Backstreet Boys fans will go through a lot to get front row tickets.

To win a contest sponsored by WWST-FM (Star 93.1), which gave winners front row tickets to Sunday's Backstreet Boys concert and allowed them to photograph the show, Maryville High School sophomores Carol Esmark, Jessica Jones and Megan Keller convinced 93 people to write letters on their behalf (including their principal and teachers), made a video of testimonials on why the girls should win, and turned the outside of Esmark's home into a shrine to the band.

The girls covered the house with hundreds of Backstreet Boys posters and photos, decorated shrubs with toilet paper, created banners and staked 93 balloons in the yard.

The trio's efforts beat out nearly 100 other entrants in the "Backstreet on Your Street" competition.

"We couldn't believe that we'd won," said Carol sitting in her bedroom with her friends.

The trio found out Wednesday that they had won after a radio station representative had left the message at Maryville High School.

"We were screaming and everything," said Jessica.

"And our teacher told us to be quiet," added Megan.

Sunday night the 15-year-olds will be three in a crowd of 25,000 at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Tickets to the show, which were $38.50 apiece, sold out on Aug. 14 -- the first day they went on sale. Scalpers are now asking upwards of $200 for the best seats and $60 for the upper balcony.

Getting backstage passes (which the girls did not win) seems like a complete impossibility. The Dream Connection, which attempts to grant wishes for critically ill children, was turned down in its request to have two children meet the band.

The contest winners had already camped out all night to buy fourth row tickets before they heard about a contest to win front row seats.

In a music scene filled with "boy bands" -- vocal groups made up of good-looking young men specifically aimed at teenage girls -- the Backstreet Boys are kings. The Orlando-based group's most recent album, "Millennium," has sold more than 8 million copies and group's debut has sold more than 11 million copies. Worldwide the group has sold an estimated 40 million albums.

The group has even snagged some critical kudos -- unlike most of their "boy band" contemporaries.

"I've been an obsessed fan for over a year," said Carol, whose room is filled with posters of the Backstreet Boys, Prince William, Blink 182 and other images.

The same goes for Jessica and Megan. The trio have scoured Internet auctions to pick up European CDs and videos of the group that are not available in the United States. The three get together to watch the videos all night long. Jessica's 1998 Christmas present was a trip to Orlando to see the group's New Year's Eve performance.

To decorate Carol's home, the girls worked on banners and posters every day after school and then skipped school to spend from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. decorating.

Why?

"Because they're extremely hot," said Carol.

"And Nick's 19, heartbroken and vulnerable," said Megan, referring to Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. "He just broke up with his girlfriend."

"Teenage girls have the whole guy thing and the Backstreet Boys sing these romantic songs," said Carol.

"And, they're a good, clean band. They're not like Marilyn Manson or something," added Jessica.

Lois Esmark says that's part of the reason she didn't mind staying a shift with the girls when they camped out for tickets.

"Our parents are contributing to our obsession," said Carol.

"She let us do this to her house!" said Megan eyeing Carol's mother appreciatively.

On Sunday, the three plan on arriving at Thompson-Boling Arena six hours before the show.

They can't exactly explain why. There's just something about being there.

Official Backstreet Boys merchandise will go on sale at 2 p.m. at Thompson-Boling Arena.

Thompson-Boling officials suggest going to the venue early to compensate for the large crowd and road construction on Neyland Drive. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. Arena doors are expected to be open at 6 p.m.

The arena dining room will be open for parents who are not actually accompanying their children into the concert hall. Dinners will be available for sale. Thompson-Boling garage parking will be $3 and there will be a shuttle service from the UT Agriculture Campus. Parking at the Agriculture campus will be $4 and the round-trip shuttle will be $3 per person.

Wayne Bledsoe may be reached at 342-6444 or bledsoe@knews.com.