Extended use of Arrowhead Stadium vexes local business owners

Friday, December 5, 2008

The Kansas-Missouri football game will take place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for another four years — much to the disappointment of Lawrence business owners.

The game was first moved to Arrowhead before the 2007 season as part of a two-year deal. But last week they agreed to a four-year deal that will ensure that the Border Showdown stays in Kansas City, Mo., until at least 2012.

Photo by Jon Goering

The Jayhawks will play the Missouri Tigers at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., until at least 2012. Athletics department officials defend the decision, while local business owners argue that it detracts customers.

“It is an outstanding opportunity to showcase this great rivalry on a terrific national stage,” said Lew Perkins, athletics director. “In addition, it gives our players the experience of competing in one of the NFL’s premier stadiums — an experience they will never forget.”

But while Perkins and KU officials are happy with the move, some local business owners are not. The new agreement means would-be home games against the rival Tigers in 2009 and 2011 will not be in Lawrence, taking away gameday crowds and the boost they provide to the local economy in the process.

“It’s definitely disappointing,” said Brad Wilson, manager at Sports Dome, a sports apparel store on Massachusetts Street. “It hurts that they are choosing a different city for their financial reasons over promoting their own economy.”

Local businesses were outraged when the game was first moved away from Lawrence two years ago. Owners of the Red Lyon Tavern on Massachusetts Street organized a boycott of the game and gave discounted food and drink specials to patrons who brought unused game tickets into their establishment.

Reader poll

Where would you prefer the Jayhawk football team to play its home games against Missouri?

Memorial Stadium 73% 107 votes
Arrowhead Stadium 26% 38 votes

145 total votes.

“I think that money will be spent in Lawrence, whether it is before the game, after the game or on another day in Lawrence,” Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, told The Lawrence Journal-World at the time. “It is very premature to predict economic doom and gloom because of one game being moved out of Lawrence.”

Businesses had hoped that the agreement would end after this season and the game would return to Lawrence, but officials from the two schools worked out a four-year agreement that will keep the game from Lawrence until at least 2013. KU athletics officials, however, did promise that they will play a minimum of six games in Lawrence each season.

“We’d definitely rather have the game here and the 50,000 people here in town,” Wilson said. “Because of the traffic on Mass. and because we’re one of the largest sports retailers here in town — it definitely hurts.”

— — Edited by Kelsey Hayes

Move to Arrowhead affects more than fans

Although the fans and players have been affected, Sports Dome has seen ...

/news/2009/nov/17/move-arrowhead-affects-more-fans/

Minster: Arrowhead provides more seats, less soul

Change in venue hurts local businesses and loyal fans

/news/2007/nov/09/minster/

Businesses protest Kansas-Missouri game

Owners of the Red Lyon Tavern are encouraging people to stay home ...

/news/2007/oct/23/local_businesses_protest_kansasmissouri_game/

/photos/2008/dec/04/4140/

Leaving a lasting legacy

As Hemenway prepares to retire, he and others look back at how ...

/news/2009/may/04/leaving_legacy/

Businesses have many customers despite move of ...

With Saturday’s game being held in Kansas City, Mo., Lawrence business owners ...

/news/2007/nov/26/reaction/

Yankee Stadium to host Big 12 bowl ...

Stadium in the Bronx will host an annual college football bowl game.

/news/2009/oct/02/yankee-stadium/

Instant replay moves KJHK

/news/2005/aug/26/ir_sidebar/

Perkins nabs top spot in sports poll

Kansas athletic director beats Red Sox owner and Celtics general manager after ...

/news/2008/sep/18/perkins_nabs_top_spot_sports_poll/

Vosburgh: Perkins should be remembered fondly

As Perkins prepares to retire, he should be remembered for KU Athletics ...

/news/2010/aug/24/vosburgh-perkins-should-be-remembered-fondly/

2008 nonconference schedule takes shape

The 2008 Jayhawk schedule will feature competition more inline with the success ...

/news/2007/oct/23/2008_preseason_schedule_takes_shape/

Shroyer: Your Border Showdown schedule

The Athletics Department may have yanked the Missouri football game away from ...

/news/2007/nov/21/shroyer_your_border_showdown_schedule/

Athletics department considers economy

Changes are being put in place to raise money and help fans ...

/news/2009/sep/01/athletics_department_considers_economy/

Still no confirmation in athletics director search

Kansas and Tulsa officials have denied speculation Lawrence Cunningham will be named ...

/news/2010/dec/15/still-no-confirmation-athletics-director-search/

LSU football game could have helped hurricane ...

/news/2005/sep/09/view_pressbox/

Former KU runner involved in benefit 5K

Past cross-country member for university participates in “Head For the Cure.”

/news/2009/sep/10/former_runner_benefit_5k/

Hayes: Neutral territory true test of team

A win away from home would prove team’s record equivalent to its ...

