kansascity
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State will sell beer and wine throughout Bill Snyder Family Stadium next season.
- Preseason camp for K-State football begins on August 5 in Manhattan.
- Gene Taylor said a neutral-site game could generate about $4 million in revenue.
I try to time my summer vacation with a slow news week, but it rarely works out.
Every year, it feels like I take my family to the beach for a few days of relaxation and then return to Manhattan to see something important or unexpected happened while I was away.
Im pretty sure every round of Big 12 realignment occurred while I was using vacation days.
Last years, a boatload of basketball transfers committed to K-State while I wasnt around.
The tradition continued last week when K-State athletics director Gene Taylor announced that the Wildcats will begin selling beer and wine throughout Bill Snyder Family Stadium during football games next season.
Loyal readers of this mailbag know I have been pushing for K-State to make that change for years.
Less than a month ago, I wondered out loud why K-State was one of the few remaining schools in the Big 12 that refused to sell beer at football games.
There is no good reason to restrict alcohol sales.
K-State has done it for years without any problems at baseball and basketball games.
Its also a moneymaker.
The Wildcats made a smart move when they decided to introduce beer sales at football.
I just wish they would have announced it this week.
Now, lets dive into your questions.
Thanks, as always, for providing them.
Throw current contracts out the window, if Gene came to you and said: K-Dawg, I need you to choose the beer menus for BSFS what are you using to fill these slots: Light Beer 1, Light Beer 2, IPA, Wheat Bear, Mexican Beer, Craft Beer - @scottwildcat via X.
Light Beer 1: Michelob Ultra.
Its not my favorite, but it tends to sell better than any other beer at football games because of low calories and easy drinkability.
Lets start with a crowd pleaser.
Light Beer 2: Wabash from Manhattan Brewing Company.
This ale checks all the boxes.
It is brewed in town, it tastes good and it is named after a storied K-State tradition.
IPA: Sculpin.
This is a favorite of mine from Ballast Point.
Even though it is brewed in San Diego and has absolutely no connection to K-State or the area, I recommend it based purely on elite taste.
Wheat Beer: Boulevard Wheet.
This is a slam-dunk choice.
Mexican Beer: Modelo.
You can drink it without a lime.
Craft Beer: Rotate between the local breweries throughout the season.
Start off with an Oktoberfest, shift to a pumpkin ale and finish with a winter lager.
What is summer like in Manhattan without Call Hall? - @the_funky_andy via X.
The Little Apple isnt as much for ice cream enthusiasts right now as it is when school is in session.
But the locals get by with chain options.
Living in Manhattan during the summer has upside.
Without students around, restaurants hardly ever have a wait.
There is also less traffic.
But there is one big downside: road construction.
You cant drive anywhere in town without encountering a detour at this time of year.
Please give us your dream roster for a Kansas State alumni basketball team for TBT next season - Jeff M.
via e-mail.
Xavier Sneed might be my No.
1 pick.
Former one-and-done basketball star Michael Beasley stole all the headlines earlier this week at Bramlage Coliseum, but even he admitted he was out there following Sneeds lead.
He has always been a good player, and he remains in excellent shape.
After seeing him jump over other alums for dunks this week, he definitely has a spot on my roster.
Dean Wade would be my next pick.
If the Philadelphia 76ers allowed him to play in an alumni tournament, he would be a difference maker.
Barry Brown is next.
He has been tearing it up as a pro overseas.
Lets also extend offers to Markquis Nowell, NaeQwan Tomlin, Arthur Kaluma, Jacob Pullen, Keyontae Johnson, Wesley Iwundu and David NGuessan.
Beasley has been fun to watch.
He could play, too.
But my focus is on younger players.
Trevor Hudgins, as a Manhattan High graduate who helped launch Ben McCollum to coaching stardom at Northwest Missouri State, is also welcome to play for my team even though he never actually suited up for the Wildcats.
When does fall camp start for Collin Klein and the K-State football team in Manhattan? - Andrew B.
via e-mail.
Lets remember, there is no such thing as fall camp in college football.
We are currently in the heart of summer.
Even though school will be back in session next month, the first day of fall doesnt arrive until September 22.
We are closer to spring than we are fall.
The term summer camp is more accurate.
To avoid confusion, I find it best to describe it as preseason camp or training camp.
Now that we have that out of the way ...
preseason camp begins August 5 for the Wildcats.
What do you think the K stands for in this years football team -@C_nrad via X.
Klein.
Kansas States new football coach is the mayor of Manhattan until he loses a game.
What are your thoughts on the SEC breaking away? I think it hurts them, because no one wants to see the same two or three teams win every year -@ksucats32 via X.
I think that is unlikely to actually happen.
The SEC and the Big Ten are spending more money than any other conferences at the moment.
That has allowed them to rise above the rest of college sports as a Big Two, even when compared to the rest of the Power Five leagues.
That is a great spot for both of them.
If they break away and form their own exclusive club, there will be no other conferences or teams to boss around.
The top football teams in the Big Ten and SEC are more or less guaranteed to win eight games per season with easy nonconference games on their schedule.
But if those are eliminated and SEC teams only start playing each other you are going to see a lot more teams with .500 (or worse) records.
Someone has to finish last, after all.
I also dont see national championships carrying the same weight without, well, teams from across the nation competing for the title.
Furthermore, if a Super League is formed I doubt it will strictly consist of Big Ten and SEC teams.
The top brands in those conferences could choose to break away, but Im guessing schools like Mississippi State and Rutgers wont get to tag along when there are better options in other conferences.
But I digress.
To answer your question, I doubt the SEC breaking away from the NCAA would work out well for anyone.
Do you think K-State and KU will be open playing a Sunflower Showdown football game inside the new Chiefs dome when it is complete? -@Garrettb1983 via X.
If the Chiefs offer them enough money to move their annual rivalry game off campus, absolutely.
The Jayhawks probably want to play as many home games as possible in their renovated stadium.
But they are willing to play at neutral sites, as evidenced by their game against Arizona State in London this season.
K-State also prefers to play at home, but the Wildcats have played games in Arlington, Texas, and Dublin, Ireland, in recent years.
Here is what Taylor told me about the possibility of playing more neutral-site games in the future: Revenue is a big deal for us, right? he said.
People get mad at me if we only play six home games, but if the right opportunity came along that our fans could get to easily on the neutral side and the dollars were worth it, Id probably listen.
We just have to continue to find ways to generate more revenue.
If we could get $4 million and they would cover expenses for a neutral-site game, thats $4 million you arent making at home.
But I understand you are taking a game away from the fans.
It would have to be the right situation.
K-State has played Iowa State at Arrowhead Stadium before.
Maybe that could be also be an option.
The Big 12 might also look to move its championship game to Kansas City at some point.
A new dome in this area creates plenty of opportunities.
This story was originally published July 24, 2026 at 5:00 AM with the headline "K-State Q&A: Football beer sales and a dream roster of Wildcat basketball alums.".