Kansas City #7 - The Stadiums

[James Bond Agent 007]

After a bit of a break I'm finally getting around to the rest of my stadium pics.

These next photos were taken at Kauffman Stadium in May...

[James Bond Agent 007]

Tailgating is not just a football thing in Kansas City.







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[James Bond Agent 007]

This was, like, $15 or something.







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[James Bond Agent 007]

The fountains.







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[James Bond Agent 007]

Play ball!











And that's it!

[initiald]

Arrorhead stadium just seems a bit old and sad. I'm curious why the Chiefs weren't one of the teams trying to flee to LA or Las Vegas. Are there any new stadium plans?

[James Bond Agent 007]

A renovation of both stadiums was completed in 2009 and I think both teams signed a 20-year lease at that time. So they're both tied to their stadiums until then.

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

This was, like, $15 or something.

Feels a bit sad to me... Hell, they'll have no mercy on people, huh?

Don't wanna raise any kind of jealousy, but you may have noticed bastards have plenty of free food (and bad alcohol) by the business meeting rooms at the top of a stadium, above regular seats. It's called "loges" in French. Don't know how you guys call these things. I could witness some in Philadelphia, when somebody kind had invited me to such a private biz room. Sure it's expensive to lease these things. Their companies pay for it.

My host was gently laughing at me while I was a little astonished. No one (or very few) was actually watching the game. They all were talking business and drinking a bit too much in the meantime.
It was interesting and fun for me to see, but I certainly couldn't feel any sport spirit in there anyway. Then I'll admit I still can't understand baseball.

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
Got a pic of the entrance door to one of those in Arrowhead stadium. But of course I wasn't allowed inside.



As for the expensive food, needless to say it's needed to pay for the expensive player salaries. The payroll for the Royals this year is expected to be over $140 million. That's also why there aren't many cheap seats in the stadiums either. My ticket for the Chiefs game in Arrowhead stadium was over $100 for an upper level seat.

[mousquet]

^ Same unavoidable trend over here. Massive (foreign) investments in a couple of soccer teams and the rugby league, then tickets and every single related thing growing unaffordable to the most humble. They sell a random PSG jersey well over €100, which is funny.

I don't really know what to think about that. On one hand, I like it, as it obviously helps our teams become more notorious on the international stage. On the other, I find it pitiful when people like to go to the stadium to cheer their sport heroes. It makes no sense if they can no longer afford a regular ticket. I guess they should cheer their very local teams instead of bigger regional ones when they turn out unaffordable on a weekly basis.

The French have been reluctant about hilarious salaries in professional, top-level sports. But most of us can't fully grasp globalization yet, whether it would be better or harsh effects of it.

Moreover, and on another note, I'd love the Euro basketball scene to finally rival the NBA more seriously. That's where we need more money.

[sterlippo1]

Originally Posted by initiald

Arrorhead stadium just seems a bit old and sad. I'm curious why the Chiefs weren't one of the teams trying to flee to LA or Las Vegas. Are there any new stadium plans?

do you follow football?

both of these are among the oldest in their sports but both still look great

[James Bond Agent 007]

Two videos I've recently made have segments shown in these two stadiums.

First is a Royals game from July:

https://youtu.be/7fV0E2Lftao?t=16m47s

And then a Chiefs game in October:

https://youtu.be/SqhIJtAHueg?t=7m1s

[twan2001]

Originally Posted by initiald

Arrorhead stadium just seems a bit old and sad. I'm curious why the Chiefs weren't one of the teams trying to flee to LA or Las Vegas. Are there any new stadium plans?

Um, because it's considered one of the best stadiums in football and a favorite for opposing teams to play. They have one of the greatest home field advantages with the loudest crowd in football according to the Guinness book of world records.

With all that added to top 10 ticket sales in the NFL over the past few years make that a dumb question.

[xzmattzx]

Nice pictures. Am I correct that Kansas City and Philadelphia are the only places with Sports Complex neighborhoods like this?

[James Bond Agent 007]

^
Hmm, Cincinnati sort of does also. With the emphasis on the "sort of." Their two stadiums are (almost) next to each other, but aren't part of the same complex. Does that count? Same with Detroit, but in that case they *are* directly next to each other, but still not really the same "complex."

[xzmattzx]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

^
Hmm, Cincinnati sort of does also. With the emphasis on the "sort of." Their two stadiums are (almost) next to each other, but aren't part of the same complex. Does that count? Same with Detroit, but in that case they *are* directly next to each other, but still not really the same "complex."

I think the difference between Philadelphia & Kansas City, and Detroit and Cincinnati (and Pittsburgh), is the large expanse of parking lots surrounding the stadiums. It's a neighborhood of parking lots, mainly, with the stadiums and sports statues here and there.