The 2017 preseason has yet to officially begin, but the last seven days have packed quite the punch for Sporting Kansas City. From player signings and draft picks to schedule releases and national team news, we get you all caught up in the space below.
ALL FANS WELCOME TO TV SHOOT TONIGHT AT CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK
From 6-8 p.m. CT this evening, Sporting Kansas City will shoot its 2017 television spot at state-of-the-art Children's Mercy Park. Supporters are welcome to take the field alongside players of the team, so long as they RSVP and wear their favorite Sporting KC gear. All fans who join the event will be entered to win a variety of raffle prizes, and those who stop by the SportingStyle Pop-in Store will receive 20 percent off their purchases. (Full story)
SPORTING KC ADDS SPANISH MIDFIELDER ILIE SANCHEZ
Sporting Kansas City has signed 26-year-old Spanish midfielder Ilie Sánchez to a two-year contract through 2018 with an option for 2019, the club announced on Friday. Sánchez, acquired as a discovery signing, will occupy an international roster spot pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 visa.
Sánchez, a product of FC Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy, has eight years of professional experience in Spain and Germany. The defensive midfielder featured extensively for FC Barcelona B from 2009-2014 and most recently played for Spanish side Elche CF during the 2015-16 season. (Full story)
For a full list of Sporting Kansas City's offseason roster moves, visit SportingKC.com/tracker.
SPORTING KC RELEASES 2017 MLS SCHEDULE
Sporting Kansas City released the club’s 34-game regular season schedule last Thursday for the 2017 Major League Soccer season. Single-game tickets for Sporting KC’s first 10 home matches at Children’s Mercy Park will go on sale to the general public Wednesday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m. CT on SeatGeek.com, the club’s new and official ticketing provider that allows supporters to buy, share and sell tickets. In addition, current Season Ticket Members will have access to an exclusive single-game pre-sale beginning Friday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. CT. For more ticket information, call 888-4KC-GOAL.
The 2017 MLS schedule will see Sporting Kansas City play 10 Saturday home games at Children’s Mercy Park, six more than in 2016. The club will host four Sunday fixtures — six fewer than last year — as well as three midweek contests. (Full story)
DOM DWYER ELIGIBLE FOR U.S. CITIZENSHIP IN FEBRUARY
Speaking at an MLS media event Tuesday in Los Angeles, the Sporting Kansas City forward confirmed with reporters that he will be eligible for U.S. citizenship next month. Dwyer, 26, never represented his native England at the international level, meaning he would be immediately available for the U.S. Men’s National Team as soon as he becomes an American citizen and files necessary paperwork with FIFA. (Full story)
ERIK PALMER-BROWN JOINS U.S. U-20 MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM
Sporting Kansas City Homegrown defender Erik Palmer-Brown has been called in to the U.S. Under-20 National Team for the side's January Camp. The training camp began Sunday and will run through next Monday, Jan. 23, at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California. Palmer-Brown recently returned to Kansas City after a year-long loan spell with Portuguese powerhouse FC Porto. The 19-year-old made 17 appearances for FC Porto B team in 2016, winning the LigaPro title in May and scoring his first professional goal in the Premier League International Cup in November. (Full story)
SPORTING KC TAKES DEFENDER COLTON STORM IN FIRST ROUND OF DRAFT
Sporting Kansas City selected 22-year-old defender Colton Storm with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft at the Los Angeles Convention Center last Friday.
Storm, a senior right back out of the University of North Carolina, recorded two goals and eight assists in 69 games during his four-year collegiate career. As a senior in 2016, he was a Second Team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honoree and earned NSCAA Third Team All-South Region accolades. He was also named to the NCAA College Cup Best XI, helping North Carolina reach the final four of the national tournament. (Full story)
SPORTING KC TAKES GOALKEEPER DAVID GRECZEK IN THIRD ROUND OF DRAFT
Sporting Kansas City selected 22-year-old goalkeeper David Greczek with the 58th overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday. Greczek played collegiate soccer at Rutgers University, ending his career with a school-record 372 saves in 75 appearances. The goalkeeper posted a 1.72 goals against average and 16 shutouts during a decorated four-year career with the Scarlet Knights. Greczek and 2017 first-round draft pick Colton Storm will join Sporting Kansas City in Tucson, Arizona for the club’s 2017 preseason, presented by Children’s Mercy. (Full story)
CHILDREN'S MERCY PARK TO HOLD JOB FAIRS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY
Children's Mercy Park, the state-of-the-art home of Sporting Kansas City, will host two job fairs to hire event staff employees for the upcoming 2017 season. The job fairs will be held tonight (Jan. 18) from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday (Jan. 21) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The job fair on Jan. 18 will take place inside the Ameritas Shield Club on the west side of Children's Mercy Park (One Sporting Way, Kansas City, KS 66111). Parking will be available in Lot D behind Lone Star Steakhouse (1501 Village W Pkwy), and guests can enter the stadium through Premium Entry, across the street from Nebraska Furniture Mart.
The job fair on Jan. 21 will take place inside the Boulevard Members Club on the northeast side of the venue. Parking will again be available in Lot D, and guests can enter through the Boulevard Members Club. Click here for more information.
IWASA AND TYRPAK UP FOR USL GOAL OF THE YEAR
Sporting Kansas City forward Cameron Iwasa and former Swope Park Rangers forward Kris Tyrpak are up for the 2016 USL Goal of the Year. The award will be decided by fan vote in a bracket elimination format. (Vote here)
NEW SPORTING KC PLAYERS SELECT JERSEY NUMBERS
Nine new players have joined Sporting Kansas City this offseason, meaning multiple jersey numbers were up for grabs. The club confirmed today that all 27 players under contract have been assigned their official numbers. (Full story)
RANGERS ADD FORMER ACADEMY DEFENDER JOE AMICO
The Swope Park Rangers have signed former Sporting KC Academy defender Joe Amico, the club announced today. Amico recently completed his collegiate career at Jacksonville University and will join the Rangers ahead of preseason camp in February. (Full story)
ZAVAGNIN BEGINS U.S. SOCCER PRO COURSE
Following in Peter Vermes’ footsteps, Kerry Zavagnin has begun a 12-month journey toward obtaining the highest and most prestigious coaching license in North America. The Sporting Kansas City assistant was one of 17 professional coaches announced last Friday as candidates for the second edition of the U.S. Soccer Pro Course. Vermes, Sporting KC’s Manager and Technical Director, was one of 13 members in the inaugural graduating class last month. (Full story)
SPORTING KC STAFF TAKES HOME 2016 CLUB AWARDS
Sporting Kansas City and its employees earned multiple honors on Thursday during Major League Soccer’s 2016 Club Executive Awards Ceremony in Los Angeles, held at the LA Live Conga Room in conjunction with the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.
The year-end awards recognize individuals and clubs for outstanding contributions off the field. The following members of Sporting Kansas City were recognized for their success during the 2016 Major League Soccer season:
Club Retailer of the Year – Sporting Kansas City, accepted by John Moncke (Vice President of Stadium and Brand Revenue)
Ticket Sales Executive of the Year – Gregg Allen, Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service
Additionally, five Sporting Kansas City associates received Excellence in Service Awards, including Premium Services Executive Devan Dignan and Client Services Manager Zach Mayer. (Full story)
