Mark your calendars, SKC Nation, because Sporting Kansas City’s 2017 regular season schedule is set. And while a handful of matches may pop out as extra intriguing, storylines surround all 34 games on the slate. We fly through each game in our rapid-fire rundown below — all in 140 characters or less.
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Opponent</strong> |
<b>Rundown</b> |
Saturday, March 4 |
at D.C. United |
SKC owns a league-best 13 season-opening wins, five of which have come vs. DC. This could be KC's last game ever at iconic RFK Stadium. |
Saturday, March 11 |
FC DALLAS |
SKC has four straight home wins over Dallas since 2015, outscoring the reigning Open Cup and Supporters Shield champs 15-3 during the run. |
Saturday, March 18 |
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES |
Vermes' men have never lost a March home game at Children's Mercy Park. Also of note: San Jose is just 1-11 in its last 12 trips to KC. |
Friday, March 31 |
at Toronto FC |
U.S. MNT star power will shine bright on FS1. SKC is 14-4-5 all-time vs. Toronto, including four straight wins at BMO Field. |
SUNDAY, APRIL 9 |
COLORADO RAPIDS |
Another FS1 audience will watch SKC try to snap a five-game losing streak to the Colorado Rapids, who were the surprise package in 2016. |
Saturday, April 15 |
at Portland Timbers |
Portland led the West in 2016 with 12 home wins and 35 home goals at raucous Providence Park. This included a 3-0 win over SKC last August. |
Saturday, April 22 |
at FC Dallas |
FC Dallas is a remarkable 36-7-7 at home since 2014 (regular season). No other club has more home wins over the last three years. |
Saturday, April 29 |
REAL SALT LAKE |
Since falling in the 2013 MLS Cup, RSL has shown well at KC. The team is 2-0-2 in its last four league visits to Children's Mercy Park. |
Wednesday, May 3 |
NEW YORK RED BULLS |
This midweek match features two elite English forwards. Dom Dwyer and Bradley Wright-Phillips have combined for 125 MLS goals since 2014. |
Sunday, May 7 |
at Minnesota United FC |
FS1 will broadcast SKC's inaugural meeting with Minnesota. Vermes' men traveled north to knock United out of the U.S. Open Cup last year. |
Saturday, May 13 |
at Orlando City SC |
SKC will play its first game at Orlando City's new soccer-specific stadium. Now that sounds like one heck of a Roaddron. |
Wednesday, May 17 |
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC |
Revenge. Enough said. |
Saturday, May 20 |
at Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
SKC's 10 regular season road wins on Canadian soil (10-5-7) are the second most in MLS history. |
Saturday, May 27 |
at Colorado Rapids |
Colorado was downright stingy at home last year, going unbeaten (11-0-6) and allowing just seven goals in 17 games. |
Saturday, June 3 |
MINNESOTA UNITED FC |
Minnesota's first-ever visit to Children's Mercy Park will also be ESPN's first visit to the stadium of 2017. |
Saturday, June 10 |
MONTREAL IMPACT |
Dom Dwyer's nine regular season goals against Montreal are tied for the most in MLS history. All nine have come in the last five meetings. |
Saturday, June 17 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
Last September, SKC won its first game at San Jose since 2000, snapping a run of 18 straight visits without a victory in all competitions. |
Saturday, June 24 |
at LA Galaxy |
The Galaxy have lost just four of their last 56 home games since 2014 (including playoffs). No team has fewer home defeats during that time. |
Saturday, July 1 |
PORTLAND TIMBERS |
Portland failed to win a road game in 2016, going 0-11-6. Also of note: KC has won eight straight July home games in all competitions. |
Thursday, July 6 |
PHILADELPHIA UNION |
The final game before the Gold Cup break comes against the Union, who are a respectable 2-1-1 in their last four trips to Kansas City. |
Saturday, July 22 |
at Real Salt Lake |
The regular season resumes at Rio Tinto Stadium, where RSL have dropped just six games since the start of 2014. |
Saturday, July 29 |
CHICAGO FIRE |
SKC will look to douse the Fire on a presumably hot July evening. Chicago has a single, solitary road win since the start of 2015. Just one. |
Sunday, Aug. 6 |
ATLANTA UNITED FC |
The inaugural matchup with Atlanta, televised on FS1, will include a return to KC for veteran Jacob Peterson and goalkeeper Alec Kann. |
Saturday, Aug. 12 |
at Seattle Sounders FC |
SKC remembers how its 2016 season ended. A visit to the defending MLS Cup champs gives Vermes' men an opportunity to exorcise those demons. |
Saturday, Aug. 19 |
FC DALLAS |
Plan for a party. This just might be the 100th straight MLS sellout at Children's Mercy Park. We really do love you, Kansas City. |
Saturday, Aug. 26 |
at Houston Dynamo |
A trip to Houston in the dog days of summer? Good thing Peter Vermes is all about being Sporting-fit. |
Wednesday, Sept. 6 |
at New York City FC |
SKC visits historic Yankee Stadium to face MLS MVP David Villa and a supporting cast that vastly improved from 2015 to 2016. |
Sunday, Sept. 10 |
at Columbus Crew SC |
SKC is 6-1-1 in its last eight versus Columbus, who failed to reach the playoffs last year after reaching the MLS Cup in 2015. |
Saturday, Sept. 16 |
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION |
A three-game September home stand begins against a New England outfit that has won four of the last five meetings. |
Sunday, Sept. 24 |
LA GALAXY |
LA at home on ESPN? Bring your popcorn. The Galaxy haven't won in Kansas City since September 2007. Will their drought surpass 10 years? |
Saturday, Sept. 30 |
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC |
SKC played Vancouver a thousand times in 2016. This will be only the second meeting of 2017. |
Saturday, Oct. 7 |
at Minnesota United FC |
Roaddrons are the best. If you missed the first trip to Minnesota in May, we strongly recommend the six-hour drive up I-35 this time around. |
Sunday, Oct. 15 |
HOUSTON DYNAMO |
The regular season's penultimate weekend will see Houston put its six-game MLS unbeaten run at Children's Mercy Park on the line. |
Sunday, Oct. 22 |
at Real Salt Lake |
Decision Day at RSL. We suspect there will be more than a few reasons to tune into this one. |
