Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update: April 4, 2012
Sporting KC striker C.J. Sapong to appear at Kansas Sampler tonight
Sporting Kansas City and LEGOLAND Discovery Center host joint event Thursday
Sporting KC to face LA Galaxy in front of a sold out crowd at home Saturday
ESPN to air feature on Sporting KC's Kei Kamara on Saturday
Sporting KC defeat Chivas USA 1-0, continue to lead league
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, Robb Heineman finalists for TheStadiumBusiness awards 2012
Sporting Club and YMCA of Greater KC launch Sporting Tykes
Sporting KC unveils Goals for Gillis
Sporting KC Show airs at 6pm on 610 Sports Radio on Thursday
Application process for Sporting 22 now open
Besler gives back
Sporting KC Juniors continue Spring seasons
Sporting KC unveils boys and girls youth soccer camps for 2012
Follow Sporting Kansas City online
SPORTING KC STRIKER C.J. SAPONG TO APPEAR AT KANSAS SAMPLER TONIGHT
Sporting Kansas City striker C.J. Sapong, the team's leading scorer in 2012 with three goals in the first four games, will be at Kansas Sampler (9750 Quivira Rd., Lenexas, KS) from 5:30 - 7 p.m. CT tonight. The 2011 MLS Rookie of the Year will meet fans and will be available to sign autographs and pose for pictures during the appearance.
The store, located across from the Oak Park Mall, carries a full line of Sporting Kansas City merchandise, as do other Kansas Sampler and Rally House locations throughout the metropolitan area.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY AND LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER HOST JOINT EVENT THURSDAY
Sporting Kansas City and Kansas City's newest attraction, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, will host a joint event this Thursday to unveil the LIVESTRONG Sporting Park LEGO model. Sporting Kansas City players Matt Besler, Aurelien Collin, C.J. Sapong, Michael Harrington, Soony Saad, Graham Zusi and Teal Bunbury will all be in attendance to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.
Attendance is free and the first 200 guests will receive a complimentary ticket to an upcoming Sporting Kansas City match and will have a chance at winning an annual combo pass to LEGOLAND Discovery Center and SEA LIFE Aquarium Kansas City. There will be fan activities, including a "Guess the Bricks" contest to solicit estimates on the total number of LEGO bricks used to build the stadium model.
- WHEN: 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5
- WHERE: Atrium at Crown Center (2450 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO 64108)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TO FACE LA GALAXY IN FRONT OF A SOLD OUT CROWD AT HOME SATURDAY
Sporting Kansas City (4-0-0), the only team with a perfect record in MLS this season, will look to extend their winning streak on Saturday against the LA Galaxy (1-3-0) at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The match kicks off at 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and ESPN Deportes (tape delay).
All seats have been sold for the highly anticipated match but a limited number of standing-room only ticket packages are now on sale for $25. There is also a $50 package available that includes a standing-room only ticket for Saturday's match, as well as an East Stand Goal Line ticket for Sporting Kansas City's match on Saturday, May 5 as they take on the expansion Montreal Impact for the first time in MLS action. To purchase the ticket package, visit LIVESTRONG Sporting Park Box Offices or call 888-4KC-Goal.
The first 10,000 fans to enter the stadium on Saturday will receive a Sporting Kansas City flag, courtesy of match sponsor H&R Block. Following the match, a post-game party will be held in the Members' Club featuring Boulevard's official launch party for their Boss Tom's seasonal beer.
ESPN TO AIR FEATURE ON SPORTING KC'S KEI KAMARA ON SATURDAY
Sporting Kansas City striker Kei Kamara will be the focus of an ESPN feature on Saturday in conjunction with the team's match on ESPN against the LA Galaxy. The video piece will tell the story of Kamara's soccer career, including his time as a youth in Sierra Leone before arriving in the states. ESPN commentator and former U.S. Women's National Team player Julie Foudy conducted an interview with Kamara in Kansas City last month and the feature will be supplemented by footage from Copper Pot Pictures, who have produced the upcoming documentary film KEI.
Follow @SportingKC on Twitter and the team's official Facebook page for additional details on when the feature will air and a link to the video once it's published online.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY DEFEAT CHIVAS USA 1-0, CONTINUE TO LEAD LEAGUE
Sporting Kansas City is the team to beat due to their impressive unbeaten start to the 2012 season. Sporting most recently defeated Chivas USA 1-0 at the Home Depot Center on Sunday, with a goal scored by C.J. Sapong and assisted by Graham Zusi in the 47th minute. Zusi now leads the league with five assists in just four games, while Kei Kamara leads the league in shots and shots on goal.
Sporting Kansas City, unbeaten in four straight matches, is the only team to begin the 2012 season with four straight wins, making it the club's best season start in franchise history.
LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK, ROBB HEINEMAN FINALISTS FOR THESTADIUMBUSINESS AWARDS 2012
Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman was nominated for Executive of the Year and LIVESTRONG Sporting Park earned nominations in four categories including Venue of the Year as TheStadiumBusiness announced their shortlists for TheStadiumBusiness Awards 2012.
