free (heck, we would even take a reduced rate at this point)? Of course not. Our Internet access at the game site costs an impressive $30 per day, per computer. Our not-so-cheap connection seems to be working well, but that's probably because we haven't tried to upload anything yet.

I always thought that being part of the media got you a bunch of perks…apparently Internet access isn't one of them. Sure, we can get all the popcorn and Coke products we want for free, but we weren't prepared to shell out the big bucks (that we don't have) for internet access that we have always had right at our fingertips at school.

So as we wrap up Day 1 in Detroit, we've decided that our best option might be to buy a Verizon or Sprint wireless card. I'm not exactly sure if that's in the budget or not, but for all of the problems that KUJH-TV Sports has encountered with internet access at sporting events this year, it may be the best solution to an ongoing problem. And just as a side note, we finally found free wireless…in East Lansing, two hours from Detroit.