What will banner night look like for the Kansas City Chiefs?

The Global Pandemic caused by COVID-19 has thrown curveballs at the world left and right. For the Kansas City Chiefs, even their banner night has a ton of questions surrounding it

The Kansas City Chiefs and their rabid fan base have waited 50 years to hoist the Lombardi Trophy. It’s about earning back Super Bowl bragging rights, seeing their team do a significant amount of winning in the postseason, and for that glorious night at Arrowhead Stadium when it is all capped off, it’s the raising of the Super Bowl LIV banner.

However, the organization has an interesting decision to make. As the world turns and days go by, it seems less and less likely that we will be able to pack the house at Arrowhead Stadium come September 10th when the squad opens up the 101st season of the NFL by hosting the Houston Texans. Even with the NBA planning to push their 2020-21 season back to start on Christmas Day, they are preparing to not have fans for the first half of their season.

Move that timeline up to September and it feels even less likely that real fans will be doing the chop and watching in awe of Patrick Mahomes and company. That means no overpriced beer, no drunken fans bumbling around in the upper deck, and, worst of all for most Kansas Citians, no tailgates!

It also means the stadium will be empty on the night the reigning champions traditionally raise their glorious Super Bowl banner. I do not envy the decision-makers at One Arrowhead Drive that have to figure out what to do in this situation.

There are a couple of ways the Kansas City Chiefs could go about this. Should they raise the banner on national television—in front of no fans? Should they hold off in hopes of eventually, during the course of the 2020 season, having that moment in front of fans? Do you even wait until 2021 to lift the 2020 banner and hope you do not get dethroned by then? How awesome would it be to raise two banners in one night?

The Chiefs will likely just raise the banner on September 10th with, or without, fans. It would be a huge spectacle on the TV broadcast, yet it would not feel the same. While saving the banner for the next time fans walk through the gates at Arrowhead Stadium would be an awesome moment, there are just too many hurdles.

The best option for the Kansas City Chiefs would be to just carry on like normal, even without fans, despite how awkward it will be. Once fans return to Arrowhead you can make a special announcement directing everyone’s attention to the shiny new banner and celebrating once again the accomplishments made by the organization.

Believe me, fans will not get sick of celebrating Super Bowl LIV for another 50 years.