There is a theoretical reality where the back-to-back Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs leave the state of Missouri. It may be a surprise to some people but the Chiefs do play in Missouri, not the state of Kansas.
But that could soon change depending on how the situation goes with proposals to upgrade Arrowhead Stadium. In April of this year, taxpayers in Jackson County, Missouri turned down a tax proposal that could have helped upgrade Arrowhead and build a new ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.
This set things in motion for the potential exit and on Friday, things got real. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed legislation that would allow the state to lure the two teams away from Missouri by helping them pay for new stadiums. Normally legislature like this can take some time to be pushed through, but the urgency with which it was dealt shows that the state means business in this action. This could be the jolt that Kansas needs to make this move happen.
If Missouri isn't careful, they could lose two professional teams. Officials for the state have said that discussions are still in the early stages for new stadiums, which could be a problem for their ability to keep them away from Kansas.
One arguing point is that the lease for the two stadiums doesn't expire until January 2031, so they feel that they have time on their side. There are those who feel that the two teams are using the two states to land the largest government help possible.
"The Chiefs and the Royals are pretty much using us," said Kansas state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from the Kansas City area who voted against the bill.
While this may be true, both teams would need to gain approval from their respective leagues before any move could be made. The supermajority of owners would need to approve any relocation and there are skeptics that a move would make financial sense. This simply could be a play to gain more support from the state of Missouri in the funding.
Both the Royals and Chiefs share the city name of Kansas City, giving thought to their playing in the state of Kansas. This potential move could be a way to rectify that fact but for now, it seems the two squads will be staying put. But the mere fact that talks have gotten this far for the governor to sign this bill into legislation shows that Kansas is serious about obtaining the two teams down the line.
