It's a shame Missourians couldn't watch the state football championships this weekend from their own living rooms.
It's a shame we didn't get to see Kearney dethrone Webb City, a team that had previously won 42 straight games, five straight Class 4 titles, and boasted a No. 17 national ranking.
It's a shame we didn't watch Blue Springs South take down C.B.C., another team that was unbeatable for quite some time. And those were the only two teams to give the Jefferson City Jays losses this season, Blue Springs South in the district championship and C.B.C. early in the regular season.
It really would have been a shame to not have the opportunity to watch if Blair Oaks had defeated eventual Class 3 champion John Burroughs in last week's semifinal.
It's just too bad, really, that for the first time in 18 seasons Missouri prep football fans went without watching the best of the best in the state compete on Fox Sports Midwest at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.
Apparently there was a breakdown in this year's contract. Which isn't surprising.
Fox Sports Midwest requested a fee that wasn't in line with the Missouri High School Athletic Association's budget, MHSAA spokesman Jason West told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Also according to the Saturday article, West said the former contract ended last basketball season, and he doesn't anticipate them working out a deal for this year's basketball championships.
There's always going to be issues with money, but Missourians have become accustomed to watching local athletes on their television screens.
You would like to think they would get something worked out. But there are no signs of that in the near future.
The games were streamed online at MSHSAA's website, but that came with a $14.95 fee for both days, and $9.95 for a day pass.
And that's just not right. We shouldn't have to pay for local prep sports to be brought to our computer screens. We're going to show these student-athletes' biggest games of their playing careers online? It's just weak.
The players are exposed in local papers and on the radio weekly, but they only get one chance to play on regional TV. Not anymore, apparently.
As one that has participated in a Kansas - yes, I am from the Sunflower State - baseball state championship myself, there was zero exposure there. I was lucky to talk to a reporter even at the college level. But that's baseball.
We're talking high school football here. And Missouri showed off some of its great talent this weekend. But not on Fox Sports Midwest.
And that's too bad.