Kansas Athletic Director Travis Goff shares status on facility upgrades

The summer can be an antagonizing time for college sports fans as they wait for football and basketball to start up again in the fall. That is especially true for Kansas fans these days who appear to have as much excitement for both upcoming seasons as they have in recent memory – and rightfully so.

The Kansas football team is coming off its best year in more than a decade as they finished the 2022-23 season 6-7 and made their first bowl appearance since 2008. Many of those players are returning this year, including budding Big 12 stars quarterback Jalon Daniels, running back Devin Neal, and a slew of other experienced veterans.

Their head coach Lance Leipold and his staff also received lucrative contract extensions in November, signaling that times are changing with Kansas football – and for the better.

Then there’s Kansas basketball … where Bill Self and his staff just landed the No. 1-ranked transfer recruiting class this offseason, signed a top 10 high school recruiting class, and got back a massively important, experienced starter in Kevin McCullar Jr – vaulting the Jayhawks to every media outlet’s No. 1 spot in the preseason rankings.

But it’s not just the teams that should have Jayhawk fans excited, it’s also the much-needed upgrades being made to several of the athletics facilities that will improve the fan experience on game days.

Athletic Director Travis Goff recently sent an email to fans providing an update on when some of these changes will take place and how they will help Kansas remain competitive moving forward.

Gateway Project

The Gateway Project is an all-encompassing endeavor for the university that includes a gateway to campus, non-football amenities, entertainment options, and most importantly a new and improved football stadium.

In his email, Goff said that schematic designs are still underway, but a construction manager has been hired to help refine the phased approach, timeline, and cost projections.

Goff also stated in his message that the university is still raising funds from donors and that “philanthropic support will be the catalyst to fulfilling this transformative project.”

Upgrades to the Anderson Family Football Complex – specifically the locker room and weight room – are scheduled to be completed by the time the team reports next month.

While the initial renovations are obviously not to the stadium itself, it’s still going to be a boost for recruiting and staff retention to have state-of-the-art facilities behind the scenes. Those types of things matter to players and coaches.

As to when we might hear more details on stadium-specific renovations, Goff said they will unveil the full vision for the Gateway Project later this year.

Allen Fieldhouse

It’s hard picturing the sacred place that is Allen Fieldhouse undergoing construction but that’s exactly what’s happening (on the interior) right now.

Goff said it’s a two-phased approach taking place this offseason and continuing at the end of the 2023-24 basketball season. What’s currently being worked on is upgrades to the men’s staff suite, the east side entrance, and premium donor spaces.

There will also be a new “Jayhawk Pub”, improved concourses, and a new team store that Goff claims to be a “major enhancement for all of our fans for both men’s and women’s basketball.”

All of these changes are expected to be made in time for the 2023-24 season which starts in early November.

The truth is Kansas fans are going to show up to Allen Fieldhouse regardless of what the concourses and concession stands look like. Nonetheless, these upgrades should help improve the fan experience, even if by a small margin to some – and it sounds like more improvements are on the way next year (more seatbacks perhaps?).

In just a little over two years on the job, Goff has demonstrated in multiple ways that he has a good pulse of what is needed for KU student-athletes and Jayhawk supporters alike.

These upgrades and renovations are a key part of the process to ensure Kansas remains a destination for players, students, and fans for years to come.