There's a lot of made up media buzz around how this is a continuation of a "border war" that has been going on since before the American Civil War, and how for the first time in history the game has "significance" on the national college football scene (the significance of which is highly questionable in and of itself).
But for those of you looking for a clue as to who is going to win this weekend, let me give you a hint: The winner has already been decided.Oh sure, the score on the field is still to-be-determined. But in the real contest, the contest that matters, the winner was decided months ago when the two schools agreed to play the game in Kansas City, rather than Lawrence where it was originally scheduled.
You can't really blame KU. At the time I'm sure school officials figured the Jayhawks would lived down to everyone's expectations and the best hope for a bigger payday would be to sell out and move the game to Arrowhead Stadium.
This of course leaves the businesses of Lawrence out in the cold. Unfortunately for them, the huge potential payday that has resulted from the Jayhawks amazing failure to live down to expectations will go to Jackson County, Mo., rather than Douglas County, Kan.
Kansas City is raking in millions in taxes from ticket sales from the 78,000-plus sellout of the game at Arrowhead. And area businesses and hotels are taking in even more in revenue and sales tax.
The businesses of Lawrence can look forward to a huge drop in sales revenues as crowds of KU faithful head to KC for the game. Can you imagine the financial devastation that will hit Lawrence when hundreds of KU alumni take all the cash they've been hoarding from their McDonald's jobs and spend in KC?
On the biggest shopping weekend of the year no less?
So here's to Kansas City, Mo. No matter the final score of Saturday's game, KC is the real winner.*
*Of course, all of the additional tax revenue will go into the pockets of real estate developers, but that's another story.
tagged: Lawrence, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri, KU, football, Arrowhead Stadium
Let's not forget that KU and MU will both get millions in extra revenue just for moving a single game each to Arrowhead.
ReplyDeleteNCAA sports is totally based on money. Big time powerhouses such as Michigan, Notre Dame and Florida State have nothing but the best facilities for their players. Chartered jets...the works. When you're 18 and being wooed by 6 schools, the perks can make or break a decision. KU and MU need the extra money in their football programs in order to be able to compete with the titans of college football in the USA.
Don't forget KU doesn't have to go to Columbia next year.