Sporting KC crowned MLS Cup champions
MLS Cup celebration held at Union Station
Captain Jimmy Nielsen announces retirement
Sporting KC waives Kyle Miller and Brendan Ruiz
Sporting KC Show airs tonight at 7 p.m. CT
Annual Sporting KC holiday sale on Saturday
Kansas City to host 14 NCAA Championships
Construction on Phase II of Swope Soccer Village begins
Nielsen, Sinovic and Zavagnin in the Kansas City Ballet's Nutcracker
Sporting J.B. Marine becomes newest Academy Affiliate
Sporting KC releases 2014 MLS Schedule
38 The Spot (KCMI) named Sporting KC's new local TV partner
Truce 3v3 tournament to be held at National World War I Museum
Sporting KC USL PRO affiliate Orlando City to join MLS in 2015
Sporting KC returning to Tucson and Orlando for 2014 pre-season
Sporting KC to face Cruz Azul in 2013-14 CCL quarterfinals
Secure 2014 season tickets at Sporting Park
Follow Sporting KC online
SPORTING KC CROWNED MLS CUP CHAMPIONS
Sporting Kansas City prevailed in MLS Cup 2013 in a 10-round penalty shootout after regulation and two-15 minute extra time periods concluded in a 1-1 draw at Sporting Park on Saturday. The match was nationally broadcast on ESPN and UniMas.
Alvaro Saborio gave Real Salt Lake the first goal of the match in the 52nd minute of play, receiving a well-placed pass from teammate Kyle Beckerman. Collin equalized for Sporting KC in the 76th minute off a Graham Zusi corner kick. The goal was Collin's third during the 2013 MLS postseason, most among all players this season.
Collin also notched the game-winning goal in the penalty shootout to secure the second league title in the team's 18-year history and a berth in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League. Collin was named the Volkswagen MLS Cup 2013 MVP.
MLS CUP CELEBRATION HELD AT UNION STATION
A public celebration was held on Monday in the Sprint Festival Plaza at Union Station in Kansas City, MO. The special event was free and open to the public. The festivities included a live DJ, complimentary Boulevard, player appearances and opportunities for fans to have their photo taken with the Philip F. Anchustz Trophy. View a photo slideshow on SportingKC.com.
CAPTAIN JIMMY NIELSEN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
Sporting Kansas City captain Jimmy Nielsen announced his retirement from Major League Soccer on Monday, two days after leading Sporting KC to an MLS championship with two saves in the MLS Cup 2013 penalty shootout and lifting the Philip F. Anschutz trophy at Sporting Park.
Nielsen, 36, played four seasons in Major League Soccer for Sporting Kansas City and earned MLS All-Star (2010, 2012), MLS Goalkeeper of the Year (2012) and MLS Best XI (2012) recognitions. Nicknamed the White Puma and beloved by fans, Nielsen has played every minute in the team's last 100 MLS matches (including playoffs) dating back to 2011.
He holds the all-time club regular season goalkeeping records for games played (128), games started (128), minutes played (11,497), wins (57), ties (32), winning percentage (.575) and shutouts (45). His 0.99 career goals against average is best in MLS history among goalkeepers with a minimum of 1,000 regular season minutes played, highlighted by a 1.03 career goals against average on the road that also ranks first all-time among goalkeepers with 1,000 regular season minutes played.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY WAIVES KYLE MILLER AND BRENDAN RUIZ
Sporting Kansas City announced on Wednesday that defenders Kyle Miller and Brendan Ruiz have been waived by the club.
Miller, an Overland Park, Kan. native, was drafted by Sporting Kansas City in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft out of Rockhurst University. Miller notched the game-tying goal in Sporting Kansas City's international friendly against English Premier League side Stoke City FC in August 2012. Miller, 24, also appeared in an international friendly against Montpellier Herault SC.
Ruiz, a Los Angeles, Calif. native, signed with Sporting Kansas City in August from Brazilian side Figuerense. The 20-year-old defender did not appear in any competitive matches for the club.
SPORTING KC SHOW AIRS TONIGHT AT 7 P.M. CT
Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper coach John Pascarella joins hosts Callum Williams, Andy Edwards and Carter Augustine on The Sporting KC Show tonight on Sports Radio 810 WHB at 7 p.m. CT. Pascarella will give his insight on working with Nielsen over the last four seasons.
