Ever since opening in June 2011, Sporting Park has been a fortress for its Major League Soccer tenant. In all competitions, Sporting Kansas City boasts a 40-14-19 all-time record at a stadium that has sold out 44 straight MLS matches. The last time Sporting KC didn’t play in front of a capacity home crowd in the League was March 25, 2012.
So it should come as little surprise that Sporting Park’s turnout of 15,307 on Wednesday night was the highest announced attendance in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup thus far. Sporting KC beat Minnesota United FC 2-0 and will host fellow MLS side Portland Timbers on Tuesday, where Sporting Park will look to raise the attendance bar it has already set in the tournament. Tickets for the fifth round match can be purchased on Ticketmaster.com or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
In fact, Sporting KC’s victory on Wednesday was the seventh best-attended U.S. Open Cup match dating back to 2011. Since then, Sporting Park has played host to six of the 10 best-attended U.S. Open Cup matches.
Below is a table of the 10 highest U.S. Open Cup announced attendances during the last four editions of the tournament, including 2014. Sporting Park makes the list six times, more than any other venue. Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium occupies three spots, while the 2011 U.S. Open Cup Final at CenturyLink Field in Seattle tops the list.
Top 10 highest announced attendances at a U.S. Open Cup match since 2011
<strong>Attendance</strong> |
<strong>Stadium</strong> |
<strong>Match</strong> |
<strong>Date</strong> |
<strong>Cup Round</strong> |
35,615 |
CenturyLink Field<br>
(Seattle) |
Seattle Sounders vs.<br>
Chicago Fire |
Oct. 4, 2011 |
Final |
<strong><em>18,863</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park<br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs.<br>
Seattle Sounders </em></strong> |
<strong><em>Aug. 8, 2012</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Final</em></strong> |
17,608 |
Rio Tinto Stadium<br>
(Sandy, Utah) |
Real Salt Lake vs.<br>
D.C. United |
Oct. 1, 2013 |
Final |
17,212 |
Rio Tinto Stadium<br>
(Sandy, Utah) |
Real Salt Lake vs.<br>
Minnesota Stars |
May 29, 2012 |
Round of 32 |
<strong><em>15,981</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park <br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs.<br>
Orlando City SC</em></strong> |
<strong><em>June 12, 2013</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Round of 16</em></strong> |
<strong><em>15,621</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park <br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs. <br>
Des Moines Menace</em></strong> |
<strong><em>May 28, 2013</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Round of 32</em></strong> |
<strong><em>15,307</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park <br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs.<br>
Minnesota United FC</em></strong> |
<strong><em>June 18, 2014</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Round of 32</em></strong> |
<strong><em>15,167</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park <br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs.<br>
Dayton Dutch Lions</em></strong> |
<strong><em>June 26, 2012</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Quarterfinals</em></strong> |
<strong><em>14,868</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting Park <br>
(Kansas City, Kansas)</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Sporting KC vs.<br>
Colorado Rapids</em></strong> |
<strong><em>June 5, 2012</em></strong> |
<strong><em>Round of 16</em></strong> |
14,742 |
Rio Tinto Stadium<br>
(Sandy, Utah) |
Real Salt Lake vs.<br>
Portland Timbers |
Aug. 7, 2013 |
Semifinals |
