SPORTING KANSAS CITY STRIKER TEAL BUNBURY SHINES WITH GENERATION ADIDAS TEAM ON TRIP TO SPAIN:
Sporting
Kansas City striker Teal Bunbury was one of 19
players selected to the Generation Adidas team, coached by FC Dallas Manager
Schellas Hyndman, which just concluded a series of friendlies against La Liga
reserve teams in Spain.
The Sporting Kansas City striker starred in the three games, scoring three
goals and tallying an assist, in leading the GA team to a 3-0 record.
Bunbury
and his Generation Adidas teammates arrived in Madrid
on Tuesday, November 30th, and Sporting Kansas City striker started
and scored a goal in the team’s 2-1
victory last Thursday against Real Madrid’s reserve team. This past
Tuesday, Bunbury started and played the full 90 minutes in the Generation
Adidas team’s 1-0
victory over the Rayo Vallecano FC reserve team. Bunbury shined again in
today’s match, scoring two goals and providing an assist after coming on at
halftime in the Generation Adidas team’s 4-1
victory over the Atletico Madrid reserve squad.
During
the trip, the Generation Adidas team also attended a La Liga match and a UEFA
Champions League fixture. The GA team will be returning to the United States
tomorrow.
For
Bunbury, this stellar trip to Spain
is yet another impressive accomplishment after a solid rookie season that saw
him score five goals and tally two assists for Kansas City,
after being drafted 4th overall out of Akron in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. He also
recently earned his first international appearance, coming on at halftime of
the United States National Team’s 1-0 victory over South Africa last month.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY LOSES
DEFENDER AARON HOHLBEIN IN STAGE 1 OF MLS RE-ENTRY PROCESS:
Stage 1 of Major
League Soccer’s Re-Entry Process took place earlier this afternoon, and
Sporting Kansas City defender Aaron Hohlbein was selected by the Columbus Crew.
Since Hohlbein was out of contract, the Crew now must extend him a Bona Fide
Offer, and Hohlbein will then have the option to accept or reject that offer.
Should the Bona Fide Offer be rejected, Columbus
would hold the right of first refusal for Hohlbein in MLS.
Kansas City originally selected Hohlbein with the
third overall pick in the 2007 MLS Supplemental Draft, and the former
Wisconsin-Madison defender appeared in five MLS games (four starts) in his
rookie season. During his time in Kansas
City, Hohlbein appeared in 43 games (41 starts) and
tallied two goals and one assist.
The 25-year old
defender saw his most playing time during the 2009 season, when he appeared in
22 MLS games (all starts). In 2010, Hohlbein played in only two MLS games (one
start) for Kansas City,
and was loaned to Miami FC of the USSF D-2 Pro League in August for the remainder
of their season.
Three Sporting
Kansas City players were available for selection in Stage 1 of the Re-Entry
Process – defenders Jimmy Conrad and Hohlbein, and forward Josh Wolff. Conrad
and Wolff were not selected in today’s re-entry draft, and Sporting Kansas City
did not select any available players.
Since Conrad and
Wolff were not selected today, they will now have the opportunity to negotiate
a new contract and sign with Sporting Kansas City through 1:00 p.m. CT on
December 13th.
Should the
players not sign new contracts with Sporting prior to that deadline, Conrad and
Wolff will again be available for selection in Stage 2 of the Re-Entry Process
on Wednesday, December 15th.
In Stage 2, clubs may again select from
players that are under contract and those not under contract. If a player is
not under contract, the drafting club will be required to make a genuine offer
to the player within seven days. In the event that an agreement cannot be
reached between the drafting club and an out-of-contract player, the drafting
club will hold the right of first refusal for that player in MLS. Clubs may
select their own players in Stage 2 only after all other clubs have declined to
select those players.
If a player is not selected in either
stage of the Re-Entry Process, that player will be available on a first-come,
first-serve basis to all clubs.
SEAT
SELECTION UNDERWAY FOR 2011 SEASON TICKET MEMBERS:
Sporting Kansas City began the
seat selection process on Tuesday for 2011 season ticket members. This was the
first opportunity for members to choose their seats in the team’s new
state-of-the-art stadium, and members who had already placed their $50 deposit
on 2011 season tickets were the first people allowed to select their specific
seats.
Members have the
choice between conducting the seat selection process online or over the phone,
and in the spring, members will have the opportunity to tour the new stadium
and sit in their seats for the first time.
