The brochures flooded Kansas City homes in the spring of 1974. Warnings of sellouts were the theme as fans were told to get their tickets fast before there wouldn’t be any available. After all, just 200 miles to the east, the St. Louis Blues became the top drawing team in the National Hockey League playing before packed houses of 19,000-plus every game.
The NHL was coming to Kansas City with a sparkling new arena to house it. The Original Expansion of 1967 was such a success that six more teams were added between 1970 and 1974 while a new rival major league, the World Hockey Association was formed in 1972, further adding to the theory that pro hockey was a cash cow. Named for the famous statue on a hill that overlooks the city to this day, the Kansas City Scouts seemed like a sure thing in 1974.
Chiefs Announcers Bolt for NHL Scouts
The Kansas City Chiefs were the biggest thing that ever hit Kansas City in its sports history and were still competitive, though aging, as the Scouts were planning their first season. Having won the Super Bowl in January of 1970, and now playing in front of sellout crowds of 78,000 at new Arrowhead Stadium, they were larger than life.
Yet, Chiefs play-by-play announcer Dick Carlson and color analyst/local celebrity Bill Grigsby both decided to bolt the Chiefs for Kansas City’s expansion hockey team. If there was any doubt about the potential of NHL hockey in Kansas City, no better statement of confidence could have possibly been made. Once again, the Scouts were considered a sure thing.
Gushing Press
Kansas City has always had a bit of an inferiority complex and having a pro team in all four major leagues was a huge boast of civic pride in 1974. The Scouts received fawning and favorable press leading up to and even during their first season. In a sport that has often been the ugly stepchild of newspapers, the Scouts were a clear exception. With the media on their side it seemed as if the Scouts could not possibly fail.
Reasons for Optimism
Kansas City had been a solid minor league hockey city with the Blues of the Central Hockey League from 1967-72. The Blues drew good crowds and even had a ten game TV package on local UHF stadium KBMA TV-41 which was unheard of for a minor league hockey team in those days.
The NHL had a national TV deal with NBC and was outdrawing the National Basketball Association by large numbers in the seasons leading up to the Scouts debut. Hockey was being touted as the sport of the future. The momentum of the NHL seemed to clearly be on the Scouts side.
Ticking Time Bomb
Inflation was ravaging both the United States economy in 1974 and pro hockey budgets as well. The World Hockey Association totally nuked team budgets and payrolls with increases in the hundreds of percentile. This of course served to drive up ticket prices just as consumers were feeling the squeeze of inflation and rising gas prices. U.S. President Gerald Ford’s famed WIN (Whip Inflation Now) lapel buttons were a sign of the times and a portent of the eventual demise of Kansas City’s NHL hockey team.
Strikes Delay Arena Construction
Kansas City was going through a huge sports boom in the construction of Royals Stadium, Arrowhead Stadium, and Kemper Arena in in the early 1970s. All three projects were often delayed by striking unions. Such strikes delayed the completion of Kemper Arena and forced the Scouts to play their first eight games on the road. It was an ominous sign.
Opening Night
The Scouts first ever game was against the tradition-laden Toronto Maple Leafs at famed Maple Leaf Gardens. The Leafs scored an easy 6-2 win but Kansas City hockey fans savored every minute of the game that was televised on KBMA. The loss really didn’t matter to fans who were thrilled to have a team of their own in the NHL.
The Scouts received an enormous spread in the Kansas City Star for their home opener against the Chicago Blackhawks. There was considerable anticipation in the city despite the fact that the locals went 0-7-1 in their eight game road trip to start the season. Advertisements about “the famous Chicago Blackhawks” as the opening night opponent were all over town.
It was a night of promise as a large and boisterous crowd filled beautiful brand new Kemper Arena to near capacity. The Scouts got a standing ovation before the game. NHL President Clarence Campbell got the red carpet treatment for the ceremonial puck drop. Rookie sensation and second overall draft pick Wilf Paiement lit the lamp for the Scouts. Former KC Blues hero Michelle Plasse was between the pipes for KC. The fans ate it up and gave the Scouts another standing ovation after a hard fought 4-3 loss. How could this possibly fail? That was the prevailing sentiment after that glorious opening night.
