From http://www.cbgxtra.com April 2, 2007:

Brent Frankenhoff
Posts: 1745
Posted: 4/2/2007 5:37:41 PM

Trivia returns to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point this April in more ways than one. Not only does the annual 54-hour contest, conducted as a fundraiser for the campus radio station WWSP (89.9 FM), return for its 38th consecutive year April 20-22, but "Trivia Returns" is the theme of this year's contest.

Billed as "The World’s Largest Trivia Contest" by its organizers, the 54-hour event attracts nearly 500 teams -- ranging in size from one player to dozens of team members -- to the Stevens Point
area each spring.

Trivia Coordinator Jim Oliva told CBG that he'd based the theme on last summer's Superman Returns because, "The movie was much more true to the comic book, as opposed to the Christopher Reeve movies. It was a more comic-book presentation, and I was impressed by it."

This is the second time a comics-related property has been the theme of the event. In 2005, the theme was "Keep on Trivia," featuring the art of Robert Crumb. Oliva said he felt there should be more comics-related themes. "love writing the comics-related questions," he said. "People get nailed on them. They're corkers."

Trivia questions cover many areas of pop culture, with an emphasis on movies, TV, commercials, comics, music, and old-time radio. Oliva has been involved with the contest for 31 years and writing it for 29, the last 19 with co-writer John Eckendorf.

In addition to a comics-related theme and comics-related questions, Trivia merchandise is also available, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, coffee mugs, and other items bearing the Trivia logo. Many years, new items are added to the mix, ranging from shot glasses to golf balls. This year, Oliva said that, while he'd wanted to get Superman capes, he was unable to do so. "We'll have a couple of new things but not necessarily related to the theme," he added. "Nothing outrageous." Sales of the merchandise typically gross more than $30,000 for the station and are usually available only during the contest.

For players and those interested in merchandise but unable to get to Stevens Point during the event to pick up items, Oliva said that Trivia merchandise would be available through the official website at www.90fmtrivia.org. "I have a very capable individual handling the website and the merchandise," he added. A secure site to order merchandise will be available shortly before the contest begins.

Another new feature of the contest that Oliva said he is excited about is being able to register teams from outside the Stevens Point area. Traditionally, teams had to register at the campus radio station beginning the Monday before Trivia Weekend, but the new process will allow teams to play from outside the area and listen to the contest via an improved streaming audiocast. "UW-Stevens Point has upgraded its Web server," Oliva said, "and given us more capability. The new streaming audio is Windows-based rather than Real Player. We had 1,000 licenses for last year's contest and didn't max those out and we can serve more this year. Last year, we had six teams play from out of state as a test. UWSP graduates have said they miss the contest and, via the link on our website, this gives them an opportunity to play again. We’ ve also had interest from people who haven't played the contest before."

Some of that interest may have come from a chapter devoted to the contest in Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings’ book Brainiac. Oliva said he felt that Jennings' book "embraced the feel of what this community does during Trivia Weekend."

(In the interest of full disclosure, CBG Editor Brent Frankenhoff plays on one of the Top 10 teams each year, along with other members of the comics and games staff, including James Mishler, Ray Sidman, and Shawn Williams. You'll find a link to last year's coverage here.)