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Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update: May 16, 2012

Aurelien Collin vs Colorado Rapids DL

Sporting Club receives international accolades
Sporting KC to face Colorado Rapids on the road Saturday
Sporting KC to host U.S. Open Cup third round at LSP
Sporting KC in the community
Sporting KC and Ink Magazine sponsor summer beer festival
Sporting KC to host Stoke City FC on August 1
Sporting KC broadcasts to be available across Kansas
Sporting KC reserves topple Chicago Fire reserves 3-1
Sporting KC falls to Chicago Fire
Register for the Sporting Club 3v3 Classic Tournament
Make It 'Appen: Design a Sporting KC App and Win Season Tickets
Prorated 2012 Season Ticket Plans Available
Sporting KC launches Goals 4 Gillis
Join Sporting KC Over the Airwaves
Sporting KC Unveils Boys and Girls Youth Soccer Camps for 2012
Follow Sporting KC Online


SPORTING CLUB RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL ACCOLADES 

<p class="p3">Sporting Club was on center stage at TheStadiumBusiness Awards yesterday at the Museo dell&#39;Automobile di Torino in Italy. Sporting Club earned honors in four of the six categories the company was nominated for including Venue of the Year, Executive of the Year, the Community Award and the Product Innovation Award.</p><p class="p3">LIVE<b>STRONG&nbsp;</b>Sporting Park was selected as Venue of the Year for the world&#39;s best stadium, arena or sports venue - from the small club to the mega-capacity national sports facilities. The $200+ million venue was up against competition from four different continents.</p><p class="p3">LIVE<b>STRONG </b>Sporting Park also won the Community Award for a stadium, arena and major sports complex that has found new ways to support, enhance and improve its local community, while Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman was named Executive of the Year as a sports venue leader, pioneer or visionary that has over-delivered in the past 12 months.</p><p class="p3">Sporting Innovations won the Product Innovation Award for their FAN360 Application. FAN360 is a real time delivery of interactive experiences by injection of sociographic data to create social intelligence and facilitate engagement.</p><p class="p3">LIVE<b>STRONG&nbsp;</b>Sporting Park was also nominated for New Venue Award and the Customer Experience Award.</p><p class="p3"><span class="s1"><a href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=3291d8c1e9b14ea12a1db90b3168f79236cf944508cf18791af8211003ca9a6d"><b>Click here</b></a></span>&nbsp;to view a comprehensive list of Sporting Kansas City accolades. For more information on TheStadiumBusiness Awards, visit their website at&nbsp;<a href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=3291d8c1e9b14ea14952e4ba502c5ff7624e767dc0c5c86c6947c969f25f76c7"><span class="s1"><b>www.stadiumbusinessawards.com</b></span></a>.&nbsp;</p>

SPORTING KC TO FACE THE COLORADO RAPIDS ON THE ROAD SATURDAY

Sporting Kansas City will face another test on the road this weekend when they face the Colorado Rapids at 8 p.m. CT at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids (5-5-0) sit in fifth place in the Western Conference with 15 points and will take on D.C. United tonight.


Saturday's match will be broadcast live on the Sporting Broadcast Network with pre-game coverage beginning at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Members' Club at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park will host a watch party for the game. Doors open at 7 p.m. and fans are asked to park in Lot D.  Food and drinks will be available to purchase, including the $3 Pick Special (chips and your choice of hamburger, hot dog or bratwurst).


SPORTING KC TO HOST U.S. OPEN CUP THIRD ROUND AT LSP

Sporting Kansas City will host the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup third round at 7:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, May 29 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, the U.S. Soccer Federation announced Wednesday. Sporting KC will await next Tuesday's second round winner between the KC Athletics (USASA) and Orlando City Soccer Club  (USL PRO).


All Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members will receive a ticket to the May 29 match at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, and all subsequent Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup home matches through the quarterfinals, as part of their season ticket package. Single-game ticket information, including pricing and on-sale dates, will be announced at a later date.


The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest annual team tournament in American sports history with origins in 1914 and is named after Lamar Hunt, the original founder of Sporting Kansas City.


SPORTING KC IN THE COMMUNITY

Sporting Kansas City players will hang up their cleats and take part in several community appearances this week. Graham Zusi, Bobby Convey, Matt Besler, Kei Kamara, Eric Kronberg and Chance Myers posef for pictures with their canine companions at 4 p.m. in Loose Park on Wednesday. The photos will be a part of the Fuzzy Fotos KC fundraiser for Heartland SPCA and the Kansas City Free Health Clinic.


Konrad Warzycha will be a special guest at Riverview Elementary School field day from 1:30-2:20 p.m. this Thursday.


Matt Besler will join 25 other Kansas City heroes at the Grand Finale of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's 2012 Man and Woman of the Year competition. The event begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at Harrah's North Kansas City Hotel and Casino.


For more information on these appearances, contact Staci Schottman in the Community Relations Department at sschottman@sportingkc.com.


SPORTING KC AND INK MAGAZINE SPONSOR SUMMER BEER FESTIVAL

Sporting Kansas City and Ink Magazine have teamed up with BeerKC to present its first annual Summer Beer Festival, a tribute to craft beers. The event will take place from 5-9 p.m. on June 9 at Pennsylvania Avenue, between McCoy's and Kelly's in Westport. The event will benefit AIDS Walk Kansas City.


More than 20 breweries will be showcased during the event. Participants will receive a commemorative tasting glass and will be able to sample the variety of beers. Sporting Kansas City players will also be in attendance. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information visit here.

SPORTING KC TO HOST STOKE CITY FC ON AUGUST 1


Sporting Kansas City announced on Friday that the club will host Stoke City FC of the Barclays Premier League at 7:30 p.m. CT on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. 


