KC Current Stadium & A New Era in Women’s Professional Sports

The construction of the CPKC stadium, home of the Kansas City Current, started a movement in women’s professional sports. When Chris and Angie Long embarked on the journey of constructing and financing a stadium for the Current, they wanted to shape the future of women’s sports. 

The Current had a phenomenal 2024 season in their new stadium, becoming the first NWSL team to sell out every game in the regular season. The CPKC stadium also hosted the NWSL final at the end of the 2024 season. It was clear from the beginning that this stadium was monumental, but what really put this into perspective was the reaction in the sports world.

Shortly after seeing how successful the Current’s stadium had become, an unnamed NWSL team in Denver announced plans to build a stadium when they join the league in 2026. Moving forward, it is more than likely that stadium construction will become the norm for NWSL expansion teams. 

Additionally, the Current’s new stadium sparked conversation for the WNBA to possibly expand to Kansas City. After seeing the impact of the stadium, Caitlin Clark, an all-star WNBA player, vocalized her praise for the Current and noted that Kansas City would be an ideal area for a WNBA expansion team. 

More generally, the Current’s stadium initiated a movement, encouraging professional teams to reinvest in women’s facilities. Historically, women’s professional teams do not have access to high-quality training facilities like their male counterparts. Instead, women’s teams are often forced to share these facilities with several other teams. The Current’s stadium set the standard for women’s sports, and we will continue to see its impact in the near future as more leagues prioritize high-quality amenities for women’s teams.