To the editor:

Regarding the KU-MU “Border War” football game now scheduled for Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City for 2007 and 2008: I believe that detractors and local merchants are being shortsighted and selfish. These two universities have played in K.C. many times in the past. This is an opportunity for both schools to garner broader exposure before a regional and national audience.

Other premier football teams have long annual traditions of playing their historical rivals in off-campus stadia. The Oklahoma-Texas contest is always in Dallas’ Cotton Bowl, Georgia-Florida takes place in Jacksonville (the world’s biggest cocktail party), and Army-Navy game is at Soldier Field in Philadelphia.

Our “Border War,” the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River deserves to be elevated to a national status. Also, now that football seasons have been expanded to 12 games, this allows schools to still have six or seven home games. Often in past years many schools only played five games at home. Change reinvigorates; let’s support this move to the “big time” to become a permanent tradition. Merchant protests are a case of the tail wagging the dog. The greater good etc., etc.

Richard M. Hassur,

Lawrence