Last week I asked fans to chime in with the Royals Review fan survey, asking them what they thought about the Royals, downtown baseball, and the state of baseball.
We had nearly 400 responses to our fan survey this year. This isn’t a scientific poll, just a fun internet poll. And it’s certainly not binding (unless Prop 304 passes, and we all pray that it does) But I thought it might lend a glimpse into how Royals fans are feeling before the season.
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How would you grade the job John Sherman and the ownership group are doing?
A – 6.2%
B – 53.1%
C – 32.9%
D – 5.7%
F – 2.1%
Sherman’s numbers look better than the last time we did this survey back in 2023, despite the thwarted ballpark efforts. Winning a division title helps!
How would you grade the job J.J. Picollo and management are doing?
A – 23.5%
B – 55.8%
C – 17.3%
D – 2.1%
F – 1.3%
Even better numbers for J.J., who only got 4% to give him an A in 2023, his first year on the job. Fans may be upset he hasn’t done more to upgrade the outfield, but they generally seem fine with his overall leadership for the club.
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How would you grade the job Matt Quatraro has done?
A – 32.9%
B – 51%
C – 13.2%
D – 2.1%
F – 0.8%
Quatraro is a star student! Over eight in ten fans polled would give him an “A” or “B”. When he was hired in 2023, 96 percent of fans approved of the hiring, and while there has been some criticism, fans seem largely good with the skipper.
How would you grade the offseason for the Royals so far?
A – 2.1%
B – 44.4%
C – 44.4%
D – 7.8%
F – 1.3%
“Incomplete” is probably the grade most fans would give after the Royals added Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas, and Matt Strahm this winter. All fine moves, but the team has yet to make the big move to put them over the top, or even answer what Detroit has done this offseason
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What is the biggest area of concern going into this season?
Offense – 97%
Bullpen – 1.3%
Starting pitching – 1.0%
“Duh.” Probably shouldn’t have had this as a question.
Which of these young players are you most excited about?
Carter Jensen 58.4%
Jac Caglianone 33.8%
Noah Cameron 7.8%
This would have looked very different a year ago, but a disappointing performance by Caglianone upon a promotion, and a hot month from Carter Jensen in September has fans more excited about the local kid.
What Royals minor leaguer are you most excited about?
Kendry Chourio 38.5%
Blake Mitchell 13.4%
David Shields 13.1%
Luinder Avila 10.2%
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Ben Kudrna 7.0%
Gavin Cross 7.0%
Also votes for Drew Beam, Sean Gamble, Josh Hammond, Michael Lombardi, Chazz Martinez, Frank Mozzicato, Ramon Ramirez, Carson Roccaforte, and Jhonayker Ugarte
Who would you most like to see get a long-term deal right now with the Royals?
Vinnie Pasquantino 38.8%
No players 19%
Carter Jensen 15.6 %
Cole Ragans 15.3%
Noah Cameron 8.2%
Jac Caglianone 3.2%
Pay that man his money! Fans want to see the Royals keep Vinnie in Kansas City long time. They’re not as high on giving Carter Jensen or Jac Caliganone a deal quite yet. Guess that’s why they call it the “Show-Me State.”
How many games do you predict the Royals will win in 2026?
90+ win – 5.7%
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85-89 wins – 56.8%
80-84 wins – 32.0%
75-79 wins – 5.5%
70-74 wins – 0.0%
Less than 70 wins – 0.0%
Over sixty percent of Royals fans think the team will win more than 85 games. What happened to our critical spirits?
Do you support a new stadium for the Royals?
Yes – 54.8%
No – 25.4%
Not sure – 19.8%
Well, that is a better result than the 2024 ballot initiative that flopped. I suppose the devil is in the details.
If you said no, what is your primary reason for objecting to a new stadium?
Love of Kauffman Stadium – 50.5%
Cost of public financing – 24.2%
Parking/traffic concerns – 13.1%
Other – 12.1%
Safety concerns – 0.0%
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Some of the other reasons mentioned include distance from home, a lesser fan experience, higher costs, exorbitant player salaries, and dislike for the owner.
If you said yes, what ballpark site do you most prefer?
Washington Square Park – 39.6%
18th and Paseo (near 18th and Vine) – 16.5%
North Kansas City – 13.7%
East Village (11th and Locust) – 12.6%
Aspiria Campus (119th and Nall in Johnson County) – 4.2%
Other sites mentioned include the Truman Sports Complex, the original Crossroads location that was voted on in 2024, and the West Bottoms.
Will there be a work stoppage in 2027 that results in games being cancelled?
Yes – 77.2%
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No – 22.8%
Everyone in baseball seems to be bracing for a work stoppage when the current labor deal expires at the end of the year, with owners reportedly hunkering down for a long fight over a salary cap. Hopefully, wiser minds prevail.
Do you support a salary cap in baseball?
Yes – 85%
No – 15%
No surprise a salary cap in baseball is popular in a small market like Kansas City.
Do you support players reaching free agency earlier than they currently do?
Yes – 43.8%
No – 56.2%
A potential bargaining chip for owners to get a cap could be offering earlier free agency, but fans seem pretty split on allowing players to become free agents before the current six years of service time.
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Would you like to see divisional realignment in baseball where AL and NL teams are mixed up together?
Yes, depending on how its done – 32.8%
No, keep it the same – 67.2%
Baseball has flirted with radical regional alignment, but has mostly tinkered with the divisions, keeping the AL/NL alignments largely intact. But the blur between the leagues is fading and we could see some teams moved in the future.
Should baseball expand?
Yes – 43.9%
No – 56.1%
It has been nearly 30 years since baseball last added teams, the longest stretch without expansion since the league first expanded in 1961. There are still some teams that have ballpark situations to resolve, but once that is finalized, they could look to adding teams.
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If baseball were to expand, what two cities would you most likely like to see get new teams? (select two)
Nashville, TN – 58.1%
Montreal, QB – 30.1%
Charlotte, NC – 24.7%
Salt Lake City, UT – 21.2%
Portland, OR – 13.7%
Oklahoma City, OK – 12.6%
Mexico City, MX – 11.0%
Indianapolis, IN – 10.0%
San Antonio, TX – 9.1%
Monterrey, MX – 5.1%
Bring back the Expos!
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