Our family loves sports. Our kids have played multiple sports over the years — baseball, softball, football, soccer, rugby, tennis — you name it, we probably have equipment for it. But our love of sports isn’t just in the playing, but in the great times we have cheering on our favorite teams.
In a city of championship sports teams, you can pretty much have a great family sports experience anytime, all year round. In fact, Kansas Citians have been a bit spoiled with the success of our hometown teams.
With the Chiefs claiming the title of world champions in 2020 and then a return to the biggest game of the year in 2021, we certainly know what it feels like to cheer for football superstars. As you look