Kansas City, Kan. — When Kansas revealed that it would play its nonconference home football games at Children’s Mercy Park during the 2024 season, head coach Lance Leipold got a message from a friend who had experienced one of the select few previous American football games played at the venue.
Mel Tjeerdsma, a former Northwest Missouri State head coach who was the school’s athletic director when it won Division II football championships at the converted soccer stadium in 2015 and 2016, provided some encouragement.
“When it was announced, he reached out,” Leipold said, “and talked about what a great experience it was for games here.”
Leipold got his first preview of what that experience could look like on Friday night, when the KU football team stopped by the stadium — which has a capacity of 18,467 for soccer, as its normal tenant is Sporting Kansas City — for an evening practice, less than four weeks before the Jayhawks’ season opener there against Lindenwood.
“I think our players are really excited about it,” he said at the start of Friday night’s practice. “I think it’s even better than what they anticipated.”
It was one of the Jayhawks’ best chances to simulate a game-night environment, thanks in part to the preparation of Director of Football Operations Michael Painter, who had visited the venue with Leipold earlier in the summer for a walkthrough, and prepared a plan for the practice.
“Michael’s got it broken down for us to when the sun’s going to set and what we’re going to do,” he said, “so we have an opportunity within the rhythm of our camp to try to get out here, get some balls caught after sunset, punts, kicks, you get a chance to see a little bit of the sight lines, tracking balls.”
The team also got some of its coaches up in the press box and worked on technology — “coach-to-player communication, using sideline tablets and things like that that we’re allowed to do.
“So even though it’s only practice four, it’s pretty important for us,” Leipold said.
In terms of the way the team might need to adapt to some of the venue’s unusual logistics, Leipold’s closest comparison was Chase Field, the home to baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks where KU played the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in December. In terms of the fans’ close proximity to the field, he drew a connection to the Oklahoma schools, where fans are “right on top of you” in a way they never were at the old David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
The renovations of that venue, of course, are why KU is playing Lindenwood at Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 29, UNLV there on Sept. 13 and then four conference games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
“We can’t make it a negative in any way, excuses and things like that,” Leipold said. “But I do think for these first two games and getting things started, I think it very much could be a positive. We just need people to show up and have a good time and help us create that home-field advantage.”
Kansas kicker Charlie Weinrich goes through practice at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Kansas kicker Charlie Weinrich goes through practice at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Kansas offensive linemen go through drills at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throws in practice at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Kansas backup quarterbacks take snaps in practice at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
The Kansas football team practices at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., on Friday, Aug. 2, 2024.
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World
Henry Greenstein/Journal-World