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Kauffman Stadium
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
23 reviews for Kauffman Stadium
Pros: Old school stadium with some nice new additions, the fountains are beautiful
Cons: Nothing good around the stadium, no more local eateries inside, emphasis the past too much
I've gone to many Royals games at the K and always have a fantastic time. Tickets are dirt cheap since the Royals aren't very good and being only a 3 and a half hour drive from Omaha when I lived there, it wasn't a bad way to spend a weekend in the "big city."
I went to a game over the summer when I made a trip home. I love the new additions of the stadium. The scoreboard is huge and the new seats and all are very nice. The classic fountains remain and add a touch of character and uphold K.C.'s trademark as "the city of fountains." We had a great view of the field, but that was also unfortunately due to the low attendance at the game. It bugs me how they market their past so much. I know how great the George Brett days were and how you won a World Series and sold out the stadium night after night, but let's focus on the present and future. There are some good players on the current team and the potential for greatness is enormous if K.C. can manage the team correctly. That, unfortunately, is a big "if".
The other two slightly annoying factors are the food and location. The food used to be fantastic. It was local eateries and it tasted wonderfully. Now it's Aramark, which is terrible food. No more Gates BBQ or Farmland hot dogs, which is quite disappointing. Also, there is absolutely nothing close to the stadium. No bars, no restaurants, nothing. I always enjoy going to a game and then getting a post-game beer close by. You can't do that here without driving a good distance.
Nonetheless, Kauffman Stadium has that old school stadium vibe only a few places have anymore like Los Angeles and Chicago (Wrigley Field). It's not manufactured like Baltimore or too corporate like many others. It's a cheap, fun place to catch a game and spend a summer's night.
I love everything about the new stadium except: THE FOOD! They lose one whole star for the food.
They took every single local food establishment out of the K... No more Gates, now they have their disgusting Aramark brand BBQ... the food is appalling. We used to always buy hot dogs or something at the game, but now we bring our own food. My husband was appalled at how bad his hot dog was. How do you make a bad hot dog?
I ate nachos the first time I went (and I am not talking ball park nachos, I went to the "Mexican" place to get the good kind) and it made me sick for about 3 days.
Bring your own food in!!!
This place is awesome! It might be one of the oldest baseball stadiums in the league but its great. This is how baseball should be played. Outdoors in the sunshine!
I showed up about 15 min before the game and I had no problem getting in. No traffic at all. Parking was a bit steep at $10 but thats normal for parking at a baseball stadium so I wasn't too surprised.
I definitely made that money back by only paying $5 for my ticket. Granted the seat was at the top of the stadium behind the first base side but site lines were definitely something the architect had in mind when building this place.
The billboard inside the Crown at the back of the stadium is really high tech and gives the place an air of modernity. I'm also glad they decided to put bleacher seats back near the fountains. Nice touch.
The food is excellent too. I got a burnt ends sandwich and a hot dog and the both were tasty. The burnet ends sandwich smelled so good that three different people asked me where I got it. That's got to be a good sign.
I left early because I'm an Oakland A's fan and the Royals were getting killed but the exit out of the stadium was fast and I was on the highway in under three minutes.
Coming from Boston to see the Red Sox play the Royals here was a real nice experience. I think Kauffman is a great place to see a game. We were in section 252 right under the Bud Light party deck. The area behind the waterfall is full of places to eat and drink. We got service up on the party deck as well. I can see buying the cheapest seat in the place, coming early and setting myself up with a decent bar stool on the party deck. Excellent viewing and you get waited on as well! I liked Kauffman and will definitely go back when in KC again.
I've never been to a baseball game half an hour before the game with NO TRAFFIC! On the way out, 3 minutes of traffic? It's right off the highway and has LOTS of parking. Did I mention less than $10 for parking?
So, we bought a 4 pack for the Royals game for $60 which included $40 worth of food. I've heard you can bring in food, but the $60 deal sounded like a steal.
We got decent seats and were able to move up closer to the field as the stadium wasn't close to full. It's a beautiful stadium with great views. I LOVE the new HD Jumbotron tv they have that you can view from nearly everywhere in the park. The "waterfalls" are a nice touch as well.
Food lines. Eh, what lines? Many choices and NO LINES. Don't forget to use up all your "food" money before the game ends (they close just as it does). The food. I have to agree with Rahel. It does look like Aramark brand stuff. Not impressed. The burnt ends weren't bad, but they were mixed beef and pork (I prefer only beef). I didn't leave the park hungry. We had to work hard to use up the $40 worth of food.
