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Monday, January 22, 2007

‘Border War’ has new battlefield

Arrowhead deal a sore point for some merchants as game-day revenue lost

By Mark Fagan, Sophia Maines, Ryan Wood

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Reader poll

What do you think about the KU-MU football game being at Arrowhead Stadium the next two years?

  • I think it's a great idea 25% 684 votes
  • I couldn't disagree more 59% 1584 votes
  • Doesn't matter, I'll go anyway 7% 212 votes
  • Doesn't matter, I won't be going anyway 7% 202 votes

2682 total votes.

At the top of Naismith Hill, squeezing inside the aisles of Jayhawk T-shirts, fleece pullovers, football jerseys and hundreds of other crimson-and-blue products, Bill Muggy knows that for at least one weekend this fall, he'll be stuck with more of his merchandise than he can stomach.

Kansas University's home football game against Missouri is shifting from the field just down the hill to a 70,000-seat NFL stadium in Kansas City, Mo., some 53 miles down Interstate 70 - and taking $12,000 in Jayhawk Bookstore sales with it.

"They're desperate for dollars and not cognizant of the impact that the rivalries have on campus and in Lawrence," said Muggy, the store's owner, after KU athletics officials announced the venue change Monday afternoon in Kansas City, Mo. "They want businessmen to cough up a bunch of bucks to be part of business partnerships, and then they turn around and say, 'Once we've got your dollars, we don't want to give you any.'

"In this instance, they're just flat out moving the game into an area where the only place it really benefits is the dollars in the KU athletic department's coffers."

Such sentiments were making their way through front offices, behind beer taps and into commercial kitchens across Lawrence on Monday, as Kansas Athletics Inc. leaders gathered with their counterparts from the University of Missouri and others from the Kansas City Chiefs to confirm what had been talked about for months and speculated about for weeks.

The annual Border War football game against Missouri, originally set for Nov. 24 at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, instead will be played at Arrowhead Stadium. The 2008 game will be played at Arrowhead instead of Columbia, Mo.

The payoff: KU will be guaranteed to receive at least $1 million from the game in each of the next two years.

"And we think we can do much better than that, very candidly," said Carl Peterson, Chiefs general manager.

First OU, now MU

The move follows up on another KU "home" game played at Arrowhead. In 2005, the Jayhawks played the University of Oklahoma in Kansas City, Mo., losing the game but winning in the cash box.

KU officials figure they scored a $1.23 million profit from the OU game at Arrowhead, compared with a $719,000 profit generated by that season's Missouri visit to Lawrence.

Lavern Squier, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, said his 1,200-member organization had not put a price tag on the potential for lost sales, exposure and other aspects tied to the change. But chamber officials, in the past, have regarded home football games as "million-dollar weekends," in that fans fill hotel rooms, crowd restaurants and spend money that they otherwise wouldn't when the Jayhawks are on the road.

Lew Perkins, KU's athletic director, said Monday that his department had done all it could to ease the financial pain for Lawrence businesses. KU already had added an extra home game for 2007.

Hope for understanding

KU-MU at Arrowhead

Fans on the street react to the news that the Kansas-Missouri football game will be held in Arrowhead Stadium this year.

"We're very sensitive to our merchants," Perkins said. "They've been very good to us. But we feel that having seven home games is showing them that we care.

"Hopefully they can understand."

Perry Martin, general manager of the Lawrence Holidome, barely had heard the news Monday afternoon when he disclosed his early interpretation.

"Ouch!" he said.

That was before he started running the numbers, and checking the reservation books to see whether he would need to cancel reservations for the MU football team and its traveling party. Martin figures the hotel will miss out on $50,000 to $60,000 in revenue.

"It's frustrating," he said.

But all is not lost for his employer, Hulsing Hotels. The company also owns the Holiday Inn just across the street from the parking lot at Arrowhead.

And Martin figures that Lawrence will make out OK in the end, given the schedule with seven remaining home games - all expected to be sellouts for the hotel.

"We have to remember: What's good for KU is ultimately going to help the community," said Martin, whose company is paying at least $20,000 a year for the rights to play host to Hawk Talk, Coach Mark Mangino's weekly radio show. "It's just one of those things. You don't get mad. You just move on."

