Sporting Kansas City was formally recognized with four honors on Thursday during Major League Soccer's 2014 Club Executive Awards Ceremony presented by MLS Connect and held at the Marriott Downtown Philadelphia in conjunction with the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and annual NSCAA Convention.
The year-end awards recognize individuals and clubs for outstanding contributions away from the playing field. The following winners shared the stage with MLS Commissioner Don Garber for their successes during the 2014 MLS season:
Corporate Partnerships Team of the Year – Sporting Kansas City, accepted by Jon Moses and Jamie Guin (photo)
Video of the Year – The Benny Feilhaber Show, accepted by Jonathan Kaplan (photo)
Match Presentation Staff of the Year – Sporting Kansas City, accepted by Jamie Guin (photo)
Supporter Liaison of the Year – Darin Canova (pictured above)
In addition, Sporting Kansas City and the team's sales staff were identified as distinguished members of the below ticketing categories:
Commissioner's Club for Full Season Ticket Sales (over 12,000 season tickets) -- Sporting Kansas City, accepted by Gregg Allen
Commissioner's Club for Full Season Ticket Renewals (over 90%) -- Sporting Kansas City, accepted by Gregg Allen
Bronze Award for Group Ticket Sales (10,000-14,999) -- Beth Brittain
Sporting Kansas City reached the postseason for a fourth straight year in 2014, led by Dom Dwyer's 24 goals in all competition to set the club's new single-season record. The Englishman was one of four Sporting KC representatives at the 2014 MLS All-Star Game, along with Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin and Graham Zusi.
Besler and Zusi reached the sport's highest level in 2014 by representing the U.S. Men's National Team at the FIFA World Cup. Besler started all four matches in Brazil and Zusi contributed two assists as the United States advanced from the group stage. Sporting Kansas City re-signed Besler and Zusi to Designated Player contracts upon their return from the World Cup and most recently reached a long-term contract extension with Dwyer.
Tens of thousands of supporters attended Sporting KC's Summer in the Soccer Capital series of events that featured World Cup watch parties at the Kansas City Power & Light District and an international friendly against English Premier League champions Manchester City. Sporting Park has welcomed 53 consecutive sold-out crowds for MLS matches in addition to hosting the U.S. Women's National Team and multi-platinum artists Zac Brown Band in 2014.
Sporting Kansas City also celebrated the team's 2013 MLS Cup championship with a visit to the White House in 2014 and made a major announcement with Kansas Governor Sam Brownback to bring a U.S. Soccer National Training Center to Kansas City, Kansas in the near future.
Off the field, Sporting Kansas City introduced Price Chopper as the newest First Team partner and extended the club's marquee partnership with Ivy Funds through the 2022 season. The team now enters a highly anticipated 20th season in 2015 that will kick off on March 8 with a nationally televised match against the New York Red Bulls at Sporting Park.
Visit SportingKC.com/schedule for the team's full 34-game regular season schedule in 2015.
