HISTORIC 2011 HOME OPENER ANNOUNCED FOR KC SOCCER STADIUM:
Sporting Kansas City will open the team’s state-of-the-art new stadium against the Chicago Fire on Thursday, June 9th, 2011. Major League Soccer unveiled details of home openers for all 18 clubs on Monday, highlighted by the announcement of First Kick in KC Soccer Stadium, the team’s $180 million home ground currently under construction in Kansas City, Kansas.
While the full 2011 MLS schedule will be released by early February, Kansas City learned three of its 34 regular season games on Monday. Sporting will open the 2011 MLS season at Chivas USA at 9:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 19th at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California and then travel to Chicago for the Fire’s home opener the following weekend on Saturday, March 26th at 3 p.m. CT at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.
The Fire’s return trip to Kansas City on June 9th will mark a momentous date in Kansas City soccer history as the city’s first professional soccer-specific stadium opens 18 months after breaking ground on the site near The Legends in Wyandotte County. The stadium will seat 18,500 soccer spectators and features a canopy roof that will cover every seating section and includes a 2,016-square-foot HD video board on the south end and a 550-square-foot HD video board on the north end. The members stand has a capacity of 2,000 seats and is complemented by an innovative Members Club, the first of its kind in MLS, and one of five club spaces throughout the building.
Sporting Kansas City and Major League Soccer enter their 16th season in 2011, which will feature two new expansion teams in the Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers, as every club plays each team twice in a 34-game season.
2011 SCHEDULE
Saturday, March 19th: Sporting Kansas City at Chivas USA at 9:30 p.m. CT -- 2011 Season Opener
Saturday, March 26th: Sporting Kansas City at Chicago Fire at 3:00 p.m. CT
Thursday, June 9th: Sporting Kansas City vs. Chicago Fire (time TBD) – 2011 Home Opener
Tuesday, June 14th: 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ doubleheader at KC Soccer Stadium (time TBD)
KANSAS CITY TO HOST 2011 CONCACAF GOLD CUP DOUBLEHEADER ON JUNE 14:
Sporting Kansas City’s state-of-the-art new stadium will host a first round doubleheader for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ on June 14, 2011. Kansas City was one of 11 U.S. cities chosen to host games during the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ and the international matches will take place at Sporting Kansas City’s $180 million new stadium, currently under construction in Kansas City, Kansas. The venue will seat 18,500 soccer supporters and includes a dramatic canopy roof that covers every seating section of the stadium.
The Gold Cup doubleheader in Kansas City will be included as part of 2011 Sporting Kansas City season ticket packages, which can be purchased at www.SportingKC.com/VirtualVenue or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Season tickets begin at $14-per-seat ($280 total for 20 games).
The tournament brings 12 of the region’s best National Teams to compete for the continental crown and the right to be the region’s representative in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. The 2011 Gold Cup will mark the 20th anniversary of the tournament, the region’s highest level of competition, and is scheduled to take place across the United States from June 5th to June 25th.
CONCACAF will announce the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ groups, schedule and ticket information in early February.
TEAL BUNBURY SELECTED TO US MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM FOR JANUARY CAMP:
Sporting Kansas City forward Teal Bunbury was named to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster on Tuesday for the team’s January training camp in Carson, California at the Home Depot Center. The camp begins January 4th and will culminate with the United States’ first international match of 2011 against Chile at 8 p.m. CT on Saturday, January 22nd.
The invitation is the second straight selection for Bunbury, who made his international debut in the United States’ last match, a 1-0 victory over South Africa in November’s Nelson Mandela Challenge. The 20-year-old, one of four forwards and the fourth-youngest selection on the 24-player roster selected by Bradley, is coming off a successful rookie season in which he contributed five goals and two assists in 26 appearances. Bunbury also scored a goal in a U.S. Open Cup game in April and recorded an assist in Kansas City’s upset of Manchester United in July.
Bunbury was also chosen to Major League Soccer’s Generation adidas squad that traveled to Spain earlier this month. He scored three goals and added an assist in matches against the reserve sides for Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
ROGER ESPINOZA JOINS HONDURAS NATIONAL TEAM FOR FRIENDLIES:
Sporting Kansas City defender Roger Espinoza is currently in camp with Honduras, who defeated Panama 2-1 on Saturday in an international friendly. Espinoza will now travel with Honduras to face the Catalonia National Team at 12:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, December 28th at Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic in Barcelona, Spain. The Catalan XI squad will feature seven FC Barcelona players, including Carlos Puyol and Gerard Pique, and is managed by Johan Cruyff.
