Kansas Relays ending after 102 years

Aerial picture of Rock Chalk Park in Lawrence, KS on Oct. 8, 2025. Alex Moore//KUJH

The Kansas Relays are officially coming to an end, as was confirmed by University of Kansas Athletic Director Travis Goff in an interview with the Lawrence Journal-World on Sept. 18. Goff talked about how the changing landscape in regards to name, image and likeness is changing how the University looks at expenses.

“It really is tied most directly to expense management, and just needing to get our legs underneath us in this new chapter with the House settlement having gone through, having [revenue sharing] and these new required expense lines,” Goff said.

Drew Matthews, a Kansas Track and Field alumni and current high school coach, is one of the many fans and alumni who have voiced their disappointment over the decision.

“This is a great front porch type of event for the university, and it’s a shame that it’s gone,” Matthews said.

Former Kansas Relays Meet Director Tim Byers has also voiced his disappointment with the decision. He lost his position as meet director earlier this semester, and will begin working at Emporia State University next year.

“I just don’t think there was enough consideration of what it means to the economic impact, what it means to our athletes, and our alumni, you know, and everything and stuff,” Byers said.

The relays had become a staple for college and high school students. The three-day event brought in a lot of talent from across the country, creating competition that wouldn’t occur at individual state championships.

“We have people coming up from Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee,” Matthews said. “I had hoped to take my team there sometime to the KU Relays.”

The Kansas Relays was the second-oldest annual track event in the country, only behind the Penn Relays, which was held at the University of Pennsylvania.

“That’s where the decision was made was on a price tag, unfortunately, instead of a history-making, one of the best relays in the nation,” Byers said.

Goff also said in the interview that this hopefully won’t be the last time it is ever ran, rather they could make this an event that happens every couple of years. However, Drew Matthews doesn’t think that that idea will work out in the way they want it too.

“If you don’t host the meet every year, you don’t really become a part of the schedule for the opposing teams per se,” Matthews said. “If I can only count on going to KU Relays every three years, well, I’ve got to find a meet that I like better. Maybe I’ll just go to that meet instead of going to the KU Relays every three years.”