Also, it's surprising that there is little buildup of local restaurants/retail/etc near the park. You'd think having that many home games between baseball and football would be a draw.
I'll be baaaaaaaaack. Reminds me of how LAME Fenway is. Historic yes. Modern? No. I'm all for Modern.
Rated by ESPN has having one of the top 10 ball park hot dogs in the nation... and a price to boot!
My suggestions: dollar night, college night, fireworks night. Gates BBQ, chili-cheese fries, a hot dog, and ice cream sundae in a mini-plastic royals helmet.
Royals really do have a great stadium. Only downside is that the surrounding area isn't so great. You're not going to go walk around the surrounding area after the game.... but you know what? Most stadiums that do have surrounding bars/restaurants the area is usually sketchy unless it's before or after a game. The K isn't far from much. Doesn't take that long to get to from almost anywhere in KC. I wouldn't mind a downtown stadium, but in my opinion, it's a "why bother?"
I almost take a point away because Gates BBQ no longer does the catering in the boxes. That blows. The food in those things are just now MEH, and I think that sucks. A lot of people in those boxes are visiting on business and what kind of food do we show them? Shitty generic catered BBQ brisket. Not impressive.
Other notes: Center screen does ROCK. You can get Planet sub in the stadium. They're moving the George Brett statue out to center field....sweet. There's a fun zone for kids that's pretty cool.
I'm not much of a baseball fan. So for me, it's always been about the experience of attending games - the crowd, friends, and the stadium.
My first experience with Kauffman was a great time. No, I'm not a Royals fan and probably don't plan to be. But here's the thing. Kansas Citians love their Royals and that makes for a great time while having some brewskies.
As most already know, the center-field screen is a monstrosity of awesomeness. It simply cements the idea that "bigger is always better." If you get past that, you'll really find that Kauffman is a well-taken care of arena with gorgeous grass and majestic fountains. Now I could tear this thing apart by pointing out the obvious lack of natural landscape and ridiculous drive away from the city. With the distance, everyone drives, meaning "traffic hell" both in and out of the stadium. We just happened to park in one of the lots that felt miles away from the stadium. I did not enjoy that trek across hot pavement. Food choice was slim and as always, expensive. Now remember, I'm not mentioning this stuff.
But still, the fans are so jacked and willing to strike up camaraderie with anyone that's is hard to not have a good time.
THE K!
Growing up in Kansas City, I've had more than my fair share of Summer visits to Kauffman.
Yes, the drive out to Bumblefuck, KC is a little annoying but it's really not *that* bad (even with horrible Summer construction on I-70...just plan for it and leave a little early).
I'm excited to see the stadium when all the renovations are complete. I can't wait for the Gigantatron Humango LCD screen to have the famous crown set back atop it's head--currently the crown is laying in broken up parts behind right field and it looks like a bunch of puzzle pieces. The fountains are always a pretty touch as well.
Buck Night is always a great deal, and compared to other stadiums I've been to (Busch, Angel, Metrodome in MN) prices for drinks and snacks isn't all that bad (but you're at an MLB game, so who expects cheap anything?)...And although the Royals suck-diddly-uck and have for a while now, this means lots of inbetween innings entertainment. Who doesn't want to catch a shirt--or a hot dog!--that Slugerrr blasts out of a big rocket gun?! If you do catch a KC win, your ticket is good around the Metro area at a ton of places for little discounts and freebies.
I'll always be a loyals Royals fan and would totally recommend the game experience there. A beautiful park, and try to catch a fireworks display after a game as well. BOYS IN BLUE, WOO!
I love Kauffman first and foremost because it holds my home team, the Royals. BUT, I also love Kauffman because it helped me love baseball. Because I'm not a huge football fan, I was a little skeptical of going to a baseball game. I didn't know if I would be bored, like I was during football games (I like watching them on TV, but in person...it just takes so...long). I had been to a Cardinals game before in St. Louis and really liked it, but had never been to a Royals game before this summer.
One thing I really like about Kauffman is the fact that they have really fun events and giveaways. Almost every week, there is something sweet to get as you pass through the front gate, whether it be a free bobblehead of one of the players, a t-shirt, or something for the kiddies. They also have awesome deal nights, like college night, which offers really cheap tickets for anyone with a college ID., fireworks Fridays, where there is an awesome fireworks show after the game, and the best of all, dollar night, where hot dogs, sodas, popcorn, and peanuts are all $1, instead of $3-4 like they usually are. It's glorious.