The friendly will be Honduras’ final match of 2010, as the team prepares for the 2011 Central American Nations Cup to be held in Panama City in January. Espinoza has 16 appearances for Honduras, ranked No. 59 in the world, including two at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
HOLIDAY SEASON TICKET SPECIAL AVAILABLE IN DECEMBER:
Sporting Kansas City is offering a holiday ticket special for supporters to purchase 2011 Season Tickets with no payment due until February. The promotion is open to the first 1,000 new season ticket members who sign-up during the month of December.
Supporters can register for 2011 season tickets by visiting www.sportingkc.com/holidayspecial or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Those purchasing tickets will be placed in line for the seat selection process on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sporting Kansas City began the seat selection process earlier this month, as 2011 season ticket members can now choose their seats in the team’s new state-of-the-art stadium. Members have the choice between conducting the seat selection process online or over the phone, and in the spring, members will have the opportunity to tour the new stadium and sit in their seats for the first time.
Sporting Kansas City 2011 season tickets begin at $14-per-seat for the Member’s Stand ($280 total for 20 games). Additional club and suite options are also available.
SEAT SELECTION ONGOING FOR 2011 SEASON TICKET MEMBERS:
Sporting Kansas City began the seat selection process earlier this month for 2011 season ticket members choosing their seats for the team’s new state-of-the-art stadium, based on each member’s placement on the season ticket priority list. All 2011 season ticket members have the choice between conducting the seat selection process online or over the phone, and in the spring, members will have the opportunity to tour the new stadium and sit in their designated Sporting Kansas City season seat(s).
Supporters can register for 2011 season tickets by visiting www.sportingkc.com/holidayspecial or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL. Those purchasing tickets will be placed in line for the seat selection process on a first-come, first-served basis.
HOME GROWN PLAYER JON KEMPIN EARNS TWO STARTS FOR U18 NATIONAL TEAM:
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jon Kempin, the team's first Home Grown Player, was selected to the U.S. Under-18 National Team and made two starts at the Traditional Winter Tournament in Tel Aviv, Israel last week.
Kempin earned a shutout in the U-18 National Team’s match against Israel on December 16, making two saves in the scoreless draw. One day later, he earned his second consecutive start in the tournament finale against Germany and recorded nine saves in a 2-1 loss to the tournament champions.
Kempin was one of two professional players on the 20-player squad, along with Victor Pineda from the Chicago Fire, and was coming off two strong appearances for the U.S. U20 National Team at the Torneo de las Americas. Kempin played every minute at the tournament, making six saves against Colombia in his first-ever appearance for the under-20 team and then recording eight more saves in a 1-1 draw against Mexico two days later.
SPORTING U16 JUNIORS PLAYER EDUARDO MORENO INVITED TO US U17 CAMP:
Sporting Kansas City U16 Juniors player Eduardo Moreno traveled to Bradenton, Florida last week for an exclusive U.S. Soccer U-17 Mini Camp held at the IMG Academies. Moreno, a 16-year-old striker from Liberal, Kansas, was one of 20 players from across the country identified and invited by the U.S. Soccer Federation to participate in the camp.
Moreno has played three games for the U16 Juniors in the 2010-11 U.S. Soccer Development Academy, scoring the game-winning goal in the team’s 1-0 win over South Central Premier at the Winter Showcase earlier this month.
The weeklong training camp is designed to allow an elite group of the top youth soccer players in the country to experience the U-17 Residency Program, U.S. Soccer’s full-time player development academy that hosts 40 players each semester under the direction of Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera.
The U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team is preparing for February’s 2011 CONCACAF U-17 Championships in Jamaica, with the top four teams qualifying for the U-17 FIFA World Cup in Mexico this summer.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE AT DICK’S SPORTING GOODS STORES AND ONLINE:
Sporting Kansas City merchandise can be purchased at Dick’s Sporting Goods stores throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area, as well as online at MLSgear.com. Dick’s Sporting Goods launched the first line of Sporting Kansas City short-sleeve and long-sleeve t-shirts following the team’s announcement of their new look last month. Additionally, Sporting Kansas City supporters and holiday shoppers can visit the official online store of Major League Soccer for scarves and hats with the new logo and Sporting Blue color.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY LOOKS AHEAD TO HISTORIC 2011 SEASON:
Sporting Kansas City will welcome Mexican international Omar Bravo as the team’s second-ever Designated Player and will move into a state-of-the-art soccer stadium, currently under construction at Village West in Kansas City, Kansas, as the team prepares for a highly-anticipated 2011 season.
The 2011 season will feature 34 regular season games, with Kansas City’s first match at Chivas USA on March 19th and the KC Soccer Stadium home opener on June 9th. The 16th season of Major League Soccer will feature the introduction of two new teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers.
The upcoming year will also feature the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup in June, with a first round doubleheader to be played at KC Soccer Stadium on June 14. CONCACAF will announce the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup™ groups, schedule and ticket information in early February.