But a couple of months into the season, KBMA asked the Scouts for a reduced TV schedule due to abysmal ratings. It was the first sign of trouble. And the floodgates were about to open.
Attendance Flops
Reality quickly set in after that opening night loss to the Blackhawks. Weeknight crowds at Kemper Arena were in the 6.000 range but did pick up on weekends. The Scouts were so bad on the ice that the novelty of NHL hockey quickly wore off for KC fans. NHL prices were considerably higher than what was the case with the CHL Blues. Add the aforementioned US economic crisis to the equation and you had a recipe for disaster. And disaster was what the Scouts were in 1974-75 as they finished 15-54-11.
We can Beat the Best
The highlight of the season was a shocking 3-2 January win at Boston against Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, and the Big Bad Bruins. Scouts head coach Bep Guidolin had been fired by Boston the year before making for a sweet night of revenge. The win sparked the team advertising slogan for the 1975-76 season; “We can Beat the Best.” They even made bumper stickers and a song out of it.
High Water Mark
“We can Beat the Best” stickers were on the car bumpers of many Kansas City Scouts die-hards in 1975 as season began with another glowing preview in the Kansas City Star. Opening night at Kemper was a promising 1-1 upset tie against the surging New York Islanders that was witnessed by less than 7,000 fans. The Scouts again upset the Bruins in Boston to climb to 3-2-1 on the season. There was playoff buzz in the air and in the media. It was a mirage.
Greatest Moment in Scouts History
On Dec. 3, 1975 the Scouts scored a 6-5 home win over the eventual Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens in front of 7,368 fans at Kemper Arena. Paiement scored a hat trick and was rocking a fur coat around town as Kansas City’s own hockey version of Joe Namath. The Scouts were 7-13-4 and in contention for a playoff spot. But a deep dark secret was about to burst open.
Cash Call
Scouts president Edwin Thompson was the front man for a large group of owners that included Chiefs Hall of Fame head coach Hank Stram. The owners invested in a team with a 1972 pre-WHA projected budget that was soon busted by the salary war between the leagues and the bad overall US economy. Thompson announced that the team was for sale and gushing red ink. A cash call was made to the owners to keep the team going. Thompson had to beg the NHL for help. Campbell didn’t want to help but came to his senses realizing the embarrassment it would be to the NHL if a team failed to finish its season. The secret was out and the Scouts were broke.
Bep Bails
Guidolin quit the team halfway through the 1975-76 season in a huff over what he perceived to be interference by general manager Sid Abel in regards to player discipline. Guidolin was asked if he was having nightmares and responded by saying you have to be able to sleep to have nightmares.
Gooning it Up
Simon Nolet was the Scouts team captain and epitomized class both on and off the ice. He was also one of the few Scouts that could actually play the game effectively. Gushing red ink and hoping to find a way to generate interest, the Scouts traded Nolet to the Pittsburgh Penguins for enforcer/goon Steve Durbano. It was a cheap classless gimmick that was indicative of the desperation of the franchise. And it blew up in the Scouts face.
The End
A “Save Our Scouts” ticket sales campaign failed miserably. The Scouts went 0-21-5 in their final 26 games in history. The final home game was an 8-6 loss to the Los Angeles Kings in front of 7,123 fans. Those who were at that final home game were boisterous and gave the team a standing ovation afterwards. There was still hope for a miracle savior owner but it never came to fruition. The Scouts became the Colorado Rockies.
Legacy
With ownership that was short and in an era of the WHA/NHL salary wars, coupled with raging inflation, Kansas City did not get a fair shot at NHL hockey. The Scouts were such a disaster that the NHL has never seriously considered trying Kansas City ever again.
Yet the Scouts prove the old adage about how timing is everything. In better economic times and without a rival league driving up costs, perhaps a well-run hockey team could thrive in KC. For a wide variety of reasons the Kansas City Scouts never had a chance. The timing could not have been worse. Perhaps someday the NHL stars will yet align for KC.