A few friends and I went to the ''Ladies Night" where they had a bunch of tents set up on in one of the parking lots where you could get food, drinks, and free stuff. It was pretty cool, except it was blazing hot outside and most everything was picked over by the time we got there. But we DID get our free pink Royals rinestone-studded hat at the gate, which is really what drove us to go. Totally worth it. :)
They also offer 'all you can eat seats' where you pay a flat rate, get a wristband, and eat/drink all the soda, nachos, hot dogs, and popcorn you want. Guys are all about it, but I know that any red-blooded American is capable of eating their weight when it comes to buffet or 'all you can eat' deals. That's just the American Way.
Since the Royals aren't the greatest team in the country, seats are really reasonable (about $35 for 10th row dugout seats or $15 about for nosebleeds) and almost no matter where you sit in the stadium, you have a good view. They also have one of the largest stat screens in the country, which makes it easy to see everything. Kauffman is going over some renovations now, and I'm sure it will be better than ever come next start of baseball season. I know I'm excited to see the new improvements!!
I REALLY loved this Stadium!
I'm not a huge sports fan, but I do enjoy going and watching a game- especially baseball!
This stadium is gorgeous, waterfalls and fountains line the back-where the huge screen spits out sports stats on the players over luscious, green grass. There is a bit of construction going on, but hey it's just gonna get better, right? I also enjoy the homeier, smaller vibe and feel Kauffman Stadium gives off.
Hotdogs, margaritas, loud-drum-clapper things, and even a planet sub all within the stadium walls.
Come early and tailgate, it is the only way to enjoy a day at the ballpark! :D
My first visit to the "K" and what I will say is that on the outside it may look like any other old concrete and steel stadium of the 70's, but with the voters approval and a few trips to Home Depot, Kauffman Stadium will become one of more beautiful stadiums for more than just the water fountains in the outfield.
Yes it's under renovation over the next year and Kansas City should be proud of what is about to happen here. The ballpark staff is very friendly and helpful. There is a wide variety of food available here also. Other highlights are the Royals Hall of Fame and the display of the 1985 World Series trophy.
The novelty shops are on the small side but that too will change once the renovations are complete. It's too bad more people dont enjoy the atmosphere of Kauffman Stadium as well as the talents of their ballclub.
If you're a first timer to Kauffman Stadium, go to section 103 and get a certificate of recongnition of your first visit. Just one of the small touches that are done by the staff here. I'm now a fan of Kauffman Stadium.
Went to K.C. for a weekend with some friends and we attended a Royals game. They beat the Blue Jays in a snoozefest. Allow me to go over the pluses and minuses.
Positives
- The waterfall and the fireworks with the homerun and victory.
- The largest centerfield screen I've ever seen. Beautiful
- They shoot hot dogs out of some cannon thing at the upper deck as a giveaway.
Negatives
- Yes it's near Arrowhead, but it's still in the middle of nowhere and aways from KC. I realize that no one lives in KC, but it would have been cool with all that unused land to build it closer to the city
- It's an ugly park, with a lot of poured concrete. A lot.
- Unlike Pittsburgh where you look out on the river, here you look past center field at the interstate. Seriously.
- The parking lot is mammoth and it's slow getting out of there because as evidenced by the first point everybody drives.
There is an expansion coming apparently which will change some of this, but not the larger complaints I have. I'm also bummed I didn't snag an airborne meat product.
This is one of the most beautiful stadiums in the Major Leagues.
I love the waterfalls in the outfield.
I also love their videoboard. WOW!!! That one is unbelieavable.
They are currently renovating Kauffman (Named after the original Royals Owner who recently died) and Arrowhead stadium. Both will be done after 2010.
Cant' wait.
Saw my SF Giants lose though. Whatever. They are still my team!!!
Built in 1973 this is still one of the nicer ball parks in the U.S. to this day. I've spent countless times here paying the cheap general admission and sitting almost wherever I wanted to, and watching my beloved Royals get destroyed by another horrible teams 5th starter. Good times.
I've seen them a few times at U.S. Cellular here in Chicago, and although "The K" is not as new, I still have to say this is the best ball park next to Wrigley.
Why Five Stars?
Becuase it's MY ballpark! Let's Go Royals!!
