In the midst of rebuilding the David Booth Memorial stadium, the University of Kansas Football moved home matches of the 2024-2025 season to Kansas City. The team’s home-field advantage will now be playing at the Kansas City Chiefs Arrowhead stadium and Sporting KC’s Children’s Mercy Park.

On Jan. 30, KU announced the big headline that they will move home games to Kansas City. While this move to the big city is impactful for the team, there could potentially be more consequences closer to home. While this change is only temporary, local Jayhawk fans and businesses are likely to be impacted due to this move.

BUSINESS OBSTACLES

Along with concerns from KU fans, many local businesses who count on the influx of customers from the KU games anticipate being negatively impacted next year. Along with other local businesses, both Black Stag Brewery and Uplift Coffee anticipate a profit loss due to the loss of local traffic brought by games.

Trey Huslig, Uplift’s operations manager, says that Uplift will lose 200-300 customers per game. According to an interview from KCTV5, Black Stag Brewery anticipates up to 10,000 dollars worth of loss for every game KU will play in Kansas City.

“Hopefully we don’t see an impact at all, but we are more excited for when games come back in Lawrence,” Huslig said.

The lack of KU games will also have an impact on smaller family-run businesses. Many locals who live around the stadium will sell parking for the football games bringing money into Lawrence, and supporting their family. Senior Molly Flynn said that her family sells parking for KU football games and next season, they will lose the opportunity to make money off of parking cars.

Free State business teacher Kimberly Hawks said that the transition could have a negative impact on the Lawrence economy since local businesses may lose profits.

“In Lawrence, we are just kind of known for having a lot of eating choices and bar choices. Many of them are small businesses, single or double locations,” Hawks said. “Their margin of profit is very slim, so losing the traffic that they automatically get during any athletic season is going to hit their bottom line. They are going to suffer.”

STUDENT CONCERNS

While there are certainly negative impacts to KU playing its games in Kansas City next year, Jayhawk fans are universally excited about the much-needed renovations.

Senior Jackson Lickert, who is an incoming freshman at the University of Kansas, is excited by the renovations that are happening right now for the stadium.

“It’s a needed expansion on the seating. We’re getting better and better every year. More fans means more seating and it’s just really exciting,” Lickert said.

One of the rising concerns for fans is whether or not students will be able to watch football games in person due to the commute they have to make. With fewer students attending the games, KU football may not have the usual home-field support. According to a poll sent out by @FSJournalism Instagram account, 46% of Free State students said they will not be attending the games in Kansas city, possibly due to the time-consuming commute.

“It is pretty disappointing to know that I’ll have to make my way out there to the game,” Lickert said. “But at the same time, I know [the renovation] is needed because we’re getting better and Jayhawks are on the come up.“

FROM A PLAYER’S EYE

University of Kansas football commit, Senior Wesley Edison, is not worried by a change in home crowd energy despite the drive fans have to make.

“KU might have the best fan base out of any college school in the country. So I’m sure that won’t be a problem. I’m sure that they’ll figure it out,” Edison said. “I’m sure it will still be alive and still have a great atmosphere and energy.”

According to Edison, one of the many reasons why he committed to the university was largely due to the renovations that were happening to its facilities. But next year, one thing that he will miss about the David Booth Memorial stadium is the conventional college football experience.

“I’ll miss the traditional College Game day feeling mostly more than anything but other than that, I’m sure the energy and atmosphere will still be there,” Edison said.

KU football will play their first pre-season home game in Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 29 against Lindenwood University.