Is KC still a pro sports town? (Center: sales, buying)

[kcmo]

Just wondering.

The Chiefs are 3-0, have a brand new stadium and can't sell it out? The fans that do show up don't seem to get into the games like they did in the 90's.

The Royals also play in one of the country's finest ballparks and they are closing in on the very bottom in all of MLB for attendance. I know they suck, but I'm seeing 12-18k crowds on Friday and Saturday nights.

Sprint Center sits empty and the NHL or NBA are nowhere in sight.

All while everybody runs around town in college gear, the tbones have one of the highest average attendance in all of minor league baseball, beating most AAA teams and the Mavericks hockey also play to sold out crowds and are one of the highest in their league.

Even when the Royals show signs of life, the city just doesn't seem to respond like it used to and that has to effect momentum of the team. The same can be said for the Chiefs. I think crazy loud sold out stadiums had a tremendous effect on the Chiefs ability to compete and stay competitive in the 90's and early 00's.

Come on KC, you seem to have lost what it takes to be a pro sports town. Get out and support your teams!

[xanzzz]

KC is like every other city for the most part when it comes to pro teams. They have loyal fans but in hard economic times and periods with long losing teams attendance and buying of the apparel will drop. When the Chiefs win again and if the Royals win again you will see attendance and t-shirts sales increase.

If you were either at the Monday night game or even viewing it from TV you would have noticed the passion the fans had for the Chiefs that compares to any era. That has not been lost but people are not going to do it no matter what.

There only a small handful of pro sports teams that get unconditional support like the Packers or the Cubs. Most go through what KC is going through ups and downs based on how good/bad and how long they have been that way.

[kcmo]

Guess you are right. It's just frustrating because KC's sports teams have sucked now for so long and I just hope that when one of them does show signs of being competitive, the city responds quickly.

Growing up in KC, the Chiefs and Royals took turns being at the top of their league. They were even both doing well at the same time in 2003 I think.

Sometimes I wonder though. I hear a lot of people talk up the tbones and put down the royals. The tbones barely qualify as professional baseball while as bad as the Royals can be, they are still a major league baseball team that can compete with any other MLB team on a day to day basis, they just lose more than they win over the long term.

Maybe the Chiefs games were sold out. I saw 68k for both games. Does it only seat 68k now? It used to average 79k. And how many of those were bought to avoid a blackout?

[xanzzz]

I only have so much sympathy, I am a Detroit Lions fan.

But the ever increasing pricing of tickets along with big HD television sets also makes attendance numbers go down and slower to come up when the teams start doing well.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Guess you are right. It's just frustrating because KC's sports teams have sucked now for so long and I just hope that when one of them does show signs of being competitive, the city responds quickly.

Growing up in KC, the Chiefs and Royals took turns being at the top of their league. They were even both doing well at the same time in 2003 I think.

Sometimes I wonder though. I hear a lot of people talk up the tbones and put down the royals. The tbones barely qualify as professional baseball while as bad as the Royals can be, they are still a major league baseball team that can compete with any other MLB team on a day to day basis, they just lose more than they win over the long term.

Maybe the Chiefs games were sold out. I saw 68k for both games. Does it only seat 68k now? It used to average 79k. And how many of those were bought to avoid a blackout?

My family used to have Chiefs season tickets going back from the old stadium and 40 yd. line W. club level until three years ago. Simply stated, they have priced themselves out of the market when one combines multiple tickets plus parking. It is insane and with the highest prices in history combined with the worst economy in the teams history, it is a no-go. May as well just watch it at home/sports bar with friends or spend less money at a KU or MU game. If the players want fans in the stadium they may need to take a pay cut to help make tickets more affordable.

[northbound74]

People like a winner. Recently, it's been our college teams doing well.
I think if the Chiefs are still having success during the last half of this season, the fans will be completely back on board. I see much more enthusiam this year around town.
The Royals: after going through a fairly significant regime change with much fanfare, and still stinkin' it up... I don't know what to think about them anymore.
Some people are saying the farm system is getting stockpiled with talent, so we'll see.

I've never heard anyone say much of anything about the t-bones. It seems to me to be just another family oriented outing to do and they apparently know how to market themselves.
The Mavericks are the only hockey option around, so it's really no surprise they are popular.

Considering the economy and people aren't throwing money around like they used to, KC would be a borderline canidate for another big-league team that plays in the Sprint Center. We barely have the population to be a 3-team town. Okay, I know about the Wizards, but soccer just isn't there yet. Especially here. Maybe with that new stadium.

[brewcrew1000]

I like the T Bones games because of Dollar Hot Dogs and Cheap Beer but rarely watch the game, I did hear the T Bones are making tons of money though. Why don't they lower parking prices and lower food costs, wouldn't sales on the food and appral then go up?

[aragx6]

The excitement was palpable yesterday -- much more excitement than I've ever seen when it comes to sports in KC. If the Chiefs play well that excitement will definitely continue.

The Royals should offer more deals for their weekend games. They do plenty of offers for the week games, but the stadium is not centrally located. If it were downtown I'd have probably gone to a few dozen games -- not because I care so much about the Royals, but because I like baseball.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by lifelongMOgal

My family used to have Chiefs season tickets going back from the old stadium and 40 yd. line W. club level until three years ago. Simply stated, they have priced themselves out of the market when one combines multiple tickets plus parking. It is insane and with the highest prices in history combined with the worst economy in the teams history, it is a no-go. May as well just watch it at home/sports bar with friends or spend less money at a KU or MU game. If the players want fans in the stadium they may need to take a pay cut to help make tickets more affordable.

Parking is insane at Arrowhead. Few places have higher parking fees, even bigger, more expensive cities. And now there is not even decent bus service like they used to have. Just a few very expensive park and rides that use freaking school buses.

[brewcrew1000]

Well its 50 at the metrodome for vikings