How Kansas Football Could Benefit from New Kansas City Chiefs Stadium

The Kansas City Chiefs made headlines on Monday as the team announced they would be leaving Missouri to build a new, state-of-the-art stadium near the Village West Entertainment District in Kansas City, Kansas.

The area is home to several existing sports facilities such as the Kansas Speedway, Sporting Park (home of Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City), and Legends Field (home of the Kansas City Monarchs of the American Association of Professional Baseball).

The new Chiefs stadium is expected to be built near the intersection of U.S. Interstate 70 and U.S. Interstate 435 in Wyandotte County in time for the 2031 NFL season – which would place the facility about a 30-minute drive from David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence.

The close proximity to the new Chiefs stadium could be very beneficial for the Kansas football program in the future in several ways.

Recruiting

Lawrence is a great college town but is limited in what it can offer in terms of entertainment options compared to places like Kansas City. Having an NFL stadium – one that is likely to be one of the nicest stadiums in the world – along with the current and future entertainment options surrounding the stadium could be a big draw for future recruits.

It may also entice players to come to Lawrence if the Jayhawks are able to come to an agreement with the Chiefs to play regularly or perhaps once a year inside the new stadium. Playing in that type of NFL venue could be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many KU football players.

Exposure

The move to Kansas could bring more visibility to all the local college football teams, and none would sit closer than KU. The Chiefs already use the University of Kansas Health System as their official healthcare provider, and this move could strengthen the partnership between the Chiefs and KU to bring more exposure to the university and the football program. That increased collaboration through shared resources, facilities, and potential mentoring from Chiefs players would be a big win for the Kansas program.

Big 12 Championship Site

The new Chiefs stadium is going to have a roof (whether it’s enclosed or retractable is still to be determined). That means Kansas City could be in position to host the Big 12 Football Championship game in the future, providing a unique opportunity for the Jayhawks to play in front of a friendly KU crowd if they’re able to reach the title game.