Kansas City vs. Tampa (America, population, Atlanta, people)
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While the MLS is making great strides, it's not at the level of the NHL yet, so Tampa has the edge. The Stanley Cup is one of the most iconic trophies in the world. And, unlike MLS, the NHL is THE premier league in the world for it's sport. I don't think anyone is comparing the MLS to the English Premier League yet.
And even if you want to give the two leagues a tie, the tie breaker is the NCAA Division 1 FBS program USF Bulls, that also play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Does KC have any NCAA D1 football programs? (and not the University of Kansas 40 miles away either).
I would say that sports are a tie. I would take NHL over MLS any day, but KC's MLS team is very popular. If Tampa had a decent MLB stadium they might win, but KC's Kauffman Stadium is just better.
I don't follow college, but KC does host a lot of major college events even though there is not a major team based there.
While the MLS is making great strides, it's not at the level of the NHL yet, so Tampa has the edge. The Stanley Cup is one of the most iconic trophies in the world. And, unlike MLS, the NHL is THE premier league in the world for it's sport. I don't think anyone is comparing the MLS to the English Premier League yet.
And even if you want to give the two leagues a tie, the tie breaker is the NCAA Division 1 FBS program USF Bulls, that also play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Does KC have any NCAA D1 football programs? (and not the University of Kansas 40 miles away either).
Not within the metro, but Lawrence is (a) doable in a half-hour at Kansas highway speeds (b) now part of the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS CSA; along K-10 Highway, the two cities' outskirts have been growing towards each other for a while now.
You're talking to the Missouri-born-and-bred son of a Jayhawk mom. She got her BSN from KU in 1954, then went back for her MSN in 1970 — she's the first Black woman to receive both degrees from the school. Ties between KC and Lawrence have gotten closer since I was in high school and would occasionally visit a classmate who lived in Lawrence (and commuted daily to Pem-Day in KC) when Mom had to do some of her MSN research at the main campus rather than the medical campus in Kansas City, Kan.
I think you could arguably count KU in the KC region, then.
Indianapolis swiped the NCAA headquarters from Kansas City, but the Big 12 collegiate basketball tournament continues to be held there, and the small-college national intercollegiate organization, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), remains KC-based, and its men's basketball tournament, which had been held there every year for decades, continues to be held there most years.
Not as high-profile as the NCAA, granted, but I still remember that my 8th-grade science teacher explained to us that the reason KC didn't have an NBA franchise was because the area was already basketball-soaked (don't forget that the inventor of basketball also launched the University of Kansas' storied basketball program). He said this before the Cincinnati Royals landed in Kansas City (shared with Omaha for its first three seasons in the region) as the Kings for about seven seasons before decamping for Sacramento.
The city did have a short-lived NHL franchise, the Scouts, which moved to Denver and became the Colorado Avalanche after four seasons or so. Before the Scouts, the city had a St. Louis Blues farm team; it now has a farm club of the Detroit Red Wings.
Edited to add: And up until Mizzou bolted the Big 12 for the higher-profile Southeastern Conference (the traitors!), one of THE big matchups of the Big 12 football season was the MU-KU football game, another means of carrying on the "border war." When the game took place in Lawrence, you bet there were loads of Kansas Citians in the stands at Kansas Stadium, dressed in both blue and white and black and gold. (One year, The Wall Street Journal sent a reporter to KC when the game would also decide the Big 12 football championship. He began his report from a bar in Brookside, one of the city's smaller shopping/entertainment districts, where many patrons were wearing Tigers football jerseys with "Quantrill" on the back. William Quantrill's raid on the anti-slavery stronghold of Lawrence in 1863 is the reason the Lawrence city seal bears the date 1863 (the city was incorporated in 1858) and depicts a phoenix rising from a building in flames.)
I'd still say Tie.
Last edited by MarketStEl; 01-27-2021 at 10:42 AM..
Busch Gardens is nice. I like it better than Worlds of Fun in KC. I think they are comparable as far as rides/coasters, but Bush has better theming.
Both the KC and Tampa Zoo have solid attendance of around 1 million annually and the KC Zoo is about to start construction on a new aquarium which is supposed be among the 10 largest in the United States.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chriscross309
Thank you! Every person has biases, but I try my best.
I was unaware that KC was getting a new terminal. That's exciting!
Yes, it will be very nice. KCI's current airport terminal(s) suck really bad. Due to KC's central location, it's a great city to live in if you fly a lot. It's well connected to the entire country and no real long haul flights to get somewhere.
I lived in the Tampa area for a little while, so I have more experience with it. I did get the chance to visit KC last January and I had a great time. It is certainly an underrated city, but so too is Tampa.
Economy: Kansas City, but these are really apples and oranges. KC feels bigger and more economically diverse. Tampa is no slouch, but doesn't seem to be as robust.
Climate: Tampa for most of the year, but not during July and August.
Scenery: Tampa
Museums: Kansas City appears to have more, but I could be wrong. I was impressed with what all KC offers.
Nightlife: Not really my thing but I know it's Tampa here.
Sports: Would have to be Kansas City, although Tampa has had a good year this year.
Cost of living: Not something I am dialed in on, but my guess would be Tampa would be a little cheaper. Really I don't know.