Gotta love this place. Even though it's as old as Al Davis on crack, this place still has a beautiful facade. Considering that 90% of the stadiums built in this era have ever been imploded or are no longer in use, you can tell these boys did it righ the first time. The stadium is undergoing renovations (as you might have read already!) but the new changes are already taking shape. the new "Crown Vision" scoreboard at one point was the largest HD screen in the world. Now I beleive it is the largest in North America (For now, I think the new Coyboy's stadium is going to have a bigger one, not yet sure). The stadium starting April 2009 will also be enclosed so you will be able to walk 360 degrees around the entire park.
The food here is also surprisingly tasty and reasonable in price. One of my friend's favorite thigns here is the fact you can get Gates BBQ. He was absolutely floored that you could wolf down a Beef On Bun while watching a MLB game.
The new Kauffman is awesome. The kiddie section behind the outfield is really neat and would be a blast if you are young or drunk. The concourses are way wide, so you don't have to weave through the concessions lines to get to your seat or the bathroom. They have more concessions, the ones we had were better than in the past, and more beer choices. Although a pint of Guinness or Smiwthicks runs you $8, and a similar draw in bud/miller runs you $6. We sat on the third base side but next time I'd like to try the outfield. I think those seats looked like a blast, right in front of the fountains. I think they have the cheap tickets on Sundays again this season, so go try it out. Plus as bad as the central is this year, they have a legit chance to be in contention.
This is where I grew up watching baseball, and where I still can get cheap-as-hell tickets almost whenever I want. The few benefits of a lousy team mean I get to watch a lot of major league baseball on the cheap. Cheap parking, cheap tickets, good times.
The park is beautiful, the grass perfectly maintained by one of the best crews in the business, and the staff at Kauffman is and has always been super friendly. It's first on my short list of major league ballparks that I've visited (Anaheim and St. Louis), and by far my favorite.
I went here this past September. I wasn't expecting much, but when I got there I was very impressed. The place is very easy to find because it was right next to the Chiefs stadium so the area kind of stood out. Parking was cheap and it was easy to leave once the game was over. Something a little different than what I'm used to in Chicago.
Kauffman was also very clean. The field was beautiful and the waterfall in the outfield was very cool to see in person. I loved it. As a baseball fan, I recommend visiting this ballpark.
So you arrive in Kansas City at 6pm for a meeting the next day. You're travelling with your boss and his boss. So what do you do? You go see the KC Royals play. Then you get both the bosses to pose with Sluggerrrr, the KC mascot.
Yeah, that's what you do.
My boyhood ballpark and team. There are all kinds of new "old" ballparks springing up these days. And, compared to them, Kauffman Stadium is in some ways dated - (only in amenities, not necessarily in beauty) - but soon to be updated, great! But, in context, the K, formerly Royals Stadium, was built in 1973 at the same time everyone else was building crummy round baseball/football combos. Real "ugh-ers" like the Kingdome (even worse, inside sports?), Riverfront, Busch, etc. So, the K was inspired with the singular purpose and waterfalls and continues to endure. Finally, the real grass completed what it should have always been.
Now, I believe, I hope, that the Royals are finally executing a long awaited renaissance on the field. My once and always "field of dreams". Go Blue.
Visit KC and the Royals for a few pleasant surprises.
Nice stadium. Older but still very nice! I scored some prime tickets off of Stubhub, Row G Section 103 right behind home plate! Excellent game even though the Royals lost. It was their last home game of the season so they had all the gear for 50% off. Got me a nice Royals hat for only 7.50. Easy access to the stadium and parking was only like 10 bucks which is cheap compared to most other places.
A decent older little (and I do mean little) ballpark, Kauffman Stadium is got some pluses and minuses. One plus in being a smaller park is the intimacy you feel. I dont think there is a bad seat in the house. Even from the upper deck you have a great view of everything and dont feel far from the game. Also, its next to the football stadium, which is helpful. A minus is the food and beverage options at the stadium. I was unimpressed compared to even other old ballparks that the food selection was rather bland. I am glad to see that they are doing some extensive renovations to the stadium (as well as the Chiefs stadium) to bring the park into the 00's. It needs the facelift. I think another visit out when all the renovations are done (and its not 40 degrees..!!!) could be in order.
One of the most beautiful baseball venues in America-- still! Great park, scrappy team. It's just a little sad to see that most of their marketing still focuses on the glory days of the George Brett era. Wish small markets like this one could afford some marquis players to spark the growth of a fan base that didn't have to rely on 20+ year old memories!