Royals fans reflect on season, look ahead to new stadium as final home game arrives

KANSAS CITY — Kansas City Royals fans packed the parking lots at Kauffman Stadium for the team's last home game of the season Sunday.

Many tailgated before heading inside—some after watching the Chiefs game earlier in the day.

The mood was celebratory despite a season that didn't go as planned for many fans.

For many, the day was about more than baseball.

Even with a disappointing season, fans remained upbeat about the team's talent and direction.

"Great, we have great talent on the team. It didn't always go our way," said Deb Alburtus, a Royals fan.

"They did worse than I thought they would, but we still love them, and they have a lot of great players, so the future is bright," another fan said.

Injuries were a recurring theme when fans talked about why the season fell short — but optimism about the roster ran just as deep.

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"We have a great young core," said Chris Tickner, another Royals fan. "We've been decimated by injuries, but we have a lot of talent."

"I think that the Royals are in a really good spot right now," another fan said. "I'm so freaking excited about like the next five years."

The conversation among fans also turned to where the Royals will play in the future.

The team's planned new stadium is set to replace the Hallmark headquarters near Crown Center by the 2030 season.

"Parking is a little bit of a concern, but I think we can make it work," said Alburtus.

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The Kansas City, Missouri, City Council is expected to begin finalizing the boundaries of the stadium impact area this week.

The latest development in ongoing coverage of concerns and questions surrounding how the build will affect downtown.

One fan said she hopes the political process doesn't overshadow what the stadium could mean for the city.

"There's a lot going on with the politics of the stadium, and I hope that that doesn't get in the way of the good parts too, and I hope we get to a point where everyone feels heard and represented," the fan said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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