On Sunday, the wait will finally be over.
Sporting Kansas City's 21st season in Major League Soccer is upon us, and there are more than a few reasons to be excited for what is ahead. We offer 21 of them in no particular order...
1. Soccer Sunday
Sporting KC’s road test this Sunday against Seattle Sounders FC at 6 p.m. CT (FS1, FOX Deportes) headlines a full day of action in which all 20 MLS clubs begin their seasons. The first Soccer Sunday of 2016 will feature a record 10 matches to kick off the campaign, including three contests on national TV. Every Sunday will be a treat as ESPN and FOX Sports broadcast the league’s biggest games.
2. Star power at Children’s Mercy Park
Sebastian Giovinco, Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore on March 20. Steven Gerrard, Giovani Dos Santos, Robbie Keane and Ashley Cole on May 1 and Sept. 18. Kaka on May 15. Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo on July 10. Kansas City will welcome some of the sport’s most heralded players, including former World Cup champions (Kaka and Pirlo) and UEFA Champions League winners (Gerrard, Cole and Lampard).
3. Watch parties at No Other Pub
No Other Pub will be the new digs for all Sporting KC watch parties. We’re talking local craft beers, a full food menu, bowling, golf simulators, table tennis and arcade games — not to mention an array of big-screen TVs showing every minute of the 2016 season. The fun starts Thursday when No Other Pub hosts Sporting KC’s Season Launch Party from 6-8 p.m. CT.
4. Defenders of the U.S. Open Cup
Think back to the high points of Sporting KC’s 2015 season. Several of them came during the club’s run to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup title — from the penalty shootout in Philadelphia to the late comebacks against Houston and Real Salt Lake to Dom Dwyer’s four-goal game. The Open Cup has delivered magical moments more than once — has Eddie Johnson’s penalty kick landed yet? — so our eyes are peeled for what 2016 has in store.
5. CCL on the horizon
Sporting KC will enter the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League group stage in August with hopes of qualifying for the knockout rounds next spring. MLS has yet to produce a Champions League winner. Sporting KC would put itself on the international map by doing so, earning a berth to the prestigious 2017 Club World Cup. That process begins this summer.
6. Sporting KC Uphoria
The official mobile app of Sporting KC will deliver an unparalleled experience on match days and throughout every week of the 2016 season. Click here to learn more about Uphoria’s features, including MySKC Cam, Playback, Experience seat upgrades, offer coupons (there will be far more of them in 2016) and comprehensive live stats. If you don’t have the app, download it and register an account. If you do, make sure it’s updated because you won’t want to miss what Sporting KC Uphoria has to offer this year.
7. Who’s the breakout newcomer?
Last year we saw Krisztian Nemeth and Soni Mustivar make huge impacts in their first year with the club. There are several candidates this time around — namely assist specialist Brad Davis, seasoned veteran Justin Mapp and 6-foot-4 Portuguese center back Nuno Andre Coelho.
8. No. 8 at full strength
Graham Zusi can do stuff like this, and this, and this. But the winger played through nagging injuries for the latter half of 2014 and all of 2015. After a restful offseason and a strong preseason, Zusi could be back to his best. “I think Graham is the heart and soul of our team,” Vermes said in January, adding “You ask me about this upcoming year and I think he’s going to have a real impact this season.”
9. A new No. 9
Manager Peter Vermes stated it with palpable confidence last Thursday on Sports Radio 810 WHB: “We need to have another [forward], and what I’ll tell you is we’ll have another [forward]. We could possibly have two, but we will definitely have at least one more.” In the coming days, we may know more about the next addition to Sporting KC’s attack.
10. Battle for midfield spots
Benny Feilhaber, Roger Espinoza, Soni Mustivar, Jordi Quintilla, Paulo Nagamura, Lawrence Olum. There is no shortage of competition for Sporting KC’s midfield spots — especially with wingers like Davis, Graham Zusi, Justin Mapp and Connor Hallisey capable of entering the midfield mix. One thing appears certain: Vermes will have plenty of options.