/news/2007/nov/09/neutral_territory/

Jayhawk fans break attendance record

The Jayhawks success in their early nonconference games has caused a spike ...

/news/2007/oct/10/attendance/

Lawrence's landlord: a developer's story

Doug Compton, owner of First Management, has helped guide Lawrence's development for ...

/news/2011/may/05/lawrences-landlord/

Highberger re-elected to city commission

Schauner falls short in bid for re-election, while Bush and Maynard-Moody also ...

/news/2007/apr/04/results/

Perkins fined $4,000 by ethics commission

Lew Perkins was fined for accepting free exercise equipment and physical therapy ...

/news/2011/jan/25/perkins-fined-4000-ethics-commission/

/comments/cr/33/8865/#c4806

Looking at both sides of the scalp

The Athletics Department has begun to take legal action against ticket scalpers ...

/news/2008/jan/24/scalping/

Coach starts small to dream big

Coach Ritch Price reflects on his experiences throughout the years that led ...

/news/2008/apr/29/coach_starts_small_dream_big/

Gridiron Club expansion still on track

Despite Coach Mark Mangino's departure and the six-game losing streak, plans for ...

/news/2009/dec/03/gridiron-club/

Arrowhead’s neutral site changed tradition

Football's second-longest rivalry between Kansas and Missouri affected Kansas tradition.

/news/2007/nov/26/shroyer/

Border Showdown football game time changed

The game will be pushed back to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. ...

/news/2011/nov/08/border-showdown-football-game-time-changed/

'For sale' signs flood local businesses

Local businesses in Lawrence are closing up shop due to reduced income.

/news/2011/jan/23/sale-signs-flood-local-businesses/

Less football means less dollars for Lawrence ...

Thursday is the deadline for NFL owners and players to reach a ...

/news/2011/mar/07/less-football-means-less-dollars-lawrence-liquor-s/

Downtown Lawrence undergoes changes

Closings, new locations transform look and feel of Downtown Lawrence.

/news/2009/aug/17/downtown_lawrence_undergoes_changes/

Galloway: K-State's superiority a troubling trend

A Kansas win Saturday would make the K-State rivalry a bit more ...

/news/2011/oct/20/k-state-domination-has-end/

Degrees of success: athletes after college

College athletes' payment is their degree. But what if they never get ...

/news/2011/may/10/degrees-success/

Perkins to receive additional $750,000

Athletics director’s scheduled retention payment for six years of service was originally ...

/news/2009/apr/16/perkins_receive/

Tour of Lawrence a boom for downtown ...

Business owners say the annual bike race helps a normally slow holiday ...

/news/2010/jul/05/tour-lawrence-boon-downtown-businesses/

Breckunitch: How to be a KU fan

Help the Jayhawks get recognized as having best home-court advantage in the ...

/news/2009/jan/16/breckunitch/

New procedure should shorten tailgate wait at ...

Parking changes that separate Kansas and Missouri fans at the Nov. 29 ...

/news/2008/nov/21/arrowhead/

Editorial: Externships needed to help local schools

Kansas City, Mo., schools in trouble and KU students should help.

/news/2011/sep/28/editorial-externships-needed-help-local-schools/

Football ticket pickup changes for students

The KU Athletics Dept. set new rules for buying student tickets for ...

/news/2008/aug/26/ticket_pickup/

Football game against Kansas State moved to ...

The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Network at 6:30 p.m. ...

/news/2010/jun/01/kansas-state-game-moved-thursday-oct-14/

Commission candidates focus on student life

Candidates answer questions on issues affecting students’ lives downtown, on campus and ...

/news/2009/feb/16/commission_candidates/

Extended use of Arrowhead Stadium vexes local business owners

I think that from a populist point of view, this is a good move because it ensures that thousands more people will get to attend the games because Arrowhead Stadium is far larger than both Memorial Stadium and MU's stadium.

Extended use of Arrowhead Stadium vexes local business owners

A) Athletics is supporting its own economy because most of the season ticket sales are to people in the Kansas City metro area. Not many people from Lawrence buy tickets.

B) Are you really saying that unless we have a home football game against Missouri, you will have a hard time selling KU apparel in Lawrence?

Extended use of Arrowhead Stadium vexes local business owners

If Kansas wants to compete in all sports across the board like Lew Perkins says they do then they have to do everything they can to maximize revenue. More revenue leads to things like the Anderson Football Complex and the renovations at AFH. These things allow for KU to compete for recruits by offering the best facilities in the country. Last year Ohio State, Texas, and Florida all had athletic budgets in excess of $100 million dollars while Kansas was down around $60 million. If we want to compete with the big boys we have to have the money and Arrowhead provides more for the athletic department than having the game at home.