"The Week in Review,” is a weekly series that highlights the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City.
1. Sporting KC announces roster moves ahead of 2023 season
Last Monday, Sporting Kansas City announced several roster moves ahead of the 2023 MLS season. Sporting exercised contract options for midfielder Cam Duke, defender Kortne Ford and goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh. The club declined contract options for defenders Nicolas Isimat-Mirin, Kaveh Rad and Graham Zusi. Sporting is in discussions to retain Zusi, midfielder Roger Espinoza and defender Andreu Fontas, all of whom are out of contract with the club. Additionally, Sporting signed midfielder Felipe Hernandez, forward Khiry Shelton and goalkeeper Tim Melia to new MLS contracts.
Following last week's roster announcement, Sporting has 23 players under contract for the 2023 MLS season:
- Goalkeepers (3): Kendall McIntosh, Tim Melia, John Pulskamp
- Defenders (5): Kortne Ford, Logan Ndenbe, Kayden Pierre, Ben Sweat, Robert Voloder
- Midfielders (9): Ozzie Cisneros, Jake Davis, Cam Duke, Felipe Hernandez, Gadi Kinda, Nemanja Radoja, Uri Rosell, Erik Thommy, Remi Walter
- Forwards (6): Willy Agada, Alan Pulido, Johnny Russell, Daniel Salloi, Khiry Shelton, Marinos Tzionis
The club's roster will continue to take shape in the buildup to the 2023 MLS campaign, which will kick off the final weekend of February. For a full list of the team’s offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/news/tracker.
2. Sporting KC II announces roster moves ahead of second MLS NEXT Pro season
Sporting Kansas City II also announced roster decisions last Monday. The club has exercised contract options for Bakary Bagayoko, Ethan Bandre, Josh Coan and Mikey Lenis. Additionally, Aljaz Dzankic, Coby Jones and Jahon Rad entered 2023 under guaranteed contracts. SKC II has declined contract options for 10 players: Paul Atta Agyei, Kian Alberto, T.J. Fatah, Collin Fernandez, Josip Hmura, Cole McLagan, Rauf Salifu, Joseph Addo Tetteh, Cade Thomson and Julian Vazquez. Spencer Glass is out of contract with the club. Sporting KC II is currently in discussions with Esai Easley and Curtez Kellman, both of whom competed for the club in 2022. Seven players are currently under MLS NEXT Pro contracts with SKC II entering next season, the four players whose contract options were exercised plus the three players whose contracts were guaranteed for 2023.
- Goalkeepers (1): Ethan Bandre
- Defenders (4): Aljaz Dzankic, Coby Jones, Mikey Lenis, Jahon Rad
- Forwards (2): Bakary Bagayoko, Josh Coan
Braxton Arpachinda, Edgar Bazan, Nati Clarke, Matthew Fisher, Matthew Hudson, Guy Michaeli, Nico Pendleton, Ryan Reid and Carlito Saylon competed for SKC II on amateur academy contracts in 2022 and remain age-eligible to play in the Sporting KC Academy. Draven Barnett and Jayvin Van Deventer were also on amateur academy contracts in 2022 and have left the club to pursue their college soccer careers at Temple University and Northwestern University, respectively.
3. Apple and Major League Soccer's MLS Season Pass set to launch February 1, 2023
Apple and Major League Soccer have announced MLS Season Pass will launch Feb. 1, 2023, bringing unprecedented MLS coverage to fans in over 100 countries and regions. The package includes every live MLS regular-season match, the entire playoffs and the Leagues Cup with zero blackouts. All matches will be available on billions of devices through the Apple TV app on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices, set-top boxes, and game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. The launch of MLS Season Pass marks the official kickoff of the 10-year partnership between MLS and Apple, a historic first for a major professional sports league.
Starting February 1, fans can subscribe to MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app for $14.99 per month during the season or $99 per season, and Apple TV+ subscribers can sign up at a special price of $12.99 per month and $79 per season. Fans will be able to watch MLS matches featuring English and Spanish broadcast crews, and they can easily listen to a club’s home radio broadcast on the Apple TV app. Matches will take place primarily on Saturdays and Wednesdays, with a few matches held on Sundays, and most matches will start at 7:30 p.m. local time, with pregame coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
4. World Cup Watch Parties at KC Live! are back
Monday marks the beginning of the United States Men's National Team FIFA 2022 World Cup run and the return of World Cup Watch Parties at KC Live!. Throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, Sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City Power & Light District are partnering to host official World Cup watch parties at KC Live! and No Other Pub. Fans of all ages are invited to come cheer on their country alongside fellow soccer supporters and take part in a tradition that has earned Kansas City recognition as the Soccer Capital of America.
The USMNT and the World Cup Watch Parties kick off Monday against Wales at 1 p.m. CT.
Admission tickets are free and available to reserve now. Entry to the events will be on a first-come, first-served basis until venue capacity has been reached. Due to the expected high demand, ticket holders are advised to arrive early. Ticket holders may not be guaranteed admission. Click HERE to reserve your free ticket.
5. Remi Walter inaugurates sports complex in his hometown
Sporting Kansas City midfielder Remi Walter was honored over last weekend, with his former club, AS Nancy Lorraine, naming a sports complex after him in his hometown of Tomblaine, France. Walter and fellow MLS defender Maxime Chanot of New York City FC, enjoyed the warm welcome back in northeastern France as the duo made their homecoming. The Sporting KC midfielder made 78 appearances in all competitions for AS Nancy before transferring to OGC Nice in 2016.
6. SportingStyle Locker Room Sale set for Saturday, Nov. 26
SportingStyle's highly anticipated Locker Room Sale returns to Children's Mercy Park on Saturday, Nov. 26 with autographed memorabilia and player-worn items available for purchase from 10 a.m. CT to 6 p.m. CT in the Budweiser Brew House. These items are in small supply and in high demand, so fans are encouraged to arrive early. Fans who RSVP using their SeatGeek login will receive a $5 Sporting Pay complimentary balance to use at the sale.
SportingStyle Locker Room Sale Information
All items will be 25 percent off with select items up to 50 percent off. Autographed memorabilia and player-worn items will be priced as marked.
