3 potential destinations Chiefs should consider if franchise moves out of Kansas City
Jackson County voters have denied Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt an extension of the sales tax that would have funded renovations for Arrowhead Stadium.
With 58% of the voters choosing to deny the team more money to finance the upgrades, the vote also cancels the $266 million “Community Benefits Agreement” that the Chiefs, and the Kansas City Royals would give if the “yes” vote won.
After being barred from getting public money, there’s a chance that the franchise could move to another location. That scenario will end the team’s six-decade stay at the “City of Fountains” if the relocation pushes through.
However, if Hunt decides to move the team, there are only a handful of destinations they could go to. After all, NFL teams would like to protect their extended territories, and letting the Chiefs into their yard could be bad for their business.
Three destinations for the Chiefs should they relocate from Kansas City
While relocating the two-time defending Super Bowl champions to another country is possible, the market for American football isn’t sustainable. In their neighbors in the North, they will compete with hockey and Canadian football. Likewise, soccer dominates European countries, especially in Germany and England.
Therefore, the best relocation spot is still in the United States because that’s where most of their fan base exists. These areas are ready to welcome them if they explore a new home.
#1, Kansas State
They could consider relocating across state lines to Kansas. That way, they will remain close to their loyal supporters and continue to attract fans from Middle America.
If the team cannot build a new stadium in time, they could use either the University of Kansas’ David Booth Memorial Stadium in Lawrence (official capacity: 47,233) or the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium (official capacity: 50,000) in Manhattan.
#2, St. Louis, Missouri
The Chiefs could consider another nearby destination in St. Louis, about four hours away from Kansas City. St. Louis also yearns for an NFL team after the Rams left in 2015. Therefore, Hunt could take over that market while retaining their Kansas City fanbase.
Should they transfer to the “Gateway to the West,” they could potentially host games at The Dome at America’s Center, where the Rams played when they represented the city for 21 seasons.
#3, Oklahoma City
The University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium can accommodate up to 80,000 spectators and is five and a half hours away from Kansas City.
That’s more than enough to accommodate their fans every game. It’s a temporary setup until the Chiefs get their stadium.