The University of Kansas’ Jayhawks football team is in the process of renovating their stadium, but the process may force them to find a new home next season.
The Jayhawks’ $448 million renovation of the David Booth Memorial Stadium begins this month and is planned to be complete by 2025. The project promises a new seating bowl, a new video board, more room in the seating areas, additional food and beverage options, and three different club spaces. KU Director of Athletics Travis Goff said the stadium will provide a “profound experience and provide an impact that our student-athletes, fans, and broader community richly deserve.”
While the team was already planning to reduce capacity at the 47,000-seat stadium next year, they’re worried that hosting games would further delay construction. In an attempt to stay on-track, the Jayhawks may play at the Kansas City Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.
KU Chancellor Douglas Girod told Lawrence Journal-World that the school was in preliminary talks with the Chiefs regarding the use of their stadium. While it would be possible to move games to Arrowhead, there are some aspects to consider, including the hour-long distance to Arrowhead from KU, overall game attendance, and any conflicts with the Chiefs’ schedule.
At this time, the Jayhawks are slated to play home games on August 31 and September 14, 2024, though their full schedule has not been released yet. The NFL schedule will not be released until May.
Another point to consider is Arrowhead’s natural grass surface; adding more games could put a strain on the field.
