KANSAS CITY, MO — Kansas City Chiefs fans are dedicated, but just how dedicated? Look no further than Roger Cooper.
Cooper, known as Coop in the Kingdom on social media, had a retirement goal of going to every Chiefs home and away game one season.
After attending a sports conference and hearing about fandoms he decided, why wait for retirement?
"What that would be like to experience the fans of the Chiefs who live in other cities, to experience fans from other teams, and just like go through that whole thing," Cooper said.
Coop in the Kingdom flew and drove to 19 total regular season and playoff games. He documented it all on TikTok and Instagram.
To add to the experience, Cooper is a professor at Ohio University. He teaches in Ohio and Los Angeles, so any game for him is an away game.
This year, distance and price weren't a question, especially to finish off with game 20: Super Bowl LIX.
"It's priceless. It's I mean, it's totally worth it. Again, it is not cheap to go to the Super Bowl, believe me, but it's it's so worth it. Just for the experience," he said.
Cooper has held season tickets for 16 seasons and is an avid traveler, but this was a new feat. He said it was tiring at times.
It wasn't just about seeing a new stadium or watching his team. Cooper made it a mission to talk with fans from either side of the field.
"Just because they saw what I was wearing, we could start up a conversation," he said. "I kind of wish we could do that more in life than we do now, just how easily we can kind of like connect with one another."
So one more road game away from completing a bucket-list goal, Cooper prepares to head to New Orleans.
But on his mind is his late wife, Pat, who passed away in 2019. Chiefs fans know what came in 2020.
That moment and each after, Cooper said his wife guided him and the Chiefs to this.
"I know how irrational that sounds, but you know I feel like she's kind of like… she knew that in all of my sadness that that is something that would, you know, make me happy, and give, you know, a sense of meaning and purpose to what I'm doing," Cooper said.
To see Coop in the Kingdom’s social media journey, follow him on TikTok and Instagram @CoopInTheKingdom.
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