The NCAA’s Division II National Championship was at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Ala., from 1986 through 2013, but the game found a new home at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan., home of the MLS franchise Sporting KC. The title game moved to Kansas City in 2014 and was contracted to stay there through at least 2021.
However, on Tuesday it was announced that Sporting KC will undergo field renovations to Children’s Mercy Park, meaning the NCAA will have to request bids to host future championship games, including the 2018 championship game slated to be played on Dec. 15.
The NCAA will accept bids immediately through Sept. 17 for the 2018 championship, with bids for the 2019-21 games to open at a later date.
Bids are open for cities to host 2018 @NCAADII National Championship after KC host site backs out due to field renovations pic.twitter.com/dLfzPlFDOf
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 4, 2018
“Our community is disappointed because we look forward to this championship every year,” Kansas City Sports Commission president Kathy Nelson said, via the Kansas City Star. “We understand the Sporting KC situation when it comes to the field, and that’s extremely important, but the timing is unfortunate.”
Sporting KC’s regular season ends Oct. 28. The club did not disclose exactly when the field renovations will begin or how long they are expected to require.
Children’s Mercy Park drew a record 16,181 spectators -- the stadium holds roughly 18,000 -- in 2015 when nearby Northwest Missouri State beat Shepherd (W. Va.) for the fifth of six Division II national championships. A crowd of 4,259 showed up to watch Texas A&M-Commerce beat West Florida for its first national title in December of 2017.