What’s the least you can spend at a Monarchs game? Finding deals at Legends Field
This summer brings a lot of free and cheap entertainment options to Kansas City, including one of the country’s most historic sports franchises.
The history of the Kansas City Monarchs dates back over 100 years, when the team was a part of the Negro Leagues. They were one of the most successful franchises in the league’s history, winning ten league pennants, two Negro League World Series championships and completing only one season with a losing record from 1920-1965.
The Monarchs showcased some of the greatest baseball players to ever step foot on the field, such as Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Ernie Banks and Buck O’Neil.
Today, the Monarchs can be found at Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. An independent professional baseball team in the American Association of Professional Baseball, the team was originally called the T-Bones from 2003-2021 before rebranding.
Their season runs at the same time as the Kansas City Royals, and while the Monarchs are partnered with the MLB, they are not a minor league team associated with the Royals or any other team. The athletes fans see on the field are professionals, and a few of them have played in the MLB and with the Royals, like outfielder Jorge Bonifacio and third base coach Christian Colón.
In the third edition of The Star’s On the Budget, a new series in which Star reporter Joseph Hernandez checks out activities and restaurants around Kansas City to see what fun can be had on a $25 budget, we went to Legends Field to watch the Monarchs take on the Sioux City Explorers on Thursday, May 26.
So can you enjoy the Monarchs and independent baseball on a tight budget? Here’s what I found out.
Cost of going to a Monarchs game?
Legends Field sits right by the Legends Outlet outdoor shopping mall. It’s tempting to spend money on one of the restaurants or stores out in KCK, but that’d wipe out the budget completely, so the $19.49 WWE Evolution 3-pack at Target would have to wait for another day (That day was the following day. The in-store price was listed at $64.99, but it’s 70% off.)
The cheapest ticket for May 26’s game was $15 with a $4 online fee in the left field bleachers. You can only pick which section you’re going to sit in, not the row or seat. A ticket in the same section for a Tuesday, June 10, game against the Fargo-Moorhead RedHawks costs $10 with a $4 online fee.
With fees and taxes added, the final cost of one ticket is $20.73. That’s the only cost of admission, since parking is free at the stadium.
Inside Legends Field
My ticket was compensated, which opened up our budget for goodies. Thursday games at Legends Field are also Thirsty Thursdays, which means it’s $3 for 16-ounce domestic beers available in the concourses.
Thursdays also bring $2 hot dogs, an insider tip which isn’t shared on the team website but can be found on the Monarch’s Facebook page.
If you’re looking for things to do inside Legends Field before the game, good luck. It’s a small venue with 4,500 fixed seats, although it can hold up to 20,000 people for concerts and special events, like the Tacos & Tequila Festival Saturday, June 21.
There’s a kids’ playground in the right field concourse, but other than that, not much pre-game entertainment. The weather was perfect for baseball the Thursday I was there, which made walking around the concourse and people-watching entertaining.
The game was quiet and the crowd was sparse. I sat in the first row of section 114 and could hear some of the conversations happening on field between the players. I was also the only person sitting in the section — most of the crowd was behind home plate or sitting in sections underneath the club level, which provided some cover from the sun.
Fans in attendance were treated to a dramatic baseball game, even though the Monarchs lost 4-3 to the Explorers. Things got tense in the bottom of the ninth inning as they tried to mount a comeback.
With two outs in the final innings, Kansas City’s Josh Bissonette hit a ball to right-center field to keep the dream alive. As the ball was picked up by the Explorers’ outfielder, Jaylyn Williams attempted to go from first to third on the single from Bissonette, but tripped on his way to third base and was caught in a rundown, ending the game.
How much did I spend at Legends Field?
$25 isn’t a lot, but like my experience at Kauffman Stadium on Dollar Dog Night, it can take you pretty far on a night where there are deals and you’re aware of them.
On a regular night, hot dogs cost $5.50 and beers are $10. Other ballparks staples like popcorn and peanuts are $6.50 and nachos and soft pretzels are $6.75, before taxes.
Bottled water costs $7, but there are water coolers located in the center of the concourse with small cups for free.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t in the know about those $2 hot dogs.
So I settled on a $14 chicken tender basket and a $3 Coors Light, one of two options for Thirsty Thursday. A second beer would’ve been purchased, but I was denied at a different concession stand since I had a paper ID and hadn’t yet picked up my Real ID. (You should do that if you haven’t yet — the Real ID deadline to fly out of airports was May 7.)
With taxes, the total amount spent at Legends Field was $19.24. The ticket would’ve made the total $39.97. A lot more could’ve been saved if I had heard the announcements over the speakers, telling the crowd that hot dogs are $2.
On a tight budget, you do have to pick between food or merchandise. Hats ranged from $30-$40 and jerseys were $60, while coffee mugs were $15. The Charlie Hustle-branded shirts sold at the team store cost $38.
This story was originally published June 3, 2025 at 10:46 AM.
