Kansas football coach Lance Leipold excited for game in London. Players are, too
For many players on the Kansas football team, the Union Jack Classic between KU and Arizona State this September will mark the first time they’ve been to London — or traveled overseas at all.
Naturally, the logistics of the trip is something that has taken time to figure out.
“Michael Painter, our chief of staff and director of football operations, has been working really tirelessly on all of this and really working to put a lot of things together,” KU football coach Lance Leipold said. “There’s a lot of things that will go with it, whether it will be food and menus and hydration and all the different things, let alone the hotel and distance. There are a lot of different things that happen. Many of them are done.”
Leipold told The Star that he doesn’t know the exact number, but there are also a number of players who had to get passports for the first time.
Kansas wide receiver Cam Pickett is excited about the experience.
“It’s going to be fun. The first time playing overseas, playing at Wembley Stadium,” he said. “I know about the history of Wembley. It’s a little bit more exciting because of the World Cup, now, seeing all the great soccer players being there. So being able to play a football game there will be fun.”
Union Jack Classic CEO Brian Dubiski told The Star that the biggest logistical hurdle was securing Wembley Stadium due to the soccer matches and concerts held in the venue. According to Dubiski, the stadium was excited to host a college football game after years of hosting NFL games.
“They were just as excited as we were when we first started engaging with them,” Dubiski said. “Their first question was, ‘What’s taking so long? We thought this would have happened a long time ago.’”
Dubiski said that both teams will have hotels completely to themselves, as they’ve secured properties and bought them out completely. That means the teams will have full access, with no other fans or visitors in the hotel outside of the team and coaches.
“From that aspect, we’ve really tried to insulate the teams to be focused,” Dubiski said. “Both coaches are hyperfocused. This is a conference game and they obviously have to be ready to play, but also we are giving them cultural experiences. We will be showing them all the landmarks and taking them out into the city.”
According to Dubiski, the expectation is that 15,000-20,000 fans from both fanbases will travel for the game. And yes, fans will be able to tailgate. That said, Wembley Stadium seats about 86,000 for football games.
Dubiski isn’t worried.
“If I can sell 86,000 seats, that’s great. And if I can’t, then we will still have a great crowd in one of the most iconic stadiums in the world,” he said. ”There’s a huge base already built. The NFL has invested billions over two decades, so there are American football fans there.
“I think we got some data from the NFL and there are about 14 million true avid American football fans and then over 100 universities in the UK that actually play American football.”
No matter the attendance, Leipold expects the Sept. 19 game to be a life-changing experience for the players.
“I’ve said from the start, it will be a lifetime experience for them,” he said, “that they will remember for years to come.”
