Sporting KC advances to MLS Cup 2013 at Sporting Park
Black Friday thru Cyber Monday: Sporting Style offers 25% off
Matt Besler named runner-up for MLS Defender of the Year
Jimmy Nielsen named finalist for MLS Goalkeeper of the Year
2013 MLS Best XI to be announced on Tuesday
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
Sporting KC coverage available on radio
Braden's Hope/Sporting KC calendars now on sale
Secure 2014 season tickets at Sporting Park
Follow Sporting KC online
SPORTING KC ADVANCES TO MLS CUP 2013 AT SPORTING PARK
Sporting KC defeated the Houston Dynamo 2-1 in the Eastern Conference Championship on Saturday in front of a record crowd at Sporting Park to advance to MLS Cup 2013. Sporting KC learned their opponent on Sunday after the conclusion of the second leg of the Western Conference Championship when Real Salt Lake defeated the Portland Timbers.
Sporting KC advances to the MLS Cup for the third time in team history and first time since 2004. MLS Cup will be held at Sporting Park at 3 p.m. CT on Dec. 7.
BLACK FRIDAY THRU CYBER MONDAY: SPORTING STYLE OFFERS 25% OFF
All merchandise on Shop.SportingKC.com will be 25% off beginning Black Friday on Nov. 29 and continuing through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. All orders over $50 will also receive free shipping. Score big on savings and follow @SportingStyle on Twitter for all the latest.
MATT BESLER NAMED RUNNER-UP FOR MLS DEFENDER OF THE YEAR
Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler finished second in voting for MLS Defender of the Year behind New England Revolution newcomer Jose Goncalves. Announced on Tuesday by Major League Soccer, Besler was ahead of fellow U.S. Men's National Team defender Omar Gonzalez and New York Red Bulls defender Jamison Olave. Those four players represent the last four winners of the award with Besler receiving the honor in 2012.
JIMMY NIELSEN NAMED FINALIST FOR MLS GOALKEEPER OF THE YEAR
In 2012, Sporting KC goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen was named Goalkeeper of the Year. In 2013, Nielsen is again among the top three performers at his position in the League and is looking to secure the honor for the second consecutive season. Finalists were selected based on voting by players, clubs and media members.
Nielsen, 36, is competing against Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) and Donovan Ricketts (Portland Timbers) for 2013 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and the winner will be announced on Dec. 4. A two-time MLS All-Star, Nielsen led all goalkeepers in 2013 with 17 wins and his .88 goals against average in the regular season was best among goalkeepers with a minimum of 1,000 minutes played.
Nielsen's 13 shutouts were second most in MLS this year, highlighted by the League's longest shutout streak of the season at 546 minutes. Both marks are fifth best in MLS all-time. He lowered his career goals against average to .99, best in MLS history among goalkeepers with 1,000 minutes played, and played every minute during the 2013 campaign. Nielsen's streak of 90 consecutive complete regular season games played ranks second longest in the MLS record books.
2013 MLS BEST XI TO BE ANNOUNCED ON TUESDAY
Major League Soccer will announce the league's annual Best XI on Tuesday. In 2012, four Sporting Kansas City players received the recognition with the inclusion of Jimmy Nielsen, Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin and Graham Zusi.
SPORTING KC RELEASES 2014 MLS SCHEDULE
Sporting KC released the club's 34-game regular season schedule on Monday 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).
"Sporting KC is a class organization and definitely a premiere team in Major League Soccer," said Brian Bracco, Vice President and General Manager for KSHB/KMCI-TV. "We're going to give Kansas City soccer fans unprecedented access, not only on KMCI, but KSHB as well."
"We are thrilled to begin our partnership with KMCI in 2014," said Sporting Kansas City Chief Revenue Officer Jake Reid. "Having our games aired on 38 the Spot was the right choice for Sporting Kansas City and together we will engage all of our fans to what is sure to be another great and exciting soccer season. We look forward to a fantastic relationship."
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. 15 thru March 2.
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.
SPORTING KC COVERAGE AVAILABLE ON RADIO
The Sporting KC show aired on Sports Radio 810 WHB on Tuesday. Sporting KC assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin joined hosts Callum Williams, Andy Edwards and Carter Augustine to discuss the team's excitement around hosting MLS Cup at Sporting Park. Real Salt Lake general manager Garth Lagerwey also joined the conversation to discuss the Dec. 7 MLS Cup match-up.
Listen to the full episode here.
BRADEN'S HOPE/SPORTING KC CALENDARS NOW ON SALE
For the second consecutive year, Sporting KC has partnered with Braden's Hope to raise funds and awareness for the fight against childhood cancer. Sporting KC fans can support the cause by purchasing the Braden's Hope/Sporting KC calendar. The 2014 calendar features 12 different Sporting KC players paired with childhood cancer heroes. Calendars can be purchased at Sporting Style stores at Sporting Park as well as online at bradenshope.org.
All of the proceeds from calendar sales go directly to raise awareness and funds for targeted treatments of childhood cancer.
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. Also, Sporting Kansas City's 2013 playoff guide is now available and fans can find all the latest information for Sporting Kansas City matches at SportingKC.com/Playoffs.
