Sporting KC crowned MLS Cup champions
Sporting Kansas City acquires goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum
Sporting KC acquires midfielder Sal Zizzo
Kansas City to host 14 NCAA Championships
Construction on phase II of Swope Soccer Village is under way
Sinovic and Zavagnin in the Kansas City Ballet's Nutcracker
Sporting KC releases 2014 MLS schedule
38 The Spot (KMCI) named Sporting KC's new local TV partner
Truce 3V3 tournament to be held at National World War I Museum
Sporting KC USL PRO affiliate Orlando City to join MLS in 2015
Sporting KC returning to Tucson and Orlando for 2014 pre-season
Sporting KC to face Cruz Azul in 2013-14 CCL Quarterfinals
Secure 2014 season tickets at Sporting Park
Follow Sporting KC online
SPORTING KC CROWNED MLS CUP CHAMPIONS
Sporting Kansas City prevailed in MLS Cup 2013 in a 10-round penalty shootout after regulation and two-15 minute extra time periods concluded in a 1-1 draw at Sporting Park. The match was nationally broadcast on ESPN and UniMas.
Alvaro Saborio gave Real Salt Lake the first goal of the match in the 52nd minute of play, receiving a well-placed pass from teammate Kyle Beckerman. Collin equalized for Sporting KC in the 76th minute off a Graham Zusi corner kick. The goal was Collin's third during the 2013 MLS postseason, most among all players this season.
Collin also notched the game-winning goal in the penalty shootout to secure the second league title in the team's 18-year history and a berth in the 2014-15 CONCACAF Champions League. Collin was named the Volkswagen MLS Cup 2013 MVP.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY ACQUIRES GOALKEEPER ANDY GRUENEBAUM
Sporting Kansas City has acquired goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum from the Columbus Crew in exchange for Sporting KC's second round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, the club announced on Monday. Gruenebaum has been added to Sporting Kansas City's roster and will occupy a senior roster spot.
Gruenebaum, 30, made 82 appearances in MLS competition (including playoffs) with 277 saves, 18 shutouts and a 1.27 goals against average in eight seasons with the Crew. He led MLS with 124 saves in 2012 and was a finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year after being named the Crew's MVP and Defender of the Year. This season, he conceded the second fewest goals (28) among goalkeepers with a minimum of 15 games played.
Gruenebaum becomes the seventh Kansas City native on Sporting KC's roster, along with Matt Besler, Christian Duke, Kevin Ellis, Jon Kempin, Erik Palmer-Brown and Seth Sinovic.
SPORTING KC ACQUIRES MIDFIELDER SAL ZIZZO
Sporting Kansas City has acquired midfielder Sal Zizzo from the Portland Timbers FC in exchange for allocation money. Zizzo has been added to Sporting KC's roster and will occupy a senior roster spot.
In four MLS seasons, the 26-year-old Zizzo has made 70 appearances with two goals and eight assists while playing for Chivas USA (2010) and Portland (2011-2013). He entered MLS through a weighted lottery in July 2010 after spending his first three seasons as a professional with Hannover 96 in Germany's Bundesliga.
A San Diego, Calif. Native, Zizzo starred at UCLA where he was an NSCAA/adidas All-American and let the Bruins to a national championship appearance in 2006 as the NCAA tournament's top goal scorer. Sporting KC defender Chance Myers and Zizzo were teammates on the 2006 UCLA squad.
KANSAS CITY TO HOST 14 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sporting Park and Swope Soccer Village will host 13 championships over the next four years:
- 2014 Division III (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 5-6 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2014 Division II Football: Dec. 20 at Sporting Park
- 2015 Division III (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 4-5 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2015 Division I Men's Soccer: Dec. 11-13 at Sporting Park
- 2015 Division II Football: Dec. 19 at Sporting Park
- 2016 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 1-3 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2016 Division II Football: Dec. 17 at Sporting Park
- 2017 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at Swope Soccer Village
- 2017 Division I Women's Volleyball: Dec. 14-16 at Sprint Center
- 2017 Division II Football: Dec. 16 at Sporting Park
CONSTRUCTION ON PHASE II OF SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE BEGINS
Construction on Phase II of Swope Soccer Village's $13.44 million expansion began today to prepare for the development of five new synthetic soccer fields. Located at 63rd and Lewis Rd. in Kansas City's Swope Park, the Swope Soccer Village will be home to nine full-sized soccer fields and facilities upon the project's completion in 2014.
In May, a $13.44 million expansion to the Swope Soccer Village was formally approved by the City Council. Four months after breaking ground, the complex's natural grass championship field - the first of six new fields as part of the expansion - opened in November and hosted the 2013 Big 12 Soccer Championship. The conference's postseason tournament will again be played at the Swope Soccer Village in 2014.
The five new synthetic fields will be built on the east side of Lewis Rd. and will each be furnished with lighting and fencing. Grand Construction serves as the general contractor and Sporting Club Network member Brookside Soccer Club will act as a primary tenant. The development will also provide additional infrastructure updates, including new restroom, concession and storage amenities.
MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City opened the team's training center at the Swope Soccer Village in 2007 with over 7,800 square feet of facility space and three soccer fields. The Sporting KC Academy, Sporting Club Network members and numerous community outreach programs utilize the existing four fields at the complex.
