Kansas City cheers Royal blue while also rooting in Chiefs red

Chiefs red or Royals blue?

Across Kansas City, it was a tough wardrobe choice on the first of two of the biggest days in memory for local sports fans.

Arrowhead Stadium’s first chance to host a Monday night football game since 2011 went back to back with the Royals’ appearance today in postseason play for the first time in more than a generation.

Not until the sports gods and TV schedulers smile upon us again shall a doubleheader like that be repeated.

Team gear stores, restaurants, ticket sellers and loyal fans like Mike Von Kaenel of Lincoln, Neb., were capitalizing on the moment.

He had tickets for both the Chiefs game against the Patriots and today’s American League Wild Card Game between the Royals and the Oakland A’s.

“I’ve been coming to Royals and Chiefs games for a long time but to be able to get them both in a couple days with meaningful games is amazing,” Von Kaenel said.

Chiefs fans were rewarded by their team’s trouncing of New England in front of a national TV audience Monday night; the Chiefs won 41-14.

As for the Royals, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders declared the day Royal Blue Tuesday and reminded everyone to wear blue, as if anyone needed reminding.

But Monday was a bit more complicated, with ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” setting up in Arrowhead at the same moment the Royals were holding the first of two rallies this week — the other is this morning from 7:30 to 9 at the J.C. Nichols Memorial Fountain next to the Country Club Plaza.

Like any smart politician, Sanders found a third way by ordering that Royals and Chiefs flags be planted in the lawn outside the downtown courthouse.

But for the 5,000 Royals fans not seeking re-election who attended Monday’s Take the Crown event at Kauffman Stadium, their colors were true blue.

Before the gates opened, the crowd lined up, chanting, “Let’s Go, Royals.”

Kathie Brixey of Independence arrived with her daughter, Jessica Garrett, who was decked out in a royal blue tutu. The pair went to 18 games this season.

“It was our second home this summer,” Garrett said.

Brixey saw the Royals win the World Series in 1985 and was glad to finally share the postseason excitement with her daughter.

“This one’s getting to see what it’s all about,” Brixey said.

Once the gates opened, she and others spilled into the stadium to await the team’s appearance for batting practice.

Depending on how it turns out, tonight’s wild-card game could be the Royals first and perhaps only appearance in the postseason since beating the Cardinals in game seven all those years ago.

The winner goes on to play the Angels in a best-of-five AL Division Series; the loser goes home.

So tickets for today’s game were hot commodities on websites like StubHub and Craigslist. Standing room only tickets were going for $120. Dugout plaza seats that sold under face value at $20.50 apiece for a Tuesday game two weeks ago were listed at $377 on Monday.

Yet fans were happy to get tickets at any price.

“Just bought my wild-card tickets for tomorrow,” one tweeted, “and I literally feel like I’m going to throw up from excitement.”

Businesses seized on Monday’s excitement as a marketing opportunity.

The Westport Flea Market was selling its mini market burgers, with a side of curly fries, at 1985 prices: $2.99 versus the $7.99 listed on today’s menu.

Along 47th Street, which cuts through the heart of the Country Club Plaza, blue Royals flags alternated with red Chiefs banners. Rally House, a sports-apparel business on Ward Parkway that sells Chiefs and Royals gear, opened its doors early in expectation of a big day.

Customers streamed in and out of the store, Royals ace pitcher James Shields among them, store manager Mark Gyulafia said.

“It has been the busiest day we’ve ever had,” said Gyulafia, who cited playoff-themed shirts and Salvador Perez items as particularly heavy sellers on Monday.

“Busier than any Black Friday, Final Four, K-State going to a bowl game. This has topped everything.”

The Royals team store at Kauffman Stadium saw a similar rush, selling out over the weekend of its playoff-themed memorabilia, plus another shipment on Monday.

During this morning’s rush hour, Sluggerrr, the Royals mascot, and others will hand out free swag near the J.C. Nichols fountain.

The water has been dyed blue since Saturday, the day after the Royals clinched the wild-card spot.

According to parks superintendent Forest Decker, it will stay that way until further notice.

“We’ll keep it blue until they lose,” said Decker. “Could be one day or a couple of weeks.”

The Star’s Melissa Schupmann, Dugan Arnett, Kathleen Gier and Sarah Gish also contributed to this report.

This story was originally published September 29, 2014 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Kansas City cheers Royal blue while also rooting in Chiefs red."