KC Royals: How To make The Most Of Fan Fest 2017

Need a KC Royals fix in the middle of winter? Kansas City has your answer. The 2017 Royals Fan Fest is coming to Bartle Hall at the Kansas City Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28.

The event gives fans an opportunity to meet Kansas City Royals players and coaches, get autographs, and get a first-hand look at all the awards handed out by the team. As a three-year veteran of Fan Fest, I’ve seen the small crowds and I’ve seen the big ones. Here is a survival guide to making the most of your Fan Fest experience.

Buy Tickets: They’re Affordable

Twelve bucks will not get you much at Kauffman Stadium over the summer. Twelve bucks, will however, get you into Fan Fest for a day. Single admission tickets are listed at $17 for each day, or $23.00 for both days.

Once you’re in, you’re in. Sure, food and memorabilia costs extra. But, Fan Fest offers a variety of free, kid-friendly activities away from the stage. The organization makes good use of its time on the stage with a wealth of fan-involved entertainment. Last year, fans who wanted to participate in some of the free activities had to fill out a waiver prior to participating. Be aware of that and look for ways to fill out those waivers ahead of time.

Get There Early

Fan Fest kicks off on a Friday but don’t be fooled: a lot of kids will be there. Season-ticket holders have the advantage of getting in early at noon on Friday, and 9 a.m. on Saturday. The doors open to all fans at 2 p.m. on Friday, and 11 a.m. on Saturday.

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In 2014, the KC Royals just missed on the playoffs. The team held Fan Fest was held at the much-larger Bartle Hall for the first time. Getting there early was not a tremendous priority as crowds were respectable but not overwhelming. The Kansas City Royals played in their first World Series in 29 years later on in 2014, which made the 2015 Fan Fest a mess. Crowds were thick on Friday and unbearable on Saturday.

Last year, the organization introduced timed entry in an effort to keep the crowd manageable. Getting into an earlier session can mean the difference between getting an autograph or not. Buy your tickets early and get there early so you can be inside the facility as early as possible. As of Dec. 4, first-day tickets were still available for the 2 p.m. entry.

Get Your Autographs Early

Naturally, the crowd will continue to grow throughout each day of Fan Fest. If you manage to be at the front of the line, you will want to beat the crowd behind you into one of the autograph lines. In the past, autograph sessions open about every 60 minutes. Only the first 150 fans in each session are allowed to get autographs, so it is important pick a session and get in line early.

In the past, there have been six autograph stations set up around Bartle Hall: one on each side of the stage, two on opposite sides in the middle of the hall, and two in the corners opposite the stage. Closed-circuit TV allows autograph seekers to watch what is happening on the stage, but audio is usually not available. That means the two autograph stations near the stage offer the best experience.

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Each station will actually have two lines: one for the upcoming autograph session, and one for the one after that. If you are unsure, ask one of the friendly ushers. Be prepared to wait in line for more than two hours without knowing which coach or player will be signing autographs at your station.

That uncertainty is the one drawback of waiting in line. In 2014, a text service informed fans which players would be at which stations just a few minutes prior to a session beginning. Crowds were thin enough for some to jump lines. That has not been possible the last two years as lines fill up well ahead of autograph time.

Photographs with the players are not allowed, and players will only sign one item per fan. Again, plan ahead. Make friends with that guy behind you in line and have him take a photo while you’re chatting with your favorite player.