New Kansas City Chiefs Stadium Offers KU a Chance at Fan-Friendly Final Four

The last time the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four was played in Kansas City, the Kansas Jayhawks made history by cutting down the nets to give the program its second NCAA Championship.

After entering the 1988 NCAA Tournament as a No. 6 seed, the Jayhawks were able to put together an improbable run to the title game thanks to the heroic efforts of one of KU’s all-time greats Danny Manning. Led by head coach Larry Brown, that team is now affectionately known as “Danny and the Miracles” for their miraculous run.

History may now be in line to repeat itself thanks to the new stadium being built in Kansas by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The new, state-of-the-art stadium is expected to open in Kansas City, Kansas, ahead of the 2031 NFL season. However, the new structure is being designed to accommodate more than just professional football.

Unlike the current Arrowhead Stadium, the new home of the Chiefs will include a domed roof (whether it will be retractable or not is still to be determined). That offers the potential for Kansas City to host a Super Bowl, Big 12 Tournaments, the Big 12 Football Championship, and more indoor sporting events in the coming years – including the Final Four.

What it means for KU

Kansas City has shown how well it supports college basketball through years of hosting the Big 12 Tournament at the T-Mobile Center (formerly the Sprint Center), so it’s a pretty safe bet that the new Arrowhead Stadium will be chosen as a Final Four site in the not-so-distant future.

For KU to have the chance to play in the Final Four in their own backyard for the first time in more than 40 years would be a big opportunity.

If Kansas City were to be chosen and the Jayhawks were to reach the Final Four that year, KU fans would likely outnumber any fanbase of any opponent they would face, giving the team a homecourt advantage in their quest for a national championship.

It could also bring college basketball fans from other areas to Lawrence where they could visit Allen Fieldhouse and the DeBruce Center where the Original Rules of Basketball are on display.

Kansas City’s history as Final Four host

Although Kansas City hasn’t hosted a Final Four in men’s basketball in nearly 40 years, it remains the record-holder for hosting the most Final Fours (10), followed closely by Indianapolis (8) and New York City (7).

Kansas City first hosted the Final Four in 1940 inside Municipal Auditorium and did so each year through 1942 and then again from 1953 to 1955. The city hosted the event again in 1957, 1961, 1964.

All but one of the 10 Final Fours took place in Municipal Auditorium, except for the 1988 Final Four which took place in Kemper Arena (now Hy-Vee Arena) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Legendary Kansas head coach Phog Allen played a critical role in bringing the Final Four to Kansas City.

He convinced the NCAA to bring the tournament to the area for the 1940 NCAA Tournament where it was a huge success, solidifying its future and Kansas City’s place as a future host.

KU has played in three of the 10 Final Fours in Kansas City, reaching the national championship game each time. The Jayhawks finished runner-up to Indiana in 1940, lost in triple-overtime to North Carolina in 1957 despite a sensational performance by Wilt Chamberlain, and won it all with Danny and the Miracles in 1988.