Over the last 10 years, few professional sports franchises have experienced a more transformational journey than Sporting Kansas City. From Wizards to Sporting, from minor league baseball park to world-class soccer stadium, from MLS afterthought to perennial title contender, the 2010s ushered in a Kansas City soccer renaissance as Sporting enjoyed a meteoric rise both on and off the pitch.
What transpired 10 years ago today is often labeled the definitive turning point. The spark that lit the fuse. The beautiful prologue to a glory-filled decade that would ultimately unfold for Sporting Kansas City.
The largest soccer crowd in Kansas City history gathered on July 25, 2010, to see the Wizards face English powerhouse Manchester United at Arrowhead Stadium. The 52,424 in attendance were treated to an inspired performance from the hosts, who notched a 2-1 victory with goals from Davy Arnaud and Kei Kamara.
What truly set the game apart, however, was the noise and passion generated by fans. Though many came to the stadium donning United red, all supporters were pulling for an upset in the latter stages.
The remarkable response from the crowd was a harbinger of things to come. Given how perfectly the afternoon went, the club's players and owners believed more than ever that soccer had a bright future in Kansas City. And boy, did they have every reason to believe.
To this day, the Manchester United friendly is seen as an instrumental juncture in team history, proving that Kansas City had a tremendous appetite for soccer and that the sport was here to stay.
