Photo by Myron Mott
In Kansas City, Missouri, people voted on something important. They decided if they wanted to use money to fix up the football stadium and build a new baseball stadium downtown. But they said no.
The vote was a big surprise.
Now, nobody knows what will happen to the Chiefs and Royals. Their agreements to play at their current stadiums end in 2031 and 2030. What’s next? Well, that’s the million-dollar question. Other cities are peeking over the fence, wondering if they might woo these teams away. It’s like a game of musical chairs, but with whole sports teams.
Dallas Mayor Eric L. Johnson didn’t waste any time. He saw a chance and took it. Right after the vote, he hopped on Twitter, hinting that he’d love the Chiefs to move to Dallas. He told the Dallas News, “Dallas was named the top sports city in the United States because we play to win. As I have said previously, our market is big enough, growing enough, and loves football more than enough to support a second NFL team—especially a franchise (and an owner) with deep roots here.”
Johnson’s got a point. The Chiefs did start in Dallas as the Texans. They only moved to Kansas City after three seasons. Plus, the Hunt family, who owns the Chiefs, has big-time ties to Dallas. They struck it rich with oil and also own the soccer team FC Dallas.
Dallas is bursting at the seams. It’s one of the fastest-growing places in the country. They’re saying they’ve got room for more sports, more cheers, more everything.
If the Chiefs moved to Dallas, it’d be a huge shake-up, but not the biggest we’ve seen. Remember when the Rams went all the way to Los Angeles? Or the SuperSonics turning into the Thunder? Those teams traveled way farther than 500 miles.
But the Chiefs leaving Kansas City? That would be a shocker. They’ve been doing so well, and their fans are some of the loudest and proudest around. Imagine them having to cheer from half a state away. Yikes.
And what about Dallas, with its big cowboy hat and even bigger football love? Could it handle two NFL teams? Would the Chiefs and Cowboys get along like siblings, or would it be more like a showdown at high noon?