SINOVIC AND ZAVAGNIN IN THE KANSAS CITY BALLET'S NUTCRACKER
The best left back in Major League Soccer starred in the Kansas City Ballet's rendition of the Nutcracker on Sunday performing in both the 1 o'clock and 5 o'clock showings. The experience gave Seth Sinovic a new appreciation for the arts.
Sporting KC assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin will be starring in tonight's 7:30 p.m. performance. Both individuals rehearsed their portions on The Nutcracker with the Company in the Frost Studio in the Bolender Center earlier this month.
SPORTING KC RELEASES 2014 MLS SCHEDULE
Sporting KC released the club's 34-game regular season schedule for the 2014 Major League Soccer season.
Sporting Kansas City is currently taking deposits for the 2014 season ticket member waiting list. The non-refundable deposits are $150 per seat for premium areas and $50 per seat for all other section. Groups of 20 or more can also place deposits, starting at $300, to secure priority consideration for preferred seating areas, game dates and hospitality options ahead of the general public. Single-game ticket information will be released at a later date.
38 THE SPOT (KMCI) NAMED SPORTING KC'S NEW LOCAL TV PARTNER
Every Sporting Kansas City regular season MLS match will again be shown live in 2014. KMCI-TV (38 the Spot) will serve as the team's new local broadcast partner and will carry all non-nationally televised regular season matches. Owned by Scripps Media, Inc., KCMI's plans include pre-game and post-game shows, as well as select Sporting Kansas City programing to air on sister station KSHB-TV (Kansas City's NBC affiliate).
TRUCE 3V3 TOURNAMENT TO BE HELD AT NATIONAL WORLD WAR I MUSEUM
Sporting Club and the National World War I Museum invite the Kansas City soccer community to take part in the inaugural Truce Tournament. Paired with an EPL Watch Party inside the National World War I Museum, the 3v3 tournament will be played on Memorial Hill.
Kicking off in 2013, one year prior to the 100th anniversary of World War 1, The Truce Tournament is also a tribute to the time-honored story of the Christmas Truce. According to legend, the battles of WWI temporarily subsided around Christmas in 1914 and members of both warring sides ventured out to No Man's Land to exchange gifts, sing carols and play soccer. The tournament will take place on Thursday, December 26. To register your team for the Truce Tournament, click here.
SPORTING KC USL PRO AFFILIATE ORLANDO CITY TO JOIN MLS IN 2015
Major League Soccer announced that Sporting KC's USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC will become the 21st club to join MLS. In three years, Orlando City has won two USL PRO regular season titles and two USL PRO championships.
Their commitment to running a professional organization in Orlando led to a two-year partnership with Sporting Kansas City prior to the 2013 season. That partnership allowed Sporting KC to send up to four players on loan to Orlando during the 2013 season. Sporting KC used the loan opportunities to get critical minutes for players such as Dom Dwyer, C.J. Sapong and Christian Duke, among others, throughout the year.
SPORTING KC RETURNING TO TUCSON AND ORLANDO FOR 2014 PRE-SEASON
Prior to the 2014 season, Sporting Kansas City will again travel to Tucson, Ariz. and Orlando, Fla. for the team's pre-season preparations. The team will arrive in Tucson on Jan. 23 for a two-week stay. After returning home to Kansas City on Feb. 7, the club will hold the second leg of the 2014 pre-season in Orlando from Feb. 14 thru March 2.
While in Tucson, Sporting KC will participate in the Desert Diamond Cup, tickets and hotel packages are currently available for all fans wishing to attend and can be purchased online.
Sporting KC will headline the 2014 Disney Pro Soccer Classic field at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex. Sporting KC, along with the Philadelphia Union and the Columbus Crew are the latest entries into the February event at Walt Disney World in suburban Orlando.
Sporting KC's USL PRO affiliate Orlando City SC and fellow MLS side Montreal Impact will also participate in the eight-team pre-season tournament. The remainder of the field will be announced in the next several weeks.
For more information on the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, visit espnwwos.com/prosoccerclassic. Travel packages are available through GetTravel.com. The packages may include accommodations near Walt Disney World Resort, game tickets, ground transportation and discounted Disney theme park tickets.
SPORTING KC TO FACE CRUZ AZUL IN 2013-14 CCL QUARTERFINALS
Sporting KC will square off with Mexican powerhouse Cruz Azul in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals next March. Sporting KC won their group with a 2-0-2 record and finished as the No. 7 overall seed in the tournament. They will host Cruz Azul in the first leg at Sporting Park and travel to Mexico City for the second leg the following week.
Cruz Azul are the most successful team in CCL history, winning the tournament five times (tied for most among all clubs) and finishing runners-up in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 editions. The team's 29 wins are most in CCL history to go along with six draws and nine losses all-time in the tournament.
SECURE 2014 SEASON TICKETS AT SPORTING PARK
Sporting Kansas City is now taking deposits for new season ticket members for the 2014 season at state-of-the-art Sporting Park. The non-refundable deposits are $150 per seat for premium areas and $50 per seat for all other sections and provide fans with priority position for securing full season tickets in 2014.
Additionally, all fans on the Sporting Kansas City season ticket member waiting list will be given access to pre-sale opportunities for select special events at Sporting Park (subject to availability).
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 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.
