NEW YORK — Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals are moving a scheduled home game in September to allow for the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs possibly hosting an NFL season-opener.

The Royals announced they will move the scheduled Sept. 10 early afternoon game against the Oakland A's to the afternoon of Sept. 8 ahead of a scheduled night game on the same date.

The move was made to allow for the possibility the Chiefs would serve as hosts for the NFL 2020 season opener on the Thursday evening at Arrowhead Stadium, adjacent to the Royals' home ballpark, Kauffman Stadium.

The venues share parking and entry areas and having both events so close together could have produced a logistical nightmare for each.

It's a contrast to 2013, when the Baltimore Orioles hosted an MLB game on the Thursday and the Ravens played in the NFL season-opener but on the road instead of in their adjacent stadium.

The NFL broke with the Super Bowl champion hosting the Thursday season opener last year for the league's 100th campaign when two of the NFL's oldest clubs, the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, met in the contest.

The move would give the Chiefs the chance to unveil their championship banner and entertain a rival as well as launch the defending of their crown before a national audience.

But the NFL has not said what it plans for the contest or even that the Chiefs will be involved. — AFP