When it comes to FIFA World Cup base camps, Kansas City can flex.

Three of the world’s top-seven teams — Argentina, England and Netherlands — have made it official: They’re summer camping in KC.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, columnist Sam McDowell explains how Kansas City created the conditions to land those teams — and what it means to have them and their fans coming to the Heartland.

Also, Kansas State reporter Kellis Robinett goes inside the coaching change at K-State. Jerome Tang is out, and the Wildcats are in the market for a new men’s basketball coach.

Complicating matters: Tang was fired with cause for postgame press conference comments, and he plans to fight the school for his $18.67 million buy out.

0:02 — Intro

1:07 — What teams will basecamp conversation with Sam

9:37 — How Jackstack might’ve helped England chose KC

16:58 — What led up to K-state hiring their head basketball coach with Kellis

29:36 - What’s on Blair’s Radar this week

Top-ranked Arizona didn’t face the potential top player in the NBA Draft when it visited Kansas on Monday Night, but it did take on a motivated KU team in a raucous environment. The Jayhawks prevailed 82-78, even without Darryn Peterson, in dramatic fashion.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, KU beat writers Gary Bedore and Shreyas Laddha break down the action at Allen Fieldhouse: how the Jayhawks rallied from an 11-point second-half deficit and why Bill Self was emotional about this victory.

After a break, KCUR interim news director Madeline Fox discusses where Kansas City stands with FIFA World Cup base camps. National teams are beginning to identify where they want to train and lodge during their stay in North America this summer, and Kansas City finds itself in an advantageous position.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:51 - Beat Writers break down the electric KU game vs Arizona

7:37 - KU’s To be or not be with Darryn Peterson

11:40 - What did KU prove?

15:22 - What we know about World Cup Base Camps in KC

20:19 - Is KC ready for the World Cup?

25:53 - What’s on Blair’s Radar

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Randy Mason, Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Alison Booth, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.

The Royals are packing their bags and will soon be off to spring training in Surprise, Arizona. But before they leave, they greeted fans and chatted up the season at Royals Rally at Kauffman Stadium.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, beat writer Jaylon Thompson and columnist Vahe Gregorian dig into the upcoming season and whether the Royals can return to their playoff form of two years ago.

Also, you’ll hear from Chairman and CEO John Sherman on the latest in their stadium search, GM JJ Picollo on the team’s biggest needs and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino with his take on the shorter distances to the fences at The K this season.

Then after the break, the vote heard all around the country: Vahe digs into why he didn’t vote for Bill Belichick in the recent Pro Football Hall of Fame vote after explaining it in a column last week.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

1:07 — John Sherman talks stadium update

9:21 - JJ Picollo on the lessons learned last season

14:20 - Vinnie Pasquantino on The K’s shortened fences

21:32 - Vahe on why he didn’t vote for Bill Belichick

The offensive coordinator who was part of the Chiefs staff through one of their most productive stretches is back in Kansas City. Eric Bieniemy, who had three different jobs in the past three years, has been rehired.

That also means Matt Nagy, who held the job for the past three years, is out.

Why the moves? On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, columnist Sam McDowell and Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney explore the moves and discuss what it means for the Chiefs.

Rundown (timestamps are approximate)

0:23 — Why Eric Bieniemy?

9:13 — Who else did the Chiefs interview for OC?

18:25 — How the Chiefs’ offense got stale last season

26:21 — KU vs BYU & Royals Rally

Local college basketball has experienced some wild mood swings this season — but at the moment KU and Mizzou are feeling better about themselves than last month. K-State, not so much.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, beat writers Shreyas Laddha and Kellis Robinett along with columnist Vahe Gregorian take the pulse of KU, K-State and Mizzou, and get into how the next few weeks might unfold.

KU could go as far as oft-injured freshman sensation Darryn Peterson can take them. But how far is that, exactly? Meanwhile, Mizzou has found new life in conference play, but that part of the schedule hasn’t been so kind to K-State.

The 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class will be announced next Tuesday. And players like former Kansas City Royals outfielder Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones are seeking to be selected after appearing on the ballot for several years.

On SportsBeat KC, three KC Star writers with Hall of Fame ballots discuss their selections.

According to the Rules for Election by the Baseball Writers Association of America, voting is based on record, ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contributions to the team. It takes 75% of about 400 ballots cast to make the Hall.

So who gets the call this year?

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.

The NFL playoffs are set to begin, and for the first time in more than a decade, the Chiefs won’t be part of the action.

On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney sums up a season gone wrong. The Chiefs, who have appeared in five of the past six Super Bowls, lost their final five games to finish 6-11.

Questions abound: Will Travis Kelce return next season? Will Patrick Mahomes be healthy? Which free agents will the Chiefs target, and with a top ten pick in the NFL Draft, what direction will the Chiefs take?

It will be a Chiefs offseason like no other in the past decade.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.

As the year comes to an end, SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, is breaking down Kansas City’s most influential figures from 2025.

Star columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian discuss five people — two players, two administrators and a coach — who helped shape the region’s sports landscape and tell the story of our teams.

Who made the list? It starts with Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, who last week announced the franchise would leave its home of more than a half-century, Arrowhead Stadium, and relocate to Wyandotte County, Kansas, for the 2031 season.

Also, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney breaks down the Chiefs’ Week 18 road game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. What’s at stake for the Chiefs, beside draft position?

Check out this week’s podcast.

SportsBeat KC is the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, hosted by Blair Kerkhoff. It’s produced by Randy Mason, Monty Davis, Irvin Zhang, Suzanne Hogan, and Gabriella Lacey, and edited by Jeff Rosen and Scott Chasen.