Cartoon illustration of a football in the grass with the word

MISSOURI STATE SYMBOLS

 

STATE PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

 

To Be Determined...


In a first for the state of Missouri and likely for the nation, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a conditional state symbol into law. Missouri’s first “if-then” state symbol statute was approved in 2026, and reads if the Kansas City Chiefs leave the state, then the St. Louis Battlehawks will become the official professional football team for Missouri. In the meantime, until the Chiefs abscond to Kansas, there is no official football team by law*.
 

*The “by law” distinction is important because there was a resolution – not a law – passed in 2019 (SCR4) that declared the Kansas City Chiefs to be Missouri’s official NFL football team. Resolutions are not enforceable and are generally accepted as a lawmaker’s intent. They are not official state statues. The Secretary of State’s state symbol pages track only official Chapter 10 state symbols that are entered into the Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo). 


The background here is lengthy but simple. In mid-2023, the Chiefs floated various ideas for what to do when their stadium lease expires in 2030. One was to renovate the existing stadium, another was to build a new stadium in Kansas City, MO, and a final idea was to move somewhere else, probably the Kansas side of Kansas City so the team could keep their full name. The team said they preferred option one and, along with the Kansas City Royals baseball team, asked Jackson County to implement a sales tax to help pay for stadium renovations. The County Executive vetoed the sales tax ordinance, which was subsequently overridden. On April 2, 2024, the sales tax was brought before local Jackson County voters, who voted no.

Next, Gov. Kehoe felt it was up to the state to offer an incentive for the Chiefs to stay. He called a special session in June 2025 where he and the General Assembly authorized money for professional sports team stadium renovations. However, the state of Kansas ultimately offered more. On Dec. 22, 2025, the Kansas City Chiefs formally announced that they are leaving Kansas City, MO, and moving across the state line to Kansas, effective in 2031.

The December decision prompted a smattering of filings in the Missouri General Assembly for the 2026 session, all symbolically punitive measures. Two of those filings (with identical language) passed and made their way to the Governor’s desk. Gov. Kehoe signed them both on July 13 and created this new state symbol.

The Kansas City Chiefs football franchise was founded in 1959 (first season was 1960) and is a member of the National Football League (NFL).

The St. Louis Battlehawks football franchise was founded in 2018 (first season was 2020) and is a member of the United Football League (UFL). 

 

Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo)

§10.292. St. Louis Battlehawks, official professional football team, when. – If the Kansas City Chiefs relocate outside of this state, the St. Louis Battlehawks shall be the official professional football team of the state of Missouri. (L. 2026 H.B. 2576 merged with S.B. 1544) 

approved 13 July 2026
effective 28 August 2026

 

Additional Resources:

Chilson, Morgan and Anna Kaminski. “Chiefs Moving to Kansas with $3.3 billion Plan for Domed Stadium, Training Facility,” Kansas Reflector. 22 December 2025.

Dixon, John. “Kansas City Chiefs Announce Construction of New Stadium, HQ in Kansas,” Kansas City Chiefs News. 22 December 2025.

Historic Missouri state symbol football legislation that failed: 1) HB1716 (2020) for the St. Louis Battlehawks to become the official XFL football team, 2) SB820 (2025) and SB825 (2025) for the Kansas City Chiefs to become the official professional football team, and 3) HB8 (2025 Extra) would have designated football and baseball as the state’s official professional sports.

Jackson County Board of Elections Official Final Election Results, general municipal election (see Question 1). 02 April 2024.

Joint statement from the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs, announced on X and Instagram. 05 January 2024.

Mendoza, Ricko. “Chiefs Owner Clark Hunt Remains ‘Optimistic’ about a Potential Arrowhead Renovation,” Kansas City Chiefs News. 25 July 2023.

Ordinance 5822, Jackson County Legislature, proposed question for the April 2, 2024 ballot regarding a sales tax to last 40 years “for the purpose of retaining the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs sports teams in Jackson County, Missouri.”

Other 2026 football-related legislation: SCR17 repeals SCR4 (2019) and replaces it with the St. Louis Battlehawks as the official professional football team (failed); HCR33 repeals SCR4 (2019) (failed); HCR35 urges the State of Missouri to purchase the Chiefs and sell it to the public through shares (failed); HB3050 ends production of Kansas City Chiefs license plates (failed); finally, HB2576 and SB1544 included identical language for this provisional symbol (passed).

SCR4 (2019) on the Missouri Senate website: sponsored by Sen. Shalonn Curls, resolves that the Kansas City Chiefs are the official NFL football team of Missouri. It was signed by Gov. Parson on 07/09/2019. As of 2026, this resolution has not been repealed, though not through lack of trying.

The Show-Me Sports Investment Act (Section 100.240 of SB3) was signed by Gov. Kehoe on June 14, 2025 after the First Extraordinary Session Missouri General Assembly.

Sweeney, Pete. “Chiefs Considering 3 Options Regarding Future of Arrowhead Stadium,” Kansas City Chiefs News. 21 July 2023.

 

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