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Just saw the most excellent 'Welcome Coach' video done by the Chiefs. I think it's phenomenal and very well done. It reminded me of some of the videos we've seen from a certain other team...

It might just be marketing and PR but any time a video makes you YEARN to be there it is a damn good thing...

See below.

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/01/15...terminate.html

Livestrong, Sporting KC terminate deal on stadium name

Sporting Kansas City’s groundbreaking naming-rights arrangement with Livestrong, the cancer-fighting charity started by disgraced cycling champion Lance Armstrong, is history.

The Major League Soccer club confirmed Tuesday night that it would sever ties with Livestrong, which claimed that Sporting KC failed to live up to a financial agreement that was struck between the two organizations in 2012.

The team’s Livestrong Sporting Park stadium, located off Interstate 70 in the Village West shopping area of Kansas City, Kan., will be referred to simply as “Sporting Park.”

According to a report from ESPN.com’s Darren Rovell, Livestrong informed Sporting KC this week that it had been paid only $250,000 of its $1 million pledge for 2012.

“This morning we were disappointed to learn Livestrong is utilizing aggressive tactics designed to force us into an unsatisfactory arrangement,” Sporting KC President and CEO Robb Heineman said in a statement. “We willingly admit we were not expecting the foundation to treat a partner in this manner. Even more surprising is that Livestrong would take this action in the midst of a significant transitional phase for their organization.

“Our faith and trust in this partnership have been permanently damaged; therefore we are terminating our agreement with Livestrong, effectively immediately. As a result of this decision, our stadium will now be referred to as Sporting Park. While we are ending this relationship, our support of the fight against cancer will endure. We look forward to introducing new initiatives to assist these efforts in Kansas City.”

The unique relationship’s end comes the same week Armstrong admitted using performance-enhancing drugs during a record-breaking cycling career highlighted by seven Tour de France titles, which have since been stripped. Armstrong is expected to admit to doping throughout his career during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, which was taped Monday and will begin airing Thursday.

“Over the course of the past year, it became clear that Livestrong no longer shared the same spirit of partnership, despite our perseverance to the contrary,” Heineman said in a statement released on the club’s website. “We realized at the time this could be the beginning of a tumultuous period for the foundation. We were patient as they sorted through these issues.

“Despite the distractions, leadership from Livestrong and Sporting Club were actively engaged in discussions to redefine expectations for both parties. Based on assurances from key Livestrong leadership, we believed this ongoing dialogue was very positive.”

The agreement’s dissolution after less than two years prematurely ends one of the most progressive naming-rights deals in professional sports.

Rather than sell its new stadium’s naming rights, Sporting KC announced in March 2011 that the Livestrong charity’s name would adorn the new $200 million soccer-specific stadium when it opened three months later.

“March 8, 2011, was one of the proudest moments in our organization’s history,” Heineman said in a statement.

As part of the agreement, Sporting KC was to funnel as much as $7.5 million over six years to Livestrong, donating a portion of ticket, concession and souvenir sales in an unprecedented partnership.

Armstrong, who was diagnosed with stage three testicular cancer in 1996, became an inspiration to millions when he returned to professional cycling. But whispers that he was a cheat also dogged Armstrong throughout his comeback.

Those whispers became a roar in June, when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency formally accused Armstrong of doping and trafficking in drugs used for doping.

Two months later, USADA stripped Armstrong of all competitive results prior to Aug. 1, 1998, including all seven of his Tour de France titles, and also banned him from cycling for life.

Cycling’s international body, Union Cycliste Internationale, upheld USADA’s findings and recommendations after the full report — and its more than 1,000 supporting documents and 26 eyewitness testimonies, including 11 from Armstrong’s teammates — was published in early October.

Nike, Anheuser-Busch and 24-Hour Fitness were among the sponsors who immediately ended sponsorship agreements with Armstrong, but at the time, Sporting KC stood by Livestrong.

Heineman said then that Sporting Club would continue to partner with Livestrong and its work to combat cancer, saying “we believe strongly in this mission.”

Crazy he said\she said going on right now.

It will be interesting to see what comes out about this. Livestrong says they didn't get paid and I don't see anything coming from Sporting KC to dispute that fact. The team doesn't seem like the type to generate bad publicity that would come from not paying a charity but they don't really offer up any additional information other than aggressive tactics.

Is Sporting KC having money issues?

LS is an org totally on the ropes. SKC is doing fine and has a good reputation.

Agreed on the reputation. Just a question that popped into my head based on the limited information being reported so far.

It is a mess no doubt.

If Lance Armstrong and Livestrong were out in the public in a positive fashion this would not have happened. BOTH are coming into question now and I suspect his foundation will have a whole new light shed upon them and renewed scrutiny. The guys who run SKC are smart. Super smart and PR savvy. No way would they do this to kick the foundation when its down or try to skirt a debt.

Sounds to me more like the foundation is using this moment, before Armstrong 'comes clean', to divert and deflect attention to the now many many financial investors who will be seeking to bail. Many with just cause. If the owners of SKC made a mistake it was believing in Armstrong for too long and did not bail sooner. Sadly, I think that foundation is going to fold like a house of cards.

I'm wondering if LS will end up being outed as some sort of ponzi or pyramid scheme.

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor...-Lab-Rats.html

MLS SuperDraft is tomorrow. They only have one pick and it is the 14th one in the first round. God help whoever is drafted to this team because it will be hard to find a spot. Preview below.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...98677670_n.jpg



Sporting Kansas City arguably have one of the most complete, well-rounded January rosters in all of MLS with starters and ready backups at most every position. This despite a midfield reboot during the offseason.

