Sporting Kansas City will celebrate the club’s 2013 MLS Cup championship season with a special Throwback Night on Saturday, Aug. 26 when the team takes on the San Jose Earthquakes in the next MLS regular season home match at Children’s Mercy Park.
Held in conjunction with a series of festivities this year to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the memorable 2013 campaign, Throwback Night will kick off a week-long celebration of Kansas City as the Soccer Capital of America that culminates with Sporting’s first home match against St. Louis CITY SC on Saturday, Sept. 2. Tickets for both matches are available online at SeatGeek.
Throwback Night will be headlined by the return of numerous players from Sporting Kansas City’s 2013 season with the following individuals anticipated to be in attendance on Aug. 26 for a special on-field recognition at haltime of SKCvSJ: Matt Besler, Christian Duke, Kevin Ellis, Benny Feilhaber, Josh Gardner, Jon Kempin, Eric Kronberg, Kyle Miller, Chance Myers, Paulo Nagamura, Jimmy Nielsen, Lawrence Olum, Ike Opara, Jacob Peterson, Brendan Ruiz, Seth Sinovic and Graham Zusi.
In the spirit of the club’s new matchday tradition for Sporting KC players in 2023, the returning players will walk through the Budweiser Brew House at Children’s Mercy Park on their arrival to the stadium. The Budweiser Brew House will open at 5:30 p.m. CT on Aug. 26 and is open to Supporters’ Stand ticket holders as well as the first 500 Season Ticket Members. Supporters’ Stand ticket holders ages 21 and over in attendance on Aug. 26 can also look forward to continuing the popular “beer corner” tradition prior to kickoff as a returning player will purchase drinks for fans in the northeast corner of the stadium by the Budweiser Brew House.
SportingStyle will release a commemorative capsule collection on Throwback Night featuring items celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the 2013 MLS Cup championship. Fans are also encouraged to arrive early with the first 5,000 in attendance to receive a commemorative captain’s pennant. In addition, the 2013 MLS Cup trophy will be on display on the Mazuma Plaza from 6-7:30 p.m. on Aug. 26 for all fans in attendance to take advantage of photo opportunities with the Philip F. Anschutz Trophy.
Sporting Kansas City claimed the club’s second MLS Cup championship in team history on Dec. 7, 2013 at Children’s Mercy Park. After a 1-1 stalemate with Real Salt Lake through 120 minutes in below-freezing temperatures, Sporting prevailed in a dramatic 10-round penalty kick shootout as Nielsen – the club’s captain playing with broken ribs in his final professional game – produced two saves and Collin – named the MLS Cup Most Valuable Player – converted Sporting’s final attempt after having already scored a game-tying header on a corner kick from Zusi with 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
Sporting Kansas City’s primary jerseys for the 2023 season feature a neck tape adorned to the inside of the kits that is accentuated with the club motto “Paint the Wall” and the year 2013 in honor of the 10th anniversary of Sporting’s MLS Cup triumph. Sporting KC and The Victory Project also recently renovated three rooms for families and children inside Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kansas City that were first unveiled in the buildup to the 2013 MLS Cup.
