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Essentials Inside The Story

  • A bold new stadium vision is stirring backlash, as a former Chiefs cornerstone publicly calls out ownership for a move fans may never forgive
  • Shrinking capacity and a push toward luxury seating are raising uncomfortable questions about the upcoming new Chiefs era
  • With Super Bowl dreams in play, growing skepticism from insiders suggests Kansas City's grand plan may be facing a harsh reality check

Team owner Clark Hunt’s vision for a new domed palace for the Kansas City Chiefs will witness their move across state borders. And that already hit a nerve among some fans and former players who helped build the team’s legacy. Count former offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz on that list. Though he doesn’t mind the team moving, it’s the narrative that is being set by Hunt that offended him.

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“They can do whatever they want,” he wrote in a tweet. “But acting like this is in the best interest of the fans and then taking thousands of seats away from them and making more of the remaining into suites and high end seating is the last thing the fanbase wants or needs.”

His statement came after reports went viral that the new Chiefs Stadium in Wyandotte County, Kansas, will have about 65,000 seats. That’s 10,000 seats fewer than Arrowhead Stadium. But why did the lower seat count rub him the wrong way?

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In another tweet, Schwartz quoted Hunt to show that his words and actions didn’t align: “What makes Chiefs gamedays so special is you. Seats don’t make noise, concrete doesn’t intimidate opponents, parking lots don’t cook barbecue. You do,” Hunt had said earlier this week.

So, Schwartz’s point of view is simple. He feels it is counterproductive to reduce the number of seats if the team values its fans so much. But his frustration doesn’t end here. In the X thread, he left another note:

“I’m fine with owners doing whatever they want to do to make more money. That’s how they’re all wired regardless of how much they/their families are worth. I can hate that it’s always about money, but it’s reality. Just be honest. Don’t lie and try to placate the fans with platitudes.”

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What made Schwartz angry about Clark Hunt’s plans was that a reduction in seats meant there would likely be more luxury suites and premium clubs in the stadium. It’s not an affordable option for many members of the Chiefs Kingdom who want to enjoy the game in the stadium. However, he isn’t the only one who noticed this change.

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Even Chiefs superfan and analyst Nick Wright isn’t too happy about the move.

Kansas native gives reality check to Clark Hunt

Former Chiefs player Willie Roaf had earlier said that the new stadium is proposed to have a dome, which could make it easier for them to host important games like the Super Bowl and Final Fours. However, Wright had a different stance, which he shared on What’s Wright? With Nick Wright‘s December 23 episode.

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“The idea that because they build this stadium, Kansas City is going to get a bunch of Super Bowls is just not true. They will probably get one, and people will complain about the Super Bowl being in Kansas City,” the Kansas City native said.

The reason he gave was pretty basic. Kansas City is small in population, and hosting the Super Bowl there isn’t very exciting.

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He named other locations like Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Miami, and New Orleans as the favorite Super Bowl destinations. Owner Clark Hunt and President Mark Donovan had earlier said that they would be bidding hard for the Super Bowl and other such important games. But there’s another factor in the whole argument.

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Wright believes that football is a sport that is meant to be played in the elements of nature. And the new stadium will cancel that out. For instance, a couple of years ago, the Chiefs hosted the Dolphins in the coldest postseason game in league history. Kansas City absolutely dominated because they were far more comfortable in the cold.

With increased attention on reducing seats to make space for more luxury suites, will they try to increase more seats or keep it less than 70k? We’ll find out over the course of the next five years, as more detailed plans may come out.

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