Roo Up with the KC Streetcar

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) and the KC Streetcar are at it again to celebrate Roo pride with a new university-themed streetcar wrap and two Roos basketball-themed streetcar stops located at the UMKC stop and Power & Light Northbound stop.

The community is invited to celebrate Roo Blue Friday and the upcoming basketball season at a special celebration at 11 a.m. on Friday, October 23 at the UMKC Streetcar Stop at 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard. The event will feature UMKC Roos Men’s Head Basketball Coach Mark Turgeon and Women’s Head Basketball Coach Candi Whitaker, student-athletes, the Kansas City Roos Dance Team, Chancellor Mauli Agrawal, KC Roo and more. Attendees can show their Roo Blue pride and enjoy giveaways, including commemorative posters, stickers and other surprises.

The celebration also marks the one-year anniversary of the 3.5-mile KC Streetcar Main Street Extension, which opened October 24, 2025, connecting UMKC to the existing downtown streetcar route.

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“As we celebrate one year of connecting downtown to UMKC by streetcar, we’re excited to see the community come together to cheer on the Roos and celebrate the role transit plays in connecting our city, both on and off the court,” said Tom Gerend, Executive Director of the KC Streetcar Authority.

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KC Streetcar ridership has seen unprecedented numbers in 2026, with 3.5 million passenger trips recorded between January and August — more than three times the total during the same period in 2025. June set an all-time monthly ridership record with 698,705 passenger trips, while July recorded 587,014 trips, including a record-setting 55,973 trips on July 11. Since opening the downtown line in 2016, the KC Streetcar has provided more than 20 million fare-free passenger trips.

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The new streetcar wrap and two streetcar stop designs arrive as UMKC prepares for another exciting basketball season, including the return of men’s basketball at Municipal Auditorium, and women’s basketball at Swinney Center. The KC Streetcar offers fans a convenient, fare-free way to travel between campus, downtown and destinations along the route to catch a game.

“UMKC is Kansas City’s top university, and the KC Streetcar puts our pride and momentum on the move,” said UMKC Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal. “From the achievements of our students to the excitement of Roos basketball, we’re giving Kansas City plenty to celebrate. As our Roos return to historic Municipal Auditorium, we invite the community to hop aboard, wear Roo blue and rally behind Kansas City’s College Team.”

The October 23 celebration is free and open to the public. Students, alumni, fans, and neighbors are encouraged to attend, meet members of the UMKC community, pick up commemorative giveaways and help kick off the new season. Roos Basketball tickets are available at kcroos.com/sports/ticketing.