Each year when the temperature drops, the leaves begin to fall and the first bags of Halloween candy line the shelves at the local supermarket, football fans from coast to coast feel a sense of renewal knowing that a new season is upon us and a new reason for optimism has also arrived. Authentic football fans also know that Sundays in the fall are truly sacred and are to be revered unlike any other Sunday in the spring or summer. This especially applies to teams that have truly genuine and dedicated fans, such as the Kansas City Chiefs.
There are other teams of course, that have rabid and unwavering fans such as the Green Bay Packers and possibly the Cleveland Browns or maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers. But when it comes to the one stadium in the National Football League that most closely resembles a college game day atmosphere, it is unquestionably Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. There is really no way to describe a visit to the Harry S. Truman Sports Complex to a person who has yet to visit the Mecca of Professional football. From the aroma of the tailgaters busily barbecuing their pregame meals, to the concourses lined with enthusiastic and rambunctious supporters of the Chiefs and finally to the Sea of Red that engulfs you upon arriving at your designated seat to sing along with the National Anthem that concludes with the words “Home of the Chiefs”, Arrowhead is without a doubt an experience of biblical proportions!
This addiction to Sundays at Arrowhead was not always the case. From the mid-seventies to the late eighties, loyal fans would still attend the games and show their support, but a packed house could only be expected if the Raiders were in town or if the game had some national interest attached to it. What turned this around was of course, winning! When Marty Schottenheimer and Derrick Thomas arrived, they seemed to bring with them a throng of devotees to Arrowhead that have not yet left. And considering the brand of football being played by this current crop of Chiefs the past few years, these diehards shouldn’t be expected to exit the premises anytime soon.
Despite the fact that this season has started much slower than the faithful had expected, Sundays at Arrowhead will continue to be filled with excitement and spirited fans who expect to go home victorious!
To maintain this level of enthusiasm for the Chiefs, the city of Kansas City must do what is necessary and spend the money needed to renovate the stadium. This state of the art facility still looks as if it was built last year, and is still very pleasing to the eye, however the infrastructure is badly in need of repair. What exactly needs to be done to the stadium has been covered time and time again, and does not need to be discussed again here, however it is obvious that for the Chiefs to continue to be financially solvent and competitive, upgrades are mandatory in order to keep pace with the other teams in the league who have added not just renovations, but new stadiums entirely.
The love affair between the city of Kansas City and the Chiefs is rich in tradition and is not easily shaken, but the clock on the wall says it’s time to take the steps necessary to keep Arrowhead neck and neck with the other newer stadiums around the league.
Yes, the energy at Arrowhead in Autumn is honestly a mind boggling experience and one that needs to be preserved for future generations of Chiefs fans who also hope to someday secure their own season tickets to an event that creates memories for a lifetime each time the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium on those Sacred Sundays!
