The Story of The Beatles at Municipal Stadium (1964)
Courtesy BobBonis.com
On September 17, 1964, Municipal Stadium buzzed with excitement on a fall night in KC. The Beatles, already the world’s most famous band, weren’t supposed to be there; it was meant to be their break during a grueling U.S. tour.
Local promoter Charles O. Finley, the controversial owner of the Kansas City Athletics, was relentless. He hounded their manager, starting at $50,000, then $100,000, and finally an astonishing $150,000—far above the usual $25,000 fee for a Beatles performance.
Worn down by his persistence, the group finally relented, and the Beatles sacrificed their day off.
They arrived at 2 a.m., greeted by drenched fans. Exhausted, they went to the Hotel Muehlebach’s penthouse, eating, drinking, and playing poker before crashing into bed.
When showtime came, the stadium's energy was electric, but only 20,207 fans filled the stands, far from the 35,000 capacity. Some blamed high ticket prices; others pointed to Finley’s unpopularity. Still, the Beatles launched into “Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!” as a nod to the town.
The 32-minute set, though not their largest audience, was one of their most profitable, earning nearly $5,000 per minute before they sped off to Dallas for the next show.
