KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Fans were caught off guard Wednesday when the Big 12 Conference announced that fans will not be allowed to attend any tournament games in Kansas City, Missouri, beginning Thursday.
"You threw me all off with that one today,” Clarence James, of Kansas City, Missouri, said. "But ... I got my tickets for tonight so... I'm ready!"
Local fans like Clarence James who came to the Power & Light District from just up the street or Autin Van Aalst, who drove from Topeka, lucked out.
"If I have to, I mean, we can just drive back if we have to," Van Aalst said. "It's nothing too big. It's not like we came from across the country or anything."
But countless others like Joe Vajgrt did.
"I flew in from Portland, Oregon,” Vajgrt said.
First to Denver and then driving from there to Kansas City because it was cheaper.
"But, you know what, I also had tickets for Game Four of the Royals with ALDS in 2014,” Vajgrt said. “I flew all the way here and there was no Game 4. So I guess I'm used to it. I think I'm a curse, I think it's me, actually. I'm so sorry, everybody."
Nonetheless, taking the silver lining approach, Vajgrt said he isn't upset.
"I guess I'm going to get a lot of Kansas scenery in in the meantime," Vajgrt said, "but hey, so the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, you know, Power and Light is beautiful. So it's still a vacation either way, right?"
Jake Thompson, who drove from Des Moines, Iowa, said that he can see how allowing fans to attend would be a "public safety issue," but also acknowledge that many people traveled to Kansas City and bought tickets for the Big 12.
When asked where do fans go from here? "I'd say right over here, Power and Light District, just keep it going."