11. No. 11 chases history
Thankfully, the days of defending Brad Davis set pieces are over. The veteran midfielder will now provide them for Sporting KC, and he may just rewrite history in the process. Davis is 14 shy of tying Landon Donovan’s regular season assist record at 136. A productive year (or two) in Kansas City could see the Missouri native become the league’s all-time assist leader.
12. Battle for defensive spots
Sporting KC was at its best in 2012 and 2013 when there was continuity along its backline. Will Vermes find the right combination in 2016? Chance Myers and Seth Sinovic bring experience at the fullback spots, but Amadou Dia and Saad Abdul-Salaam showed their mettle during the second half of 2015. Matt Besler and Kevin Ellis featured regularly in central defense last year, but Ike Opara has recovered from an Achilles injury and Nuno Andre Coelho has entered the fray.
13. Dwyer ascending
It’s taken a little more than two seasons for Dom Dwyer to climb the Sporting KC scoring chart with 45 goals in all competitions. You'd really like his chances to score at least eight in 2016, which would move him into second place ahead of Josh Wolff (46) and Davy Arnaud (52). As for catching Preki at 81, he has his work cut out.
14. The Swope Park Rangers look legit
All joking aside, the Swope Park Rangers turned in a fantastic performance at the Desert Diamond Cup last month in Tucson. Sporting KC’s new USL team went unbeaten in four matches and showed signs that its inaugural season will be a successful one. The Rangers begin league play on March 26 with their first-ever match at Children’s Mercy Park. Get your tickets now on Ticketmaster.com.
15. MLS Fantasy
Do you take Keane or Kamara? Zusi or Davis? Is Giovinco an absolute must-have? Do you roll out a 4-3-3 or a 3-5-2? These are among the questions you and your friends can agonize over throughout the 2016 season. MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager is free to play and more than $10,000 in prizes is up for grabs.
16. An expanded menu of full-flavor creations
Legends Hospitality and Sporting KC will debut more than 20 new menu items this season at Children’s Mercy Park. Among the new additions: gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, authentic Mexican street tacos, made-to-order rice bowls, chicken and waffle sandwiches, chili cheese and jalapeño cheddar dogs, and giant Sporting cupcakes.
17. Two-game #Roaddron in July
Sandwiched between four home matches during the month of July is SportingKC’s two-game road trip to the Chicago Fire (July 13) and Colorado Rapids (July 16). The Roaddron, Sporting KC’s traveling supporters group, always shows out against these opponents and 2016 should be no different. Picture a week that starts in bustling Chicago, ends in the Rockies and includes two Sporting KC wins. Sounds like the perfect summer vacation. Visit skcawaytickets.com to make it happen.
18. For club and country
With Copa America Centenario (June 3-26) and World Cup qualifying on the docket, multiple players will represent their countries in 2016. Matt Besler (U.S.), Soni Mustivar (Haiti) and Roger Espinoza (Honduras) have earned caps in 2016, while Zusi featured regularly for the Yanks from 2012-2015.
19. Who’s the next Sporting Legend?
Sporting KC’s hall of honor includes Preki, Tony Meola, Bob Gansler, Peter Vermes, Jimmy Conrad, Lamar Hunt and Chris Klein. Voting for the 2016 inductee will commence in the coming months and the new member will receive halftime recognition at a home game this summer.
20. 20th Anniversary Night on April 13
The scheduling gods were kind to Sporting KC when they arranged a fixture against the Colorado Rapids on April 13 at Children’s Mercy Park. The night will mark the 20th anniversary of the club’s first-ever match at Arrowhead Stadium — coincidentally against the Colorado Rapids. In the lead-up to the game, SportingKC.com will roll out a series of content dedicated to the club’s 20-year history. As for the match itself, fans can expect nostalgia a la 1996. More to come on 20th Anniversary Night in the near future.
21. Decision Day 2.0
Major League Soccer’s inaugural Decision Day last October was a huge hit. Western Conference clubs simultaneously scrambled for playoff position — or in Sporting KC’s case, for their playoff lives — while New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas concurrently fought for the Supporters’ Shield in separate matches. This time around, Sporting KC hosts San Jose as all 20 clubs end the regular season on Oct. 23 at 3 p.m. CT.
