"This Week in Sporting" is a biweekly series that highlights the biggest storylines and news updates from Sporting Kansas City. To visit the series archive, click here.
1. Snap 'Em Up
Single-game tickets for Sporting Kansas City’s first 10 home matches of the 2020 MLS regular season are now on sale. Individual match tickets for contests at Children’s Mercy Park through June 28—beginning with the highly anticipated home opener against rivals Houston Dynamo on March 7 and continuing through a summertime matchup versus the Portland Timbers—can be purchased at SportingKC.com/tickets.
2. Kit Drop
Sporting Kansas City’s new secondary kit for the 2020 MLS season was unveiled Wednesday night during the FORWARD25 Jersey Celebration, taking place at the Penn Plaza Pavilion ahead of Fashion Week in New York City. Featuring a Dark Indigo base with Sporting Blue Swiss Dots, the new secondary jersey is now available for purchase at MLSstore.com.
3. American Royal Barbecue
Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday a new partnership with the American Royal Association, a Kansas City tradition with over 120 years of celebrated history in national competitive events and programs, scholarships and education. The local partnership will introduce American Royal Barbecue to Children’s Mercy Park, treating supporters to revered Kansas City barbecue at every Sporting home match beginning this season.
4. Concession Concepts
Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday five new concession stand concepts at Children’s Mercy Park, continuing a significant food and beverage refresh that has already seen local-based club partners BRGR, Taco Republic, Parisi Coffee, Port Fonda and the American Royal unveiled as highly anticipated stadium additions ahead of the 2020 MLS season.
The five original concession stand concepts are located throughout the main stadium concourse—featuring unique themes, bold flavors and distinct signage—and will debut at Sporting Kansas City’s home opener on March 7 when the Houston Dynamo visit for a 7:30 p.m. CT kickoff.
5. Dick on Loan
Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that the club has loaned goalkeeper Eric Dick to USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC for the 2020 season. Dick, 25, joined Sporting as the 13th overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft out of Butler University. He has made 25 USL Championship appearances for Sporting Kansas City II over the last two years and earned his MLS debut in Sporting’s 2019 season finale at FC Dallas on Oct. 6.
6. Done Deal
Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Major League Soccer Players Association announced Thursday that they have reached an agreement in principle on the terms of a new collective bargaining agreement. The agreement, covering five seasons, commencing with the 2020 season and continuing through the 2024 season, is subject to the approval of the MLS Board of Governors and the membership of the MLSPA. The new agreement includes:
- Increased investment in player spending;
- Greater flexibility for clubs to use those new resources across the entire roster;
- Player spending to include a share of MLS’ new media rights deals in 2023 and 2024;
- A substantial increase in charter flights by the end of the term;
- Expanded free agency.
