Why Kansas City Chiefs training camp is an irresistible force for so many ardent fans
The mercury frequently threatens triple digits, the air thick with Midwestern humidity. The drive to get there takes about an hour, and then comes the sweaty jostling for prime viewing position.
So why do so many Chiefs fans make this annual pilgrimage from points across the metro and beyond — sometimes on multiple occasions each summer — to watch training camp practices at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph?
Cost, for one thing: Chiefs training camp is one of the best deals in sports. On three days, a $5 admission fee will be charged (July 23, July 29, Aug. 5); other days are free. Tickets for all practices must be acquired in advance at www.chiefs.com/tickets, and parking is $5 per day
Compare this to lowest ticket prices for the Chiefs’ regular-season opener against the Detroit Lions on Sept. 7 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium: $300 on Ticketmaster, plus parking.
But Chiefs camp is about more than good deals. There’s no better vantage point to watch the Super Bowl champions, and autograph sessions follow each practice.
If you want to make an entire day or weekend of your camp experience, lodging and dining options abound in St. Joe. Many major chain restaurants are represented, or you can opt for something more local — our favorites include Il Lazzarone Neopolitan Pizza (also in KC’s River Market), Boudreax’s Louisiana Seafood & Steaks and the Fredrick Inn Steakhouse.
Still not convinced training camp is the place to be this summer? Consider the following anecdotes from Star sportswriters and columnists. They help illustrate the serendipitous moments fans might witness as the Chiefs convene 55 miles northwest of KC to get reacquainted, hone their football skills and fight for roster spots.
Never know what you’ll see
Training camp can be a grind — and not just for the players. In 2019, on a bit of a slower news day, I decided to take a lap around the complex, talk to some fans and see if a story might materialize.
No regrets.
I stumbled upon a group of five young men who had made the trek to St. Joseph to advocate that Chad Henne should supplant Patrick Mahomes as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback. Really. They were all-in on the cause too — T-shirts, chants, all of it.
The interviews were hilarious, and perhaps my favorite recollection from writing about this is the number of people who thought these guys were serious. My email inbox the next day was interesting, to say the least.
But it’s the perfect metaphor for NFL training camp: You never know what you might see on the field, or a few rows behind it.
— Sam McDowell
‘That really gave me hope’
Chiefs camps in St. Joseph are highlighted by accessibility for fans, who otherwise seldom can get so close to their heroes.
My favorite example was in 2015, when 24-year-old Alyssa Crabtree (now Alyssa Crane) of Platte City stood on the hill at Missouri Western — where Chiefs players leave the field after practice — holding this sign:
FUTURE LYMPHOMA SURVIVOR (JUST LIKE BERRY).
“That’s what I’m talking about; love that sign,” then-Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith said as he stopped to speak with Alyssa, clad in a Chiefs cap and an Eric Berry T-shirt.
Then along came Berry, her favorite player even before they shared the diagnosis of lymphoma through masses found in their chests. Between rounds of chemotherapy, she sought encouragement through him.
In fact, Berry spent 10 minutes with Alyssa and made what last week she called a “significant” impact.
“When you hear the word (cancer), you automatically think death,” said Crane, now a mother of two and healthcare technology product manager whose cancer is in remission. “I think seeing that he was able to get through it, and get back out to the field doing what he loved, I think that really gave me hope. And that’s what I needed at the time.”
— Vahe Gregorian
Connecting more closely with the team
Football can sometimes seem like a faraway sport.
Games are played in giant stadiums. Players wear helmets that often hide their facial expressions, while crowd noise on game day usually keeps even the closest fans from hearing exact words from the field.
This reality is why Chiefs training camp in St. Joseph stands out from other interactions with the team.
The camp experience is an intimate one. Players walk down the hill while carrying their helmets on the way to practice, frequently stopping to speak with fans young and old. Practices occur relatively close to the seating areas, meaning you won’t miss linebacker Willie Gay’s screams that echo across the fields or quarterback Patrick Mahomes barking back at a defensive player who’s decided to talk some trash.
Because NFL teams can be guarded with what they want to reveal, training camp’s main draw is that it’s unfiltered. Everything’s out there. It’s in front of you, both to see and to hear.
And that makes it a distinct experience — especially for those fans who want to feel a closer connection to their favorite team.
— Jesse Newell
A rare Reid-Camp skirmish, and a revelation
Few of us covering camp in 2018 knew much about offensive lineman Andrew Wylie. He was an undrafted second-year pro the Chiefs had signed for depth.
Late in camp that year, Wylie made headlines for getting into a shoving match with defensive end Jarvis Jenkins, with Justin Houston quickly arriving to participate. The action occurred on the far end of the practice field, away from the media tent, but the skirmish got everyone’s attention.
Nobody fights during an Andy Reid camp.
Afterward, Patrick Mahomes, who was entering his first year as the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, patted the combatants on their helmets. Mahomes knew he had a scrappy newcomer in Wylie, who made his NFL debut that season and started 59 games over the next two years — including two Super Bowls — before signing with the Washington Commanders this offseason.
— Blair Kerkhoff
This story was originally published July 20, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