Ticket prices begin at $20 and are on sale now. 

Founded in 1863, Stoke City are the oldest club in the Premier League and are led by Manager Tony Pulis and forward Peter Crouch, an England international with 22 goals in 42 appearances.


SPORTING KC BROADCASTS TO BE AVAILABLE ACROSS KANSAS

Sporting Kansas City has added MyTV Wichita and WIBW-TV/MyTV Topeka as the club's new regional broadcast partners. The Stations will carry all 13 of the club's remaining away matches live this season.

<p class="p3">MyTV Wichita and WIBW-TV/MyTV Topeka join KSMO-TV to provide live, over-the-air broadcasts of Sporting Kansas City matches in 90 of the 105 counties in the state of Kansas and all of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Combined, Sporting Kansas City can now be seen in more than 1.5 million homes throughout the region, including the cities of Kansas City, Wichita, Topeka, Lawrence and Manhattan.</p><p class="p3">In addition to the 13 remaining Sporting Kansas City road matches during the 2012 MLS regular season, five home matches at LIVE<b>STRONG</b> Sporting Park will be nationally broadcast to provide a total of 18 upcoming telecasts that will now reach a wider regional audience.</p><p class="p3"><span class="s2"><a href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=3291d8c1e9b14ea1b186470306bbb253637dffffe29c7579a4475479e306f7ae">MyTV Wichita (KMTW-TV)</a></span> is broadcast throughout the Wichita and Hutchinson areas of central Kansas and is operated by Kansas City, Mo-based Newport Television, which also owns and operates <a href="http://cl.exct.net/?qs=3291d8c1e9b14ea1d0d2581ed83919677ddfbe6152ad76e9e704a328687e1676"><span class="s2">Fox Kansas</span></a>&nbsp;(KSAS-TV).</p>

SPORTING KC RESERVES TOPPLE CHICAGO FIRE RESERVES 3-1

One goal from Korede Aiyegbusi and a brace from Teal Bunbury earned Sporting Kansas City a solid 3-1 win in MLS Reserve League action on Sunday at Toyota Park. For highlights and a full recap click here.


The reserves will face the KC Brass at 11:30 a.m. next Wednesday.


SPORTING KC FALLS TO CHICAGO FIRE

Sporting Kansas City fell 2-1 to rivals Chicago Fire last Saturday at Toyota Park. More than 500 Sporting Kansas City fans made the trek to Chicago to support their team.


Despite the loss, Sporting Kansas City hold strong with 21 points in league play, just one point shy of Eastern Conference leaders New York.


REGISTER FOR THE SPORTING CLUB 3v3 CLASSIC TOURNAMENT

GSI Sports & Sporting Kansas City are proud to host the 13th annual Sporting Club 3v3 Classic on July 7, 2012 at the Stump Park Soccer Complex in Shawnee, Kan. All teams will receive tickets to the Sporting KC vs. Houston Dynamo match and championship games will be played at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park after Sporting Kansas City's Eastern Conference championship rematch with the Dynamo. 


For more information and to register your team, visit http://gsisports.com/t-Premiership3v3.asp.


MAKE IT 'APPEN: DESIGN A SPORTING KC APP AND WIN SEASON TICKETS

Sporting Kansas City has announced a one-of-a-kind opportunity for amateur developers. Sporting Kansas City needs your ideas for a game or app associated with soccer that can be played on a mobile device. The creator of the winning idea will receive two Sporting Kansas City Season Tickets for the 2013 season and on-field recognition at a Sporting KC match.


To submit an entry, visit SportingMembership.com/AppContest and complete the online application form at the bottom of the page. The deadline to submit entries is midnight on Monday, June 3. 


All entries will be reviewed by a panel (comprised of Sporting Kansas City front office personnel) to determine up to four finalists.  Finalists will be determined by Monday, June 25. Each finalist will then have the opportunity to pitch their idea in person to this panel.  The winner will be announced at the July 21 Sporting KC match vs. New England Revolution.


PRORATED 2012 SEASON TICKET PLANS AVAILABLE

With Sporting Kansas City atop the Eastern Conference standings, the time is now to purchase a prorated 2012 season ticket plan. The benefits include discounted rates, priority for purchasing playoff tickets, preferred parking and access to special events.  


For ticket information, visit www.sportingkc.com or call 888-4KC-GOAL.


SPORTING KC LAUNCHES GOALS 4 GILLIS

Sporting Kansas City has partnered with Gillis to launch Goals for Gillis, a program that will raise money to help at-risk children and families with every goal Sporting Kansas City scores throughout the 2012 season.


Fans can participate by making a pledge starting at $1 for every goal that Sporting Kansas City scores during the 2012 season. The top four Goals for Gillis fundraisers will be recognized online and at a special event with Heineman and Sporting Kansas City forward Kei Kamara after the completion of the 2012 season. 


For more information on Goals for Gillis, click here.


JOIN SPORTING KC OVER THE AIRWAVES

The State Line Soccer Show will be available over the airwaves on Thursday with hosts Callum Williams and Jake Yadrich on 610 Sports Radio. Tune in from 6-7 p.m. CT to hear from Colorado Rapids striker Conor Casey and Sporting Kansas City forward Jacob Peterson. Call 913-576-7610 to join the discussion around all the latest news.


SPORTING KC UNVEILS BOYS AND GIRLS YOUTH SOCCER CAMPS FOR 2012

Sporting Kansas City and the Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth development academy will again offer a series of youth soccer camps in 2012 for boys and girls of all ages. Please see the list of scheduled camps below:



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 new 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.