The club's state-of-the-art LIVESTRONG Sporting Park garnered recognition alongside venues on four different continents with its consideration for Venue of the Year, awarded to the world's best stadium, arena or sports venue-from the small local club to the mega-capacity national sports facilities.
LIVESTRONG Sporting Park was also nominated for the New Venue Award, the Community Award and the Customer Experience Award for a stadium or arena that has found new ways to support, enhance and improve its local community and has consistently delivered outstanding levels of service at every stage of the customer journey.
Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman was named as a finalist for Executive of the Year as a sports venue leader, pioneer or visionary that has over-delivered in the past 12 months. Heineman was recently chosen as one of the most promising young executives in sports business under the age of 40 by SportsBusiness Journal at the organization's 40 Under 40 Awards gala last month.
The winners will be announced live at the TheStadiumBusiness Awards gala, to be held in Turin on May 15. Award categories featuring LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, Heineman and FAN360 are listed below with a complete list of nominees.
SPORTING CLUB AND YMCA OF GREATER KC LAUNCH SPORTING TYKES
Sporting Kansas City, Sporting Club and the YMCA of Greater Kansas City unveiled a new partnership last month to launch Sporting Tykes, a soccer program for kids between the ages of 3-5 years old.
The program will begin this spring at 12 of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City's 18 locations and will provide six one-hour sessions that will include structured practices and organized games. Each meeting will be designed to build confidence, develop teamwork, teach social skills and introduce the basics of soccer in a positive and fun environment.
Sporting Kansas City will host "Y" night in conjunction with their match on Saturday, May 5, featuring discounted tickets for YMCA members and special gameday activities. YMCA members are encouraged to contact Sporting Kansas City account executive Zach Robinson at 913-387-3421 for ticket information.
SPORTING KC UNVEILS GOAL FOR GILLIS
Sporting Kansas City has partnered with Gillis to launch Goals for Gillis, a program that will raise money to help at-risk children and families with every goal Sporting Kansas City scores throughout the 2012 season.
Fans can participate by making a pledge starting at $1 for every goal that Sporting Kansas City scores during the 2012 season. The top four Goals for Gillis fundraisers will be recognized online and at a special event with Heineman and Sporting Kansas City forward Kei Kamara after the completion of the 2012 season. Those pledging at least $5 per goal by April 30 will be entered to win an autographed, one-of-a-kind portrait of Kamara by local artist Jeffrey Barge.
For more information on Goals for Gillis, click here.
SPORTING KC SHOW AIRS AT 6PM ON 610 SPORTS RADIO ON THURSDAY
Sporting Kansas City's weekly radio show will again be available over the airwaves on Thursday with hosts Callum Williams and Jake Yadrich on 610 Sports Radio. Tune in from 6-7 p.m. CT to hear from Sporting Kansas City players and call 913-576-7610 to join the discussion around all the latest news.
APPLICATION PROCESS FOR SPORTING 22 PROGRAM NOW OPEN
Sporting Kansas City's community outreach program Sporting 22 is now accepting applications for the 2012 season. Sporting 22 awards scholarships to 22 high school students to explore, develop and execute local initiatives that use soccer to impact the overall health and well-being of thousands Kansas City children. The students have from June to December to activate their programs and start a lifelong path of civic engagement in the communities they serve.
Sporting Kansas City defender Matt Besler is a candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Man of the Year campaign in the Kansas City region.Fans, friends and family interested in donating to Besler's Man of the Year campaign may do so by making a donation on Besler's LLS webpage or may bid on four premium items on Besler's personal Twitter page this month with new items appearing every two weeks ending on April 26.
SPORTING KC JUNIORS CONTINUE SPRING SEASONS
The Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth development academy is in full swing for the Spring, with all four teams in action this past weekend. The Under-16 and Under-18 Juniors traveled to Colorado for a pair of matches against the Colorado Rapids, while the Under-13 and Under-14 Juniors were in St. Louis for the 2012 SLSG Boys College Showcase.
The U16's and U13's garnered the top performances in the academy over the weekend with the U16's earning a win and draw on the road to go unbeaten on the weekend and remain in first place of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy's Frontier Division in the Central Conference. The U13's won each of their three matches against their SLSG hosts at the Showcase, finishing in first place in the U13 MLS Pre-Academy Division.
For a full recap, visit the Junior Way blog on SportingKC.com.
SPORTING KC UNVEILS BOYS AND GIRLS YOUTH SOCCER CAMPS FOR 2012
Sporting Kansas City and the Sporting Kansas City Juniors youth development academy will again offer a series of youth soccer camps in 2012 for boys and girls of all ages. Please see the list of scheduled camps below:
- Invite-Only Sessions: April 9 - May 14 (Monday's only) for U11 - U14 boys ($255)
- Pre-Tryout Camp: June 4-6 for U11-U14 boys ($130)
- Boys & Girls Development Camp: June 18-20 for boys and girls ages 8-12 ($130)
- Sporting Youngsters Camp: June 11-14 for boys and girls ages 4-7 ($100)
- Sporting Development Camp: June 11-14 for boys and girls ages 8-12 ($150)
FOLLOW SPORTING KANSAS CITY ONLINE
Sporting Kansas City fans looking to keep up with the club on the worldwide web now have a place to go. The new 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.