The group will also discuss an overview of the entire 2013 MLS Cup Championship season.
ANNUAL SPORTING KC HOLIDAY SALE ON SATURDAY
Sporting Kansas City will open the Boulevard Members Club at Sporting Park on Saturday to fans interested in purchasing official MLS Cup championship merchandise. The Boulevard Members Club Sporting Style location with be open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. CT, while supplies lasts.
Additional Sporting Kansas City merchandise will also be available for purchase. Customers are welcome to park in Lot D.
KANSAS CITY TO HOST 14 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sporting Park and Swope Soccer Village will host 13 championships over the next four years:
- 2014 Division III (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 5-6 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2014 Division II Football: Dec. 20 at Sporting Park
- 2015 Division III (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 4-5 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2015 Division I Men's Soccer: Dec. 11-13 at Sporting Park
- 2015 Division II Football: Dec. 19 at Sporting Park
- 2016 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 1-3 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2016 Division II Football: Dec. 17 at Sporting Park
- 2017 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2017 Division I Women's Volleyball: Dec. 14-16 at Sprint Center
- 2017 Division II Football: Dec. 16 at Sporting Park
CONSTRUCTION ON PHASE II OF SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE BEGINS
Construction on Phase II of Swope Soccer Village's $13.44 million expansion began today to prepare for the development of five new synthetic soccer fields. Located at 63rd and Lewis Rd. in Kansas City's Swope Park, the Swope Soccer Village will be home to nine full-sized soccer fields and facilities upon the project's completion in 2014.
In May, a $13.44 million expansion to the Swope Soccer Village was formally approved by the City Council. Four months after breaking ground, the complex's natural grass championship field - the first of six new fields as part of the expansion - opened in November and hosted the 2013 Big 12 Soccer Championship. The conference's postseason tournament will again be played at the Swope Soccer Village in 2014.
The five new synthetic fields will be built on the east side of Lewis Rd. and will each be furnished with lighting and fencing. Grand Construction serves as the general contractor and Sporting Club Network member Brookside Soccer Club will act as a primary tenant. The development will also provide additional infrastructure updates, including new restroom, concession and storage amenities.
MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City opened the team's training center at the Swope Soccer Village in 2007 with over 7,800 square feet of facility space and three soccer fields. The Sporting KC Academy, Sporting Club Network members and numerous community outreach programs utilize the existing four fields at the complex.
NIELSEN, SINOVIC AND ZAVAGNIN IN THE KANSAS CITY BALLET'S NUTCRACKER
Jimmy Nielsen, Seth Sinovic and Kerry Zavagnin will be starring in select editions of the Kansas City Ballet's Nutcracker in mid December. The trio rehearsed their portions on The Nutcracker with the Company in the Frost Studio in the Bolender Center last week.
Nielsen will perform on Friday, Dec. 13 with his two daughters Mille (15) and Isabella (7). Sinovic will star in both the 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock performances on Sunday, Dec. 15. Zavagnin will headline the performance on Wednesday, Dec. 18.
SPORTING J.B. MARINE BECOMES NEWEST ACADEMY AFFILIATE
J.B. Marine Soccer Club of St. Louis, Missouri has officially joined forces with Sporting Kansas City and Sporting Club as the newest Academy Affiliate in the Sporting Club Network. Rebranded as Sporting J.B. Marine, they join Sporting StL Rangers and Sporting Columbia SC as the third Academy Affiliate in the state of Missouri and the Sporting Club Network's seventh total Academy Affiliate.
"We're excited to welcome Sporting J.B. Marine as an Academy Affiliate and the first all-girls club in the Sporting Club Network," Sporting Kansas City Academy Director of Coaching Jon Parry said. "Their history of player development speaks for itself and their teams have represented our region at the highest levels."
SPORTING KC RELEASES 2014 MLS SCHEDULE
Sporting KC released the club's 34-game regular season schedule for the 2014 Major League Soccer season.
Sporting Kansas City is currently taking deposits for the 2014 season ticket member waiting list. The non-refundable deposits are $150 per seat for premium areas and $50 per seat for all other section. Groups of 20 or more can also place deposits, starting at $300, to secure priority consideration for preferred seating areas, game dates and hospitality options ahead of the general public. Single-game ticket information will be released at a later date.
