Ticket holders to Saturday’s MLS match between Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver Whitecaps FC are encouraged to arrive early to Children’s Mercy Park for an All For the Summer Celebration leading up to kickoff at 9 p.m. CT.
Saturday's festivities will include an on-field performance from Kansas City-based rapper Tech N9ne, a ceremony recognizing Kerry Zavagnin as the newest Member of Sporting Legends, and a pregame party for Boulevard Members Club ticket holders and 500 Season Ticket Members with Kansas Citian, professional tennis star and Olympic gold medalist Jack Sock.
“The All For the Summer Celebration will reward the best supporters in Major League Soccer with an unforgettable game day experience that begins well before kickoff on Saturday,” Sporting Kansas City President Jake Reid said. “With hometown heroes in attendance and entertainment extending beyond the match itself, Children’s Mercy Park will create an electric atmosphere for a huge game in our quest for the playoffs. We can’t wait to enjoy this special night with our fans, who continue to show remarkable support throughout the season.”
All Boulevard Members Club ticket holders and the first 500 Season Ticket Members that enter the Boulevard Members Club from 7-7:30 p.m. CT will receive a complimentary beverage token for any drink within the BMC on Saturday night. At 7:30 p.m., SKCTV commentator Nate Bukaty will toast the occasion alongside Sock, who returns to his hometown after winning a gold medal in mixed doubles and a bronze medal in men’s doubles at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Closer to game time, the Children’s Mercy Park lights will go out and Tech N9ne will take the field to perform two songs. A stunning laser and fireworks display will accompany his act, which culminates as players from both teams walk onto the pitch.
Tech N9ne has appeared at Children’s Mercy Park on two previous occasions, performing a song at the 2013 Eastern Conference Championship and leading the “I Believe” chant before Sporting Kansas City’s 2016 home opener against Vancouver in March. The hip-hop star also provided the voiceover for the “All For the City” television spot that debuted on Super Bowl Sunday in February.
The evening’s celebrations will resume at halftime when Sporting Kansas City assistant coach and former midfielder Kerry Zavagnin is officially inducted as the eighth member of the Sporting Legends, a hall of honor launched in 2013 that pays tribute to club icons. Zavagnin has been an integral part of the club since 2000, when he began a nine-year stint as a regular starter in midfield. An assistant coach since 2009, he has helped win each of the club’s six major trophies either as a player or a coach.
Prior to his on-field induction ceremony, Zavagnin will hold a KC Cauldron Meet and Greet from 6-6:30 p.m. CT in the Lot F parking space west of Children’s Mercy Park.
The All For the Summer Celebration comes during Sporting Kansas City’s lone home game in August, a pivotal Western Conference matchup that carries significant postseason implications. Sporting KC (10-11-5, 35 points) is currently fifth in the standings, while eighth-place Vancouver (8-11-6, 30 points) is just two points outside the playoff picture. A limited number of tickets for the contest, including standing-room only tickets, are still available at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
