Kansas City Chiefs: 5 Reasons That a Lockout Would Hurt the Team

After an amazing bounce-back 2010 season where the Kansas City Chiefs finished 10-6 and won the AFC West title, there is was a great amount of optimism heading into the 2011 NFL season.

That was, until threats of an NFL lockout become more and more severe in recent weeks which leads many to believe that there will be no NFL season this year.

The Chiefs, like many other teams, would not benefit from this, and the last thing that this franchise and city needs is another letdown in sports.

Matt Cassel's Development

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HONOLULU - JANUARY 30: Matt Cassel, #7 of the Kansas City Chiefs, passes against the NFC during the 2011 NFL Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium on January 30, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Chiefs QB Matt Cassel had his best season as a pro in 2010 when he threw for 27 touchdowns and seven interceptions while earning his first career Pro Bowl invite.

After improving dramatically from a horrid 2009 season where he threw as many touchdowns as interceptions, the former USC backup took a big step in the right direction.

Many wonder if this was because of the help of former Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlies Weis, or if it was due to the fact that Cassel's improvement surged with help from a dominant running game.

Either way, the development of this talented 28-year-old gunslinger would be hampered if the NFL decides to do away with its upcoming 2011 season.

Dwayne Bowe's Emergence

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Wide receiver Dwayne Bowe #82 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up prior to playing the Baltimore Ravens in their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dil

The talented Chiefs receiver had a huge season in 2010 when he caught 72 passes for 1,162 yards and 15 touchdowns on the way to his first Pro Bowl selection.

He became a dark horse for the Chiefs' offense last season, and skipping next season could really hurt Bowe and the team.

An extra year would mean that many teams would have more time to prepare for the former LSU star wideout. This would affect Bowe the most, as he tends to lose focus in games where he is taken out of it due to stellar defense on him.

The Team Could Get Lazy

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN - FEBRUARY 25: Kansas City Chiefs head coach Todd Haley answers questions during a media session at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 25, 2011 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

This is always a possibility when something like a lockout occurs in professional sports.

The Chiefs do have the advantage of having a head coach that does not accept laziness from his players at any time, but this does not mean that his team could still slack off more when they know there is no season to be played.

It will be Haley's prerogative to make sure that his squad will continue to work hard and not rest on their laurels if there is no season this fall.

The Chiefs Might Not Be the Talk of the Town Anymore

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: The Kansas City Chiefs huddle together prior to playing the Baltimore Ravens in their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

This reason might sound crazy but trust me, it isn't.

With the Royals' farm system recently being labeled as the best farm system in all of baseball and many  predicting that they could contend in 2012, suddenly the Chiefs could be on the back burner if there is no 2011 season.

After all, this team and franchise has a long way to go before it will be recognized as a consistently good team in the future.

No 2011 Season Means No New Revenue from Ticket Sales

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KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 09: Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs sit in the stands after the Baltimore Ravens defeated the Chiefs 30-7 in the 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Doug Pe

The Kansas City Chiefs' organization has prided itself on selling out their home games each season.

At one time, they had a stretch of 19-straight seasons of sellouts, which in turn, created a mass amount of revenue for the franchise.

Obviously, any season where the team doesn't play would greatly affect the amount of money that the organization would accumulate during that year.