Beer, barbecue

Doug Holiday, co-owner of Bigg's BBQ, 2429 Iowa, conceded that moving the game to Kansas City would cost him "big time" money. But it also opens a new opportunity.

He's already looking into renting buses to carry fans to the games, leading a "Bigg's Caravan" equipped with barbecue, beers and plenty of KU spirit - all for a price.

"I've got to make money," he said. "If that's the way they have to make their money, it's OK. Let's just make the best of it."

John Charnes, professor in KU's School of Business, said he thought the move would be good exposure for KU in the Kansas City area.

"I think it's a good thing to give Kansas City fans an opportunity to see the team over there," he said.

Casey Topol, a KU senior, is looking forward to seeing her team on a different field.

"It just seems so much more exciting - like it's a bigger deal," she said. "I'd love it if it were here, but it's got to be so much more exciting and thrilling at Arrowhead."

But Melissa Horen, a KU student and vice president of student government, said she didn't like the change.

"Some of the really good memories I've had of the last four years have been when we beat MU at home," she said, "and to celebrate after that."

And Tim Burgess, a KU student and avid Jayhawk football fan, shares some reservations with the announcement.

"KU has been great against Missouri at home in the last four years," he said. "We've had their number every time. We've killed them. I'd hate to see that momentum go away just because we want to play at Arrowhead."

- Staff writers Sophia Maines and Ryan Wood contributed to this story.

Border showdown

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Comments

vavs0929 (anonymous) says...

welp, at least they cant tear down THOSE goal posts..

January 22, 2007 at 10:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

admills (anonymous) says...

So let me get this straight... a coach with a horrendous (3-20something, I think) record on the road (not in Lawrence) actually WANTS to move a home game to an away game? Let's think... didn't KU football miss bowl elegibility by one game last year? Seems that Mangino would want every home game he can get...

January 22, 2007 at 11:15 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

Bone777 (anonymous) says...

Just another attempt to milk more money out of amateur athletics.

Billions and billions of dollars and they don't have to share with the players...

January 23, 2007 at 2 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

drock (anonymous) says...

Way to support the local community and students. This is THE most anticipated home game every other year, now it has been sold for $$. Gee Lew, why not sell the rights to naming Allen Fieldhouse, or send the KU v. MU basketball series to the Sprint Center. I am sure that's what you ultimately want. I mean more $$ and it can hold more executives (the people you want more than students). Shoot, this all sounds like a great idea. I am sure Michigan and Ohio State would love to play their home and home series at the old Soldier Field. Or maybe Notre Dame could just move all of its games to the closest NFL stadium to rake in more dough. Please, apparently KU is just a sellout for the almighty dollar. Way to go Lew.

January 23, 2007 at 8:50 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

motomom (anonymous) says...

impeach lew.

January 23, 2007 at 9:09 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jradds (anonymous) says...

I wonder if they would move the game if all the businesses in Lawrence who don't have season tickets bought them so that memorial was sold out... Heck when people come in to your store if they buy over x$ they get a free ticket. I am not happy the game has moved be casue it adds to my drive time and hassle BUT it would not have moved if the people who are complaining would force the game to stay here by buying season tickets...

January 23, 2007 at 9:29 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

just_another_ninja (anonymous) says...

I guess this way KU gets to save $$$ on another set of goal posts.

Let's just tear 'em down at Arrowhead instead.

While I'm happy for the experience this will deliver to the athletes (playing on a pro field), I truly feel that we simply win at home and lose when we're away.

For the sake of $$$, this move takes more away from the team than it gives back.

January 23, 2007 at 9:40 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

quicksilver (anonymous) says...

Shame, shame on the continued deattachment of the Kingdom of Kansas University from the Lawrence community and supporters. Does the leadership of this institution wish to move the campus to another location?

January 23, 2007 at 9:48 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

commonsense (anonymous) says...

As a KU alum and a supporter of KU sports, I think the non-conference schedule is horrible. I will not attend a game at Memorial this Fall. The fact that they are moving the Mizzou game makes it worse. I'd rather watch Notre Dame play Michigan or Florida vs Tennessee on television than pay to sit in a half empty stadium against Florida International. If KU were to schedule Basketball Schools (Arizona, Duke, N. Carolina, Kentucky) for their non-conference schedule, it would be better than the teams they have coming next year. If we win 2 of those games and half our conference games, we go 6-6 which is about the status quo. At least I would attend those games. Mangino and Perkins are starting to smell of K-State's Coach Snyder of the 90's. Horrible and embarassing!

