Cyclones to play two in Kansas City

Corey Aldritt –

Iowa State and Kansas State officials announced Thursday the two schools will play a pair of football games, starting in 2009, at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas CIty Cheifs.

The first match up is on October 3, 2009 and Iowa State will be the home team. The second game is on October 9, 2010 and Kansas State will be the home team. 

Because the games are moving to Kansas City, both teams are losing out on one true home game but both schools will receive a $1.8 million guarantee over those two years. The schools will also each receive 40 percent of the gate revenue. 

The Cyclones played at Arrowhead Stadium in 2002 in the Eddie Robinson Classic. Fifty-Five thousand fans watched Iowa State fall to Florida State 38-31. 

Ames is roughly 230 miles away from Kansas City, but Cyclone fans are known for traveling in herds to Kansas City for the men’s and women’s Big 12 basketball tournaments.  

Manhattan, Kansas, where Kansas State University is located, is about 120 miles away from Kansas City.

Cyclone and Wildcat season ticket holders will have the first opportunity to buy tickets to these games.