KU-MU figures still not known

Financial gain from Arrowhead uncertain

There’s still no final tally for how much Kansas University, Missouri University and the Kansas City Chiefs made from the two schools’ Nov. 28 battle at Arrowhead Stadium.

And according to a letter from the KU athletic department, the number won’t be available until at least 60 days after the game – or sometime in mid January. The letter was received in response to an open records request by the Lawrence Journal-World.

“It’s a standard contract provision,” said KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony. “If somebody was working on (adding up the numbers) eight hours a day, five days a week, we might have the total number already. But people have other responsibilities so we just don’t have the final settlement yet.”

Lawrence businesses complained that the amount of revenue the athletic department was gaining didn’t make up for the amount of business they would be losing from having one of the most popular home football games of the year taken from Lawrence to Kansas City, Mo.

The contract between KU, MU and the Chiefs guarantees that both universities would take home at least $1 million. However, the sellout is expected to propel that number beyond the guarantee for each school.

The money comes primarily from ticket sales. The Kansas City Chiefs kept parking and concession revenues. The Chiefs also split in the revenue from ticket sales above the $2 million needed to satisfy the team’s guaranteed payout to both schools.

The schools are guaranteed at least $1 million apiece again next year when the two schools play Missouri’s home game at Arrowhead.