Quality of Life: I'm going with my gut and saying Kansas City, because it just seemed to be well rounded, where Tampa has some really positive things but also some negatives that hit you in the face.
Education: No idea, but when I was in Tampa I was studying so I will give them the lean.
Hospitals: No idea again, but Kansas City seems to have some nice hospitals. I'll give them the nod.
Parks (including theme parks and zoos): Tampa hands down
Transportation (roads): Tampa's infrastructure seems more developed, but most Florida cities have on going road projects.
Transportation (transit): Both have light rail, but I feel Tampa's is a little better.
Airports: Tampa has a nice airport, I love flying into it. I've never flown into KC.
Walkability: I'm going with Kansas City, but both could do much better.
Suburbs: I liked Kansas City's suburbs (mainly on Kansas side of metro), but I lived in suburban Tampa. Tampa is more spread out, but has a lot of services. Kansas City's suburbs reminded me of a Canadian city because of how they were played out. I'll give KC the nod.
Location: I'm going with Kansas City. Sure Tampa is on the coast and in a tropical climate with a bay, but Kansas City is not overshadowed by neighboring cities like Tampa is to Orlando.
Shopping: This is tough. Shout out to Country Club Plaza in KC, but I will give the nod to Tampa which has typical Florida level retail development, plenty of nice malls, and some upscale shopping in certain parts.
Dining: I'll go with Kansas City just for the BBQ
Diversity: Tampa
Crime: Both aren't the best, I'll go with Tampa
Where would you rather live: Probably Tampa, but I would consider Kansas City
Where would you rather visit: Kansas City
I agree with this. I could see why someone would choose either.
And even if you want to give the two leagues a tie, the tie breaker is the NCAA Division 1 FBS program USF Bulls, that also play at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. Does KC have any NCAA D1 football programs? (and not the University of Kansas 40 miles away either).
Them playing at the RJ Stadium isn't really a good thing. It alienates tons of potential fans, and feels kind of disconnected from the school. Going to a game when I went to school there felt more like going out into town versus attending a "school function" of sorts. USF is in dire need of its own stadium.
As for the MLS argument, I'd say it varies wildly by city.
For instance, Orlando City's fanbase is just as large and supportive of its team as the Lightning's... Perhaps even more so. And definitely more than the Magic. Similar trends can be seen in LA, with the Galaxy and LAFC both having much stronger fanbases than the Kings and the Ducks.
I don't know much about KC's fanbase for sports outside of MLS, but I do know that they have quite a following for the soccer team.
Tampa has had the Rays, Lightning, and Buccaneers all make the finals of their respective leagues this year. Has that ever happened anywhere in the history of US sports.
Tampa has had the Rays, Lightning, and Buccaneers all make the finals of their respective leagues this year. Has that ever happened anywhere in the history of US sports.
KC since 2000:
MLS Sporting KC MLS Cup 2013 (appeared 2 other times)
MLB Royals World Series 2015 (also went to WS in 2014)
NFL Chiefs Super Bowl 2020 (also going to SB this year)
I would say it's pretty close.
But...KC has the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. So they win .
KC since 2000:
MLS Sporting KC MLS Cup 2013 (appeared 2 other times)
MLB Royals World Series 2015 (also went to WS in 2014)
NFL Chiefs Super Bowl 2020 (also going to SB this year)
I would say it's pretty close.
But...KC has the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. So they win .
I meant all 3 in the same year. The Lightning have won the Stanley Cup twice, the Bucs have won the Super Bowl once (and are in it again this year), and the Rays have been in the World Series twice.
I meant all 3 in the same year. The Lightning have won the Stanley Cup twice, the Bucs have won the Super Bowl once (and are in it again this year), and the Rays have been in the World Series twice.
Quite possibly the greatest quarterback ever will go up against the quarterback of the future.
Even though the game's being played in Tampa, the Bucs are the underdogs.
My money's on the future. Let's not forget Kansas City's penchant for come-from-behind wins, which describes their entire march to last year's Supe.
Any Philadelphians lurking here? See you outside Big Charlie's Saloon week from Sunday.
I don't know much about KC's fanbase for sports outside of MLS, but I do know that they have quite a following for the soccer team.
The Wolfpack is known for making noise, a rather unusual distinction for generally non-demonstrative Kansas Citians. A few seasons back, there was a competition between the Chiefs and the Seahawks, another NFL team known for loud fans, to see who could record the highest decibel levels at their stadium. The Chiefs won the comeptition at Arrowhead.
According to figures on ESPN'S NFL website, the Chiefs have ranked among the top 10 NFL teams for season attendance since the 2013 season, and in the top five this past season, while the Buccaneers have ranked third or fourth from the bottom until the eason just concluded, when they even managed to top KC's fourth-place figure by one spot.
Royals season attendance has been among the bottom 10 for most of the past 10 seasons, though it soared to 10th place the year the team won the World Series, 2015. Since then, it has trended back downward to where it's in the bottom 10 again. But never has it been any less than three places above the Rays, which have finished dead last a few times in the early 2010s. (Figures also from ESPN.)
I think it safe to say that the Chiefs own the hearts of Kansas Citians, while the Royals have more fair-weather fans. But in both cases, the teams do better than their Tampa Bay counterparts.
Again, Tie overall, and maybe advantage Kansas City if fan interest and loyalty are tallied up.
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