Sporting Kansas City continues to
accept initial payments for season tickets for the 2011 season, beginning at
$14-per-seat for the Member’s Stand ($280 total for 20 games) and ranging to
$40-per-seat for the West Stand. Additional club and suite options are also
available.
Fans can still reserve
their spot in the seat selection process by placing a $50 deposit per seat,
which will be applied to the cost of 2011 season tickets. Fans can put down
their deposit by visiting sportingkc.com
or calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
HOME
GROWN PLAYER JON KEMPIN JOINS U.S.
UNDER-18 NATIONAL TEAM:
Sporting
Kansas City
goalkeeper Jon Kempin, the team’s first Home Grown Player, was selected to the
U.S. Under-18 National Team this week for an upcoming three-game tournament in
Tel Aviv.
The U-18
National Team will
take on host Israel, Germany and France from Dec. 10-18. The U.S. will play Germany
on Dec. 13, France on Dec.
14 and Israel
on Dec. 16. U.S. head coach
Mike Matkovich will bring 20 players to Tel Aviv, including 17 Development Academy players, with two professionals
in Kempin and midfielder Victor Pineda from the Chicago Fire. Kempin recently
returned from the Torneo de las Americas
where he helped the U.S. U-20 MNT to a pair of draws against Colombia and Mexico.
Kempin
started both matches for the U-20 team and played every minute in the
tournament, a round-robin invitational. Kempin made six saves against Colombia
in his first-ever appearance for the under-20 team, as the United
States fell 3-1 in penalty kicks following a 1-1 draw in regulation. Two
days later, Kempin recorded eight more saves in another 1-1 draw before the United
States dropped a 4-2 penalty kick shootout against Mexico.
THREE
SPORTING KANSAS CITY PLAYERS PARTICIPATE IN 2010
CARIBBEAN CUP
Three players
from Sporting Kansas City’s 2010 roster participated in the 2010 Digicel
Caribbean Cup, which concluded last weekend in Martinique. Defender Shavar Thomas
(Jamaica) and midfielders Stephane Auvray (Guadeloupe) and Craig Rocastle
(Grenada) all represented their respective National Teams in the CONCACAF
competition.
Thomas
captained Jamaica to the tournament title, as the Reggae Boyz defeated
Guadeloupe, captained by Stephane Auvray, in penalty kicks in the tournament
final. For Jamaica, it was their second-straight Caribbean Cup tournament
title.
The top four
teams in theCaribbean Cup’s eight-team final roundqualified
for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, to be held in the United States in June of 2011. All
of the teams led by Sporting Kansas City players advanced to next year’s Gold
Cup - Jamaica, Guadeloupe
and Grenada, and Cuba also
advanced.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE AT DICK’S SPORTING GOODS AND ONLINE:
Sporting Kansas City merchandise can be purchased at Dick’s
Sporting Goods stores throughout the Kansas
City metropolitan area, as well as online at
MLSgear.com. Dick’s Sporting Goods launched the first line of Sporting
Kansas City short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts
following the team’s announcement of their new look last month. Additionally,
Sporting Kansas City supporters and holiday shoppers can visit the official
online store of Major League Soccer for scarves and hats with the new logo and
Sporting Blue color.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY LOOKS AHEAD TO HISTORIC 2011 SEASON:
Sporting Kansas City will welcome Mexican international Omar Bravo as the
team’s second-ever Designated Player and will move into a new state-of-the-art soccer stadium,
currently under construction at Village West in Kansas City, Kansas,
as the team prepares for a highly-anticipated 2011 season.
Sporting Kansas City is accepting
initial payments for 2011 season tickets, beginning at $14-per-seat for the
Member’s Stand ($280 total for 20 games) and ranging to $40-per-seat for the
West Stand. Additional club and suite options are also available. Fans can reserve
their spot in the seat selection process, which began on Tuesday, by placing a
$50 deposit per seat, which will be applied to the cost of 2011 season tickets.
Deposits can by placed online by visiting sportingkc.com
or by calling 888-4KC-GOAL.
The 2011 season
will feature 34 regular season games, with MLS First Kick scheduled for the
weekend of March 19 and regular season action continuing until October 22. The
16th season of Major League Soccer will feature the introduction of
two new teams, the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Portland Timbers.
The 2011 soccer
season will also feature the CONCACAF Gold Cup in June, with the winner
qualifying for the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. The United States
is an automatic qualifier for the 12-team tournament. Shavar Thomas, Roger
Espinoza, Jimmy Conrad, Davy Arnaud, Stephane Auvray and Omar Bravo all
participated in the 2009 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