38 THE SPOT (KMCI) NAMED SPORTING KC'S NEW LOCAL TV PARTNER
Every Sporting Kansas City regular season MLS match will again be shown live in 2014. KMCI-TV (38 the Spot) will serve as the team's new local broadcast partner and will carry all non-nationally televised regular season matches. Owned by Scripps Media, Inc., KCMI's plans include pre-game and post-game shows, as well as select Sporting Kansas City programing to air on sister station KSHB-TV (Kansas City's NBC affiliate).
TRUCE 3V3 TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD AT NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM
Sporting Club and the National World War I Museum invite the Kansas City soccer community to take part in the inaugural Truce Tournament. Paired with an EPL Watch Party inside the National World War I Museum, the 3v3 tournament will be played on Memorial Hill.
Kicking off in 2013, one year prior to the 100th anniversary of World War 1, The Truce Tournament is also a tribute to the time-honored story of the Christmas Truce. According to legend, the battles of WWI temporarily subsided around Christmas in 1914 and members of both warring sides ventured out to No Man's Land to exchange gifts, sing carols and play soccer. The tournament will take place on Thursday, December 26. To register your team for the Truce Tournament, click here.
SPORTING KC USL PRO AFFILIATE ORLANDO CITY TO JOIN MLS IN 2015
Major League Soccer announced that Sporting KC's USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC will become the 21st club to join MLS. In three years, Orlando City has won two USL PRO regular season titles and two USL PRO championships.
Their commitment to running a professional organization in Orlando led to a two-year partnership with Sporting Kansas City prior to the 2013 season. That partnership allowed Sporting KC to send up to four players on loan to Orlando during the 2013 season. Sporting KC used the loan opportunities to get critical minutes for players such as Dom Dwyer, C.J. Sapong and Christian Duke, among others, throughout the year.
SPORTING KC RETURNING TO TUCSON AND ORLANDO FOR 2014 PRE-SEASON
Prior to the 2014 season, Sporting Kansas City will again travel to Tucson, Ariz. and Orlando, Fla. for the team's pre-season preparations. The team will arrive in Tucson on Jan. 23 for a two-week stay. After returning home to Kansas City on Feb. 7, the club will hold the second leg of the 2014 pre-season in Orlando from Feb. 15 thru March 2.
Sporting KC will headline the 2014 Disney Pro Soccer Classic field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Sporting KC, along with the Philadelphia Union and the Columbus Crew are the latest entries into the February event at Walt Disney World in suburban Orlando.
Sporting KC's USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC and fellow MLS side Montreal Impact will also participate in the eight-team pre-season tournament. The remainder of the field will be announced in the next several weeks.
For more information on the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, visit espnwwos.com/prosoccerclassic. Travel packages are available through GetTravel.com. The packages may include accommodations near Walt Disney World Resort, game tickets, ground transportation and discounted Disney theme park tickets.
SPORTING KC TO FACE CRUZ AZUL IN 2013-14 CCL QUARTERFINALS
Sporting KC will square off with Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals next March. Sporting KC won their group with a 2-0-2 record and finished as the No. 7 overall seed in the tournament. They will host Cruz Azul in the first leg at Sporting Park and travel to Mexico City for the second leg the following week.
Cruz Azul are the most successful team in CCL history, winning the tournament five times (tied for most among all clubs) and finishing runners-up in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 editions. The team's 29 wins are most in CCL history to go along with six draws and nine losses all-time in the tournament.
SECURE 2014 SEASON TICKETS AT SPORTING PARK
Sporting Kansas City is now taking deposits for new season ticket members for the 2014 season at state-of-the-art Sporting Park. The non-refundable deposits are $150 per seat for premium areas and $50 per seat for all other sections and provide fans with priority position for securing full season tickets in 2014.
Additionally, all fans on the Sporting Kansas City season ticket member waiting list will be given access to pre-sale opportunities for select special events at Sporting Park (subject to availability).
FOLLOW SPORTING KC ONLINE
Sporting Kansas City fans looking to keep up with the club on the worldwide web now have a place to go. The social media page on SportingKC.com features Twitter account information for the club, its players as well as many staff members. Additionally, fans may take advantage of the Media Recap page for all the latest independent news coverage available online.
