Upcoming Stadium Debut: Kansas City Leading the Evolution of Women's Pro Football Industry
In the heart of Kansas City, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) team, the Kansas City Current, has embarked on an exciting journey towards growth and financial stability. Led by Chris Long and his wife, Angie Long, the team has built a world-class stadium, Children's Mercy Park at Kansas City (CPKC), specifically designed for a professional women's sports franchise.
CPKC, which opened in March 2024, has already made a significant impact. With a seating capacity of 11,500, the arena generated a record-breaking $36 million in revenue in its inaugural year, making it the most profitable NWSL stadium. Smart marketing strategies have also attracted over 70% of fans to the arena for the first time, a testament to the stadium's appeal.
The stadium's impact extends beyond just ticket sales. Research indicates that owning a stadium allows sports franchises to leverage additional revenue streams, such as parking, concessions, merchandise, and stadium events. CPKC, with its 12 luxury boxes priced at $110,000 per year and approximately 1,300 premium seats, is no exception.
The ongoing mixed-use development around CPKC could accelerate the growth of the Kansas City Current's revenue. The project, funded by private capital totaling $1 billion, will see the construction of bars, restaurants, hotels, office buildings, and residential complexes on 9.3 hectares of adjacent land.
The presence of a high-quality stadium has also boosted the team's visibility in the community, attracting sponsorship deals and media attention. The Kansas City Current has already secured partnerships with brands like Yeti, and a permanent branded merchandise store opened on-site to boost sales.
The financial benefits of stadium ownership are not exclusive to the Kansas City Current. Comparable professional teams in Kansas City, such as the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals, generate substantial tax and economic revenue linked to their stadiums—around $69 million in tax revenue as of 2024. This suggests that a world-class stadium influences local economic activity and government revenues, which indirectly supports team growth and sustainability.
League commissioner Jessica Berman is confident that the NWSL can grow to the scale of the NFL, and the Kansas City Current's success at CPKC is a step in that direction. The team predicts a 25% annual increase in revenue, further widening the financial gap with most of its league rivals. Even the Boston Legacy club has allocated $200 million for the renovation of the existing Gillette Stadium.
Infrastructure, including owning stadiums, will be a key factor in considering applications for new franchises moving forward. The success of the Kansas City Current at CPKC serves as a powerful example of how world-class facilities can contribute to the growth and financial stability of professional women's sports franchises.
Angie Long, a native of Kansas City, believes that the growth of the Kansas City Current is just beginning. With the first phase of the mixed-use development set to be completed next year, the future looks bright for this trailblazing team. CPKC, the first stadium worldwide built specifically for a professional women's sports franchise, is set to revolutionise the landscape of women's professional sports, attracting larger audiences, generating new streams of income, and elevating the team’s brand.
[1] Source: Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, 2024 Economic Impact Report [2] Source: "The Economic Impact of Professional Sports Stadiums," Brookings Institution, 2020 [3] Source: "The Stadium Effect: An Economic Analysis of Professional Sports Stadiums," National Bureau of Economic Research, 2018 [4] Source: "The Economics of Women's Professional Sports," Harvard Kennedy School, 2020
- The success of the Kansas City Current at Children's Mercy Park, the first stadium built for a professional women's sports franchise, is attracting significant attention as it generates record-breaking revenue and contributes to the growth and financial stability of women's professional sports franchises.
- In addition to generating revenue through ticket sales, the Kansas City Current earns streaming income from concessions, merchandise, stadium events, and even luxury boxes, making CPKC a model of effective entrepreneurship in the sports industry.
- As more private capital is poured into mixed-use developments surrounding CPKC, such as bars, restaurants, hotels, office buildings, and residential complexes, it is expected that these ventures will expand the Kansas City Current's revenue streams, further bolstering the team's financial prospects in the field of sports finance.
