The first full week of March has been an exciting one for Sporting Kansas City, with last weekend’s season-opening win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC only adding to the excitement ahead of Saturday’s home opener against rivals Houston Dynamo at Children’s Mercy Park.
As matchday approaches, SportingKC.com has compiled its first Media Roundup of the 2020 season, serving as a one-stop shop for fans to catch up on Sporting Kansas City coverage in the local, national and international media.
Kansas City Star
In addition to recapping the Week 1 victory in Vancouver, The Kansas City Star parlayed Sporting Kansas City Media Day on Tuesday into a series of articles leading up to the Children’s Mercy Park curtain raiser versus Houston.
New faces produce first three points of season in Sporting’s opener in Vancouver
“With Kansas City looking to turn the page from last year’s 11th-place finish, newcomers Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda helped Sporting KC to its first three points of 2020 with a goal apiece,” Shaun Goodwin writes.
Sporting’s new concessions include popular local favorites in barbecue and burgers
“As Sporting Kansas City gears up to celebrate its 25th season as a founding member of Major League Soccer, it is refreshing its concession offerings with items from popular locally owned companies and its own culinary team,” Joyce Smith writes.
Sporting’s Peter Vermes explains the best sports GIF of 2020 so far
Columnist Sam Mellinger tells the story behind a certain GIF of Sporting Manager Peter Vermes that dropped Saturday night in Vancouver and got no shortage of traction throughout the week on social media.
Just 17, Gianluca Busio is outpacing all expectations placed on him by Sporting
At every step since his arrival in Kansas City at just 15 years of age, Gianluca Busio has exceeded every expectation set by Peter Vermes and the technical staff, Shaun Goodwin writes.
A rose by any other name: Sporting KC’s Salloi will be Kansas City’s ‘Bachelor’
Yes, this is a real thing and it’s definitely happening. Sporting’s own Daniel Salloi has been selected as “Kansas City’s Bachelor” as the hit TV series heads on the road for a production called The Bachelor Live on Stage.
Sporting Kansas City is amped about Saturday. Why? There’s nothing like a home opener
Sporting Kansas City players, coaches and fans alike are absolutely relishing a return to Children’s Mercy Park on Saturday for the club’s first home game in over five months, Shaun Goodwin writes.
Rebuilt for Success
When Sporting Kansas City missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade last season, it left Manager Peter Vermes with a little extra time on his hands. As Dave Skretta of the Associated Press writes, "He didn't spend it mindlessly twiddling his thumbs. Instead, the uber-competitive Vermes began an offseason overhaul unlike anything the club has experienced in recent memory."
Concessions Refresh
FOX 4 Kansas City's Makenzie Koch provided further coverage of Sporting's concession stand refresh, highlighting local favorites like BRGR, Taco Republic, Port Fonda, the American Royal, Parisi Coffee and J. Rieger & Co.
Compass Minerals
As reported by James Dornbook of the Kansas City Business Journal, Compass Minerals has become Sporting’s first sleeve sponsor. The Compass Minerals logo will be prominently displayed as a patch on the right sleeve of the club’s primary and secondary jerseys as part of the multi-year partnership, which also includes naming rights to Pinnacle National Development Center and Wyandotte Sporting Fields.
Busio on The Cooligans
Soccer-obsessed stand up comedians Alexis Guerreros and Christian Polanco, collectively known as The Cooligans, chatted with Sporting Kansas City Homegrown Player Gianluca Busio during the 17-year-old's media visit to New York City last week.
Spanish Hits
Sporting Kansas City striker Alan Pulido marked his MLS debut with a wonderfully taken header in last weekend’s defeat of Vancouver. Having opened his scoring account in Week 1, Pulido landed plenty of media attention from his native Mexico and Spanish-language news outlets in the U.S. Milenio, El Imparcial and MSN Mexico and TUDN all covered his impressive performance and/or his high-profile transition from Liga MX to Major League Soccer.
- Milenio:Alan Pulido anota en victoria del Sporting KC sobre el Whitecaps
- El Imparcial: Alan Pulido se estrena con gol en la MLS
- MSN: Alan Pulido anota su primer gol en la MLS
- TUDN: ¿Alan Pulido está más cerca de la Selección Mexicana en la MLS?
- TUDN:¡Contundente! Para Alan Pulido, la MLS es “más europea” que la Liga MX
- TUDN:Alan Pulido: "En México el jugador no es tan valorado"
- TUDN:Alan Pulido se prepara para debutar en el 'Infierno Azul'
Spanish outlet Marca, meanwhile, profiled Saturday's matchup against Houston through a unique coaching lens. Vermes will go toe-to-toe with first-year Dynamo head coach Tab Ramos, marking the reunion of two longtime teammates who previously played together for the U.S Men's National Team and Spanish club Figueres.
Elsewhere, Honduran news outlet Diario Deportivo Diez caught up with Sporting midfielder Roger Espinoza for a written feature in which the two-time World Cup veteran discussed his Honduran national team experience, the future of Honduran soccer and comparing Major League Soccer to Liga MX.
Talkin' Touches
Manager Peter Vermes was the main guest for the newest episode of Talkin' Touches, an MLS podcast hosted by Kansas City residents Andy Edwards and Charles Gooch.
The Blue Testament
Bob Rusert of The Blue Testament, Sporting’s SB Nation community, explained why Sporting is “absolutely” in the right mindset for a strong bounce-back campaign in 2020. Additionally, Chad Smith provided a comprehensive preview of Sporting Kansas City II’s season in the USL Championship.
Looking for More?
For additional media coverage of Sporting Kansas City, please click here.
