Why Tailgate-Loving Chiefs Fans Shouldn’t Fear Stadium Announcement

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the context of the rest of the NFL, comedian Kathleen Madigan explains Eastern Kansas perfectly.

“State pride, like in Texas, woo,” she says in her routine called The Family Thread. “California? ‘I’m never leaving. I love it.’ Us people in the Midwest? ‘Oh, how do you like where you live?’ We're like, ‘Well … you know, it's fine. Yeah, it's fine. … That's just where we stopped, pretty much. That's where we stopped.

“And I feel like the Midwest, like my friends in California or wherever, they don't get it. They're like, ‘You guys don't have beaches or oceans or nothing. I mean, really, what do you have?’ I'm like … ‘Parking! We have a sh-- ton of parking.’”

Exactly what Chiefs fans want

That’s actually exactly what Chiefs fans want in their team’s new stadium, tons of parking for tons of tailgating. Fans’ biggest fear related to the Chiefs leaving Missouri for a new domed stadium in Kansas is losing the tailgating haven they enjoy at Arrowhead Stadium.

Chiefs president Mark Donovan said the team has heard its fans loud and clear, that tailgating and replicating the world-famous Arrowhead Stadium noise are top priorities for fans.

“Yeah, I think a lot of the feedback that we got from the February meeting,” Donovan said Oct. 6, “where we had when we first laid it out, then we did the CSL study, and I think that really informed us as to what are the places we should be emphasizing, what are the places that really matter to our fans?

“And as much as we all have opinions, fan engagement, fan experience, is what drives us. So that was really powerful for us. We weren't surprised by any of it, but it was interesting to see the focus. So, think of it from the standpoint of enhancing the fan experience outside the stadium, mainly through better tailgating and different tailgating options. Celebrate what we're really good at, but make it better and accessible, things like that.”

Unintended consequences

Fans hope that by trying to create better tailgating options, the Chiefs don’t fix what isn’t broken. It’s a delicate balance because pride in the Chiefs is synonymous with pride in tailgating, something fans have perfected over the last 55 years.

Lamar Hunt’s franchise woke up Monday on the verge of selecting its third home state in 65 years. Born in Texas as the Dallas Texans in 1960, the franchise moved to Missouri and rebranded as the Chiefs in 1963. Now the NFL’s third-oldest facility, Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972.

mahomes, kelc — Jan 28, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates with the Lamar Hunt trophy next to Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (R) after the Chiefs' game against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship football game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

But the reason the Chiefs are likely to select Kansas as their new home on Monday is revenue opportunities. Not only are state lawmakers meeting in Topeka to finalize financing plans that would pay for up to 70 percent of construction, the area around the stadium would be prime for hotels, shopping and entertainment centers.

The move to Kansas is also expected to place the metro area firmly in the rotation for future Super Bowls and Final Fours, as well as conference championship football games.

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