January 23, 2007 at 10:23 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

commonsense (anonymous) says...

From the Maneater, MU's School Newspaper:

The home team will get the majority of the tickets, but Peterson said "we'd like to see the stadium divided 50/50."

Arrowhead has 79,101 seats, but the majority of tickets could go to Chiefs season ticket holders. The Chiefs have approximately 70,000 season ticket holders.

"The ticket holders will have priority over the general public," Peterson said.

I looked for blogs or comments about the move but couldn't find much. I'd really like to know how the Columbians feel...

January 23, 2007 at 10:31 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Esq2eB (anonymous) says...

Here is an idea...no one go and dont buy tickets. Don't let Arrowhead sell out and it will become a losing deal for the Chiefs and it will the last (or second to last) time this happens.
Of course this would require a coordionated effort, instead of whining in an on-line forum.

January 23, 2007 at 11:55 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

skipper (anonymous) says...

At least Lew has not shut down the football program like he did at wichita state. Lew is all about $$$$$ He does not care about Fans or Merchants unless He needs $$$$. It is our own fault for tolerating him. And what is Carl Peterson's interest in this game $$$$$

January 23, 2007 at 12:34 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

EvanstonReader (anonymous) says...

Let me get this straight, many of you complain about tax money and the inflated athletic budget, but when a sizable source of private funding is discovered you complain. I'm sorry if all you fairweather fans who don't bother showing up to the other games are going to have to leave the Banana-Republic of Lawrence to go to the game an hour away.

January 23, 2007 at 12:41 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

HoosierPride (anonymous) says...

This is a great idea. I can't wait to watch MU lose in Arrowhead.

January 23, 2007 at 3:14 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

frwent (anonymous) says...

The solution is simple. Don't go. Stay home, have your family Thanksgiving and watch it on t.v. Unthinkable, you say???? Well, the fact is, you can see the game better on TV. I went to a 1971 OU-Nebraska Thanksgiving Day game, but the seats were in the nosebleed end zone. People who stayed home and watched the game saw it a lot better than we did. Miss the atmosphere of the game. Have a party! Sling Lew Perkins up in effigy!. Let the greedy bastards find out what real fan power is when about 2,000 die hard suckers show up at Arrowhead. Think about it. It would be the very best reward for this jerk who has absolutely no regard for the game, the fans, the alumni or anyone or anything but $$$$$$$$$. Someone get it going, "Boycott Perkins-head Stadium"

January 23, 2007 at 4:44 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCat_67 (anonymous) says...

I figure if you can get a "Muck Fizzou", or "Our coach is phat!" shirt, why not a "Screw Lew". I think I saw where the guy that prints the earlier aformentioned shirts was catching flack from KU athletics anyway. I bet he'd go for it. It'd be really funny to see Allen Field house full of them on ESPN for a big Monday game. And, at least one or two local merchants could still make a little money off this whole thing. (not to mention, it's a little more realistic than thinking enough people will boycott the game in KC to make a difference.)

January 23, 2007 at 6:59 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

JayCat_67 (anonymous) says...

BTW, how 'bout naming a stretch of I-70 near Arrowhead "Fambrough Highway"? Just a thought.

January 23, 2007 at 7:05 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

killjoy (anonymous) says...

Jay_cat,

Let me know when the shirts are ready; I want one.

January 23, 2007 at 10:01 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fabio (anonymous) says...

admills-If our fans show up for the game then both of the games will be home games, not road games. Just like the Fort Worth Bowl in 05.

drock-If the Mizzou game is the most anticipated game at Memorial Stadium then why was the KU/KSU game in November the largest crowd in Memorial Stadium history?

commonsense-You have a great point about our non-conference schedule. Who wants to spend thier Saturday watching Florida International try to play football? You should think about retracting your comment about Snyder though. He is responsible for the greatest turnaround in the history of college football.

EvanstonReader-I will be at the game in Arrowhead and Im going to all the road games but Ive got better things tto do on gameday then watch 1-AA schools try to play KU. I dont think that makes me a fair weather fan.

January 23, 2007 at 11:16 p.m. ( | suggest removal )