The club will only add to what is already a deep talent pool with the players that are likely to be available at No. 14, SKC’s only pick of the 2013 SuperDraft.

Sporting Kansas City SuperDraft Picks: No. 14 (1st Rd)

Sporting Kansas City Depth Chart (27 players):

Goalkeepers (3): Jimmy Nielsen, Eric Kronberg, Jon Kempin

Right Backs (3): Chance Myers, Kevin Ellis, Kyle Miller

Center Backs (5): Matt Besler, Ike Opara, Aurelien Collin, Lawrence Olum, Yann Songo’o

Left Backs (2): Josh Gardner, Seth Sinovic

Right Wingers (2): Kei Kamara, Jacob Peterson

Central Midfielders (4): Peterson Joseph, Paulo Nagamura, Oriol Rosell, Michael Thomas

Attacking Midfielders (3): Benny Feilhaber, Graham Zusi, Soony Saad

Left Wingers (1): Bobby Convey

Forwards (4): Teal Bunbury, Claudio Bieler, Dom Dwyer, C.J. Sapong

Internationals slots (4 of 8 remaining): Rosell, Joseph, Bieler, Songo’o

Sporting Kansas City SuperDraft Priorities

Left Wing: A number of right-footed players have and still can fill in adequately when Convey is not around. But the team has to be looking for another lefty winger who can take the ball to the end line and deliver a decent cross.

Wish List (left wingers): Donnie Smith (UNC Charlotte), Ryan Clark (Monmouth), Blake Smith (New Mexico),Emery Welshman (Oregon State)

Attacking Midfielders: How long before Sporting Kansas City receive an offer they can’t refuse for Zusi? They need a back-up plan they can work to develop. But is this longer-term project a player you take at No. 14?

Wish List (attacking mids): Dillon Powers (Notre Dame), John Stertzer (Maryland), Kyle Bekker (Boston College)

Forward: What will the arrival of Bieler mean for Bunbury and Sapong and their chances to start at center forward? Will one of them be expendable for the right trade offer? Best to have someone waiting in the wings. And these names may still be there at No. 14.

Wish List (forwards): Devon Sandoval (New Mexico), Ryan Finley (Notre Dame)

Zach- listened to KTB podcast today at work. It's a good listen.

Hey thanks! Yea it gets a lil easier and lil better each time. Really looking forward to doing it in season when real things are happening though.

We may try to do one from Philly for the opening of the season.

Thanks for listening.

Sporting KC selects 19-year-old midfielder Mikey Lopez in 2013 MLS SuperDraft
Generation adidas signing and U.S. U20 member starred in two seasons at UNC

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...89354383_n.jpg

Sporting Kansas City selected 19-year-old midfielder Mikey Lopez out of the University of North Carolina with the 14th overall selection in the first round of Thursday’s 2013 MLS SuperDraft presented by adidas in Indianapolis, Ind.

“He fits our ideal situation at the moment,” Sporting Kansas City Manager Peter Vermes said. “We have time that we can bring him along, which is a great thing. I think he has a place where he can grow and develop. We’re excited about the pick.”

A Generation adidas signing, Lopez has been added to Sporting Kansas City’s roster and will occupy an off-budget roster spot. Generation adidas is a joint program between MLS and adidas that identifies top domestic underclassmen and youth national team players, while providing educational stipends for its professional players.

“It’s a great team. I'm glad to be going to Sporting Kansas City,” Lopez said. “I feel like I can do well with this team and fit in, and hopefully break into the lineup quickly. So I'm glad that I got chosen by them and that they feel the same way about me. It's a match made in heaven.”

Lopez is an active member of the United States Under-20 Men’s National Team and will join Sporting KC teammate Jon Kempin with the U.S. U-20 squad in Puebla, Mexico tonight for their training camp. Among the 20 players selected by head coach Tab Ramos for the camp, Lopez leads the roster with 17 caps at the U-20 level. He has appeared in international competitions including the 2012 Northern Ireland Milk Cup in July and the 2012 Marbella Cup in Spain in October.

In his two-year collegiate career at North Carolina, Lopez appeared in 46 games with five goals and five assists. He was named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2011 after helping the Tar Heels secure their second-ever NCAA national championship, and was named an NSCAA All-American this season.

MLSSoccer.com rated Lopez the top holding midfielder in this year’s draft class in the midst of a strong showing at the MLS Combine last week. Lopez becomes the third North Carolina player drafted by Sporting KC in club history, along with current assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin and former defender Michael Harrington.

Following Thursday’s SuperDraft, Sporting Kansas City will next participate in the four-round 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft via conference call on Tuesday, Jan. 22.


Mikey Lopez – 14th Overall (1st Round)
Position: Midfielder
Born: 2/20/93
Height: 5-9
Weight: 158
College: University of North Carolina
Hometown: Mission, Texas
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas
Citizenship: USA
Twitter: @mlopez5tarheel

Also, as expected Ivy Funds is the new jersey sponsor though the new primary kit won't be released until the end of February.

http://www.sportingkc.com/sites/kans...Option%201.jpg

i hate adidas unis.... expecting the worst. Especially from what I've seen from the other leaked jerseys...

stripes running down the shoulders are unnecessary and ruin most of them for me.

glad we found a jersey sponsor tho.