The Royals Should Do the Right Thing With Their Stadium Situation (Unlike The Chiefs)

[Kevin O'Brien]

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images

On Monday, December 22nd, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their decision to leave Arrowhead Stadium and the Truman Sports Complex for the state of Kansas, with the hope of building a new stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, in the Legends area. 

The decision has sparked mixed reactions from Kansas City sports fans. On one hand, many are excited about the possibility of a new, state-of-the-art facility. An indoor stadium could not only help attract a future Super Bowl to the City of Fountains but also attract other events, such as the NCAA Final Four. Considering how big college basketball is in these parts (this is Jayhawk country, after all), a Final Four in Kansas would be enticing to this community. 

Conversely, many are unhappy with the decision.

For those unaware of the history in these parts, the rivalry between Kansas and Missouri goes far beyond sports. "Bleeding Kansas" and John Brown are the most significant events and figures of this "war" in the middle of the country, which has spanned over 150 years. Many Missouri denizens feel betrayed by the Hunt family, which built a legacy of tradition at Arrowhead Stadium that has stood since 1972. This feeling is further exacerbated by the fact that the Hunt Family and their sports group are worth $24.8 billion, and the Chiefs alone are worth $4.8 billion. And yet, it seems the state of Kansas is on the hook for most of the bill in the short and long term.

There's no question that sports owners and teams hold the upper hand in stadium decisions. Many cities have seen their beloved franchises ripped away, with the Athletics (MLB), the Raiders (NFL), the Rams (NFL), and the Coyotes (NHL) being the most recent examples. To keep a team from moving to another metro area, cities are forced to do what they can tax-wise to entice teams and owners to stay put.

The Chiefs did what was best for them, and it's a difficult pill to swallow. And yet, it's not the move itself that's frustrating, but the Chiefs' approach to their negotiations. 

I'm hoping the Royals can handle things differently. 

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Photo Credit: The Capital-Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK

The History of Baseball in Kansas City Should Be Considered

The Royals have essentially floated three sites as possibilities for a move: Washington Square Park in downtown Kansas City, North Kansas City in Clay County, and Leawood in Kansas. 

The Royals have seemed to position themselves to acquire land necessary to build a stadium in Leawood, around 119th and Nall, on the Aspiria campus. However, the Leawood and Johnson County communities and leaders have been pretty vocal in opposition to a new Royals stadium in the area. 

North Kansas City seemed like a favorite for a while, especially since it was less congested than downtown. However, news regarding the site across the river has been dead for quite a while, which makes it seem like the Royals have moved on from the possibility.

As for downtown, Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has reignited media talks, seemingly pushing for the Royals after the city and Jackson County lost the Chiefs in very public fashion last week. 

Even though Sherman and the Royals' ownership group have options, they need to make staying in Kansas City a priority, especially given the city's baseball history. 

The Chiefs predate the Royals in Kansas City's franchise history. The Chiefs moved from Dallas to Kansas City in 1963, while the Royals weren't established as a franchise until 1969. However, the Athletics were in Kansas City from 1955 to 1967, playing at Municipal Stadium, the legendary Kansas City baseball stadium located on the outskirts of the Jazz District in 18th and Vine. 

Speaking of Municipal Stadium, the ballpark not only hosted the Athletics, but the Kansas City Blues, a Minor League team, and the Kansas City Monarchs, a powerhouse of the Negro Leagues. The Monarchs were essentially the "Yankees" of the Negro Leagues. They won 12 titles between 1923 and 1957. Legendary players and managers suited up for the Monarchs at Municipal Stadium, including Ernie Banks, Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell, and Buck O'Neil. A seat at Kauffman Stadium is marked in honor of O'Neil, and a local community hero is honored in O'Neil's seat each game, where he used to scout before his passing in 2006.

Kansas City, Missouri, is rich with baseball history, and especially Negro League baseball history. The Negro League Baseball Museum is one of the city's most famous landmarks, located in the Jazz District on 18th and Vine. A popular pastime for visiting fans, especially those staying downtown, is to stop by the Museum and Arthur Bryant's BBQ or Gates BBQ, two legendary KC BBQ institutions, on the way to Kauffman. 

A stadium in Kansas would make that very difficult, especially since the museum is in the opposite direction from the proposed location. However, a downtown stadium would allow visiting fans to continue the tradition of visiting the museum, giving them the immersive Kansas City baseball history experience this city offers without having to travel all over the metro to do so. 

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Photo Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Royals Belong in Kansas City (And Jackson County)

Listen, I understand the Royals are going to do what's best for them financially. If the Royals get the kind of sweetheart deal that the Chiefs get from Kansas or North Kansas City, it's going to be difficult for them to turn down.

However, Sherman and his ownership group seem to be cut from a different cloth than Clark Hunt and the Hunt Sports Group. Sherman grew up in Ottawa, Kansas, not Dallas. He's a regular fixture at Royals games and is often seen outside the stadium after games, talking to fans. He talks a lot about his first date with his wife at Kauffman Stadium, and he's helped support GM JJ Picollo in building the Royals into a regular winner, despite being in one of baseball's smallest markets. 

Deep down, I think Sherman wants to keep the Royals in Kansas City. He wants to keep them in Jackson County and Missouri, much like Ewing Kauffman did before him. Now, Jackson County and the Missouri have to do their part and give them a reasonable deal. That may be easier to do with Frank White out of the picture. The former Jackson County Executive was voted out of office on September 30th. White was a primary opponent of the 2024 sales tax extension that would've guaranteed the Royals and Chiefs in Jackson County. 

 

Now, Sherman and the Royals still have work to do.

They need to pick a site in Kansas City and stick with it, keeping all factors in play. One reason their plan failed in the 2024 vote was its shoddy organization, which suddenly shifted from the East Village to the Crossroads with little notice.

The Royals should either pick the Washington Square Park site, which has been the most recent downtown location suggested, or go back to the drawing board in the East Village, which is closer to the Jazz District and Negro League Baseball Museum. Baseball stadiums can revitalize an area that may seem "undesirable." South of Market in San Francisco was a ghost town before Oracle Park arrived. The same could be said of the area where Petco Park is now in San Diego, as the stadium's presence has helped develop the "Gaslamp District" in downtown San Diego. 

Kansas City has made strides in developing the city over the past 20 years. The airport is one of the finest in the country, with the right balance of amenities and ease of access. The Streetcar has developed into a legitimate form of public transit. It has now extended to the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus and will extend to the Riverfront in April. CPKC Stadium is the crown jewel of women's stadiums, not just in the country but in the world. 

Sherman and the Royals have a chance to help Kansas City and Jackson County continue their much-needed growth. There's no reason Kansas City can't be another Denver, a big city with "smaller community" charm and feel. However, all the stadiums are located in the Denver city area. Fans do not need to rent a car to attend a Broncos, Nuggets, or Rockies game. Unfortunately, that is the case with the Chiefs right now. The Chiefs, like other NFL teams like the Cowboys and 49ers, keep the name of their city even though the stadium is not in the town itself.

The Royals could break that cycle predominantly utilized by NFL teams (though the Rangers and Braves are guilty of this, too). The Kansas City Royals should still be in Kansas City. If they can't continue at the Truman Sports Complex (which shouldn't be completely ruled out with the Chiefs moving), they need to be downtown, closer to the Negro League Baseball Museum and the old Municipal Stadium, the heart of baseball history in Kansas City. 

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[Lopsided]

I strongly agree with this article. The Royals need to remain in KC MO, not NKC, and not anywhere in Kansas.  I don't have anything against Kansas, except it isn't where the Royals belong.  I sure hope that Mr. Sherman does the right thing by leaving the KC Royals in Kansas City, Missouri. 

[Kevin O'Brien]

10 hours ago, Lopsided said:

I strongly agree with this article. The Royals need to remain in KC MO, not NKC, and not anywhere in Kansas.  I don't have anything against Kansas, except it isn't where the Royals belong.  I sure hope that Mr. Sherman does the right thing by leaving the KC Royals in Kansas City, Missouri. 

Thanks for reading. I also hope that Sherman does the right thing by realizing the franchise's importance to Kansas City, Missouri and keeps it in KCMO. Whether it's downtown or even staying in the Truman Sports Complex, the franchise and history of baseball in KC is tied to KCMO. The Chiefs had a history in Dallas before they moved to KC, so I'm not surprised that they initiated the move to Kansas. The Royals doing the same would be extremely disappointing.