Fans at Kauffman share thoughts on downtown baseball, pitch clock

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Royals hosted the Minnesota Twins for their home opener Thursday afternoon. The Royals lost the game 2-0, but fans are excited about the idea of downtown baseball.

“I think a downtown ballpark, it’s what a lot of other teams have gone to,” said Royals fan Nick Walz. “Could be a really good opportunity for the city, too.”

However, fans have a few issues on their mind with a potential downtown stadium: traffic and parking.

“Too much traffic downtown,” said one fan leaving the stadium. “I’d rather have them keep it here next to the Chiefs.”

“We want it, as long as it’s close to public transportation so we can get there,” added another.

It’s a complex issue for the fans, who embraced a stadium where they saw the Royals win two World Series titles.

“It’s two-sided,” said Garrett Smith. “It’s sad to leave the memories here. Growing up in Kansas City, coming out to Kauffman is special. But, new is good. Growing and a new place to call home could be really cool, too.”

Fans had more than a potential new stadium on their mind. Major League Baseball introduced a pitch clock, which fans mostly approve of.

“I like the clock change,” said one Royals fan. “It cuts down on the game.”

When it comes to the stadium, fans are attached to Kauffman but open to a new a future.

“I’d hate to see it go because it’s easy to get out here,” said Christal Delay. “At the end of the day, everything that seems to be going to Midtown seems to be impressive, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with.”

No downtown ballpark is imminent. However, the Royals would like to move into a new stadium.