FARGO, N.D.
The sale of T-shirts in a tent across the street from the Fargodome has drawn the ire of USA Wrestling, the governing body of the Junior and Cadet national tournaments.
USA Wrestling is threatening to pull its event out of Fargo if a vendor continues to sell the T-shirts and other products across the street from the dome. Wrestling Apparel, a Fargo company, is selling its merchandise out of a tent in the parking lot of the Fargo Air Museum.
USA Wrestling says it has an exclusive contract with All American Wrestling Supply of Madison, Wis., to sell USA Wrestling merchandise. Pete Isais, the director of national events for USA Wrestling, would not disclose the exact amount of the contract, but he said it is “six digits.”
USA Wrestling and North Dakota State University are in the final year of a three-year contract to host the national tournaments. NDSU has been the host site of the Junior tournament since 1992 and the combined Junior and Cadet since 1996. Isais said the only matter holding up another contract is Wrestling Apparel’s tent.
“It’s a problem, “Isais said.
All involved agree that Wrestling Apparel has done nothing illegal. The company is renting the space from the Airport Authority, and it has a sales and tax permit from the state of North Dakota.
Wrestling Apparel owner Keith Stensgard says his company is “a business trying to succeed the American way.”
He said he is not selling anything with USA Wrestling on it and the only merchandise in his tent is from his own company. He also said he is willing to work with USA Wrestling and NDSU to find a solution.
“We don’t want the tournament to leave, “he said. “We’re willing to pay a fee. We’re a little local company we have our own line of stuff, and we want to push our name.”
NDSU head coach Bucky Maughan said he advised Wrestling Apparel not to set up its shop.
“USA Wrestling has their own (apparel) guy, and the spirit of the law is that we would cooperate with USA Wrestling, “Maughan said. “I told (Wrestling Apparel) it was a bad deal, but it’s their decision to make.”
Said NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor, “I don’t think the city of Fargo wants to lose the event because some guys want to be entrepreneurs. But I can’t blame them for wanting to be entrepreneurs.”
The USA Wrestilng tournament attracts about 4,500 wrestlers. Adding tournament officials, coaches and parents gives it an estimated $5 million economic impact to the community, said Cole Carley, executive director of the Fargo-Moorhead Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“This is the event of our summer, “Carley said. “It would be a shame if one hitch like this would derail it.”
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