Chiefs season ticket holder will spend 85th birthday at Super Bowl

GRANDVIEW, Mo. — Super Bowl tickets, for so many fans, their expense and scarcity puts them just out of reach.

But for one Kansas City Chiefs season ticket holder from Grandview, his time has come. He only had to wait about 60 years for it to happen.

Not only is 84-year-old Charles W. Chancellor going to the Super Bowl – Sunday is also his birthday. So he will be turning 85 from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

“Was your dad a football guy?” FOX 4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked.

“No. No,” Chancellor said with a laugh while showing off some of his collectibles housed in his basement.

“My dad never went to a game in his life. He used to make fun of me,” Chancellor said.

“What would he say?” FOX 4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked.

“Oh, what are you doing spending your money and Sunday afternoons?” Chancellor said, recalling his father’s words.

But Chancellor is a rebel.

“I bought my tickets in ’63. I was 25,” Chancellor said.

His season tickets are on the 35-yard line, 15 rows back. They are seats recognized by team ownership for their longevity – evidenced by the gift of a football with his name on it.

“And I handed it to [Clark Hunt] and he looked at me – he knew it was my ball given my age. And I said Mr. Hunt – you can sign it wherever you please,” Chancellor said.

But when he got the email that he was one of the season ticket holders able to buy Super Bowl tickets, he didn’t believe it.

“I’m old and everybody looks at it and you think okay, somebody’s trying to gyp me or whatever, so I just thought it was a scam,” Chancellor said.

“I found out via a text,” Charles’ daughter-in-law Kim Chancellor said.

She was almost immediately designated as his partner for the game. Her parents live in Arizona and will provide a place for them to stay. And attending games with Charles is a common activity from the past.

“I have to put my patience hat on a lot of time when we go to the games,” Kim said.

“So he heckles?” FOX 4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked.

“A little bit,” Kim said.

“The orneriest team that comes in here is Pittsburgh. Them and their damn crying towels,” Charles said.

“For the record, he doesn’t start it. They start it,” Kim said.

“I’m over the moon to see this [Chiefs] team at the Super Bowl,” Kim said.

And the stars are aligning with perfect timing. Charles has not been going to as many games recently as it has become more difficult for him to stand.

But for the man set to hit age 85 on Sunday, there’s only one thing to say about finally making it to the big game.

“It’s a hell of a birthday present,” Charles said with a laugh.

Now here’s the question: how much did the pair of tickets cost?

Charles said they were just shy of $5,000 – not including airfare and extras. But to him, this is a bucket list activity with his home team playing so it was pretty hard to say no.