KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The NFL hasn’t officially announced the game or opponent for its 2020 season opener, but the Royals are moving a September game with the expectation the Chiefs will host a game on Thursday, Sept. 10.
Since 2004, the reigning Super Bowl champion has hosted the NFL Kickoff Game in all but two seasons, including last year when the Packers and Bears kicked off the league’s 100th season instead.
However, it’s likely that the Chiefs, who snapped a 50-year championship drought last month with a 31-20 victory against the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV, will host the NFL season opener on Thursday, Sept. 10, at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Royals had been scheduled to host the Athletics for a four-game series, Sept. 7-10, but the club announced Wednesday that it has dropped the Sept. 10 game “in order to accommodate the Kansas City Chiefs potentially opening at home at Arrowhead Stadium” on that day.
The Royals and A’s will still play at 7:05 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7, but Tuesday will be a split doubleheader with games at 1:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. on Sept. 8.
Between games of a split doubleheader, the stadium is cleared, so a ticket is required for entry to both games, but fans will not be required to clear the parking lot and pay for parking a second time.
The Wednesday, Sept. 9, game has been changed to a 12:35 p.m. first pitch.
With the schedule change announcement, the Royals also said season ticket members will be allowed to exchange tickets for those games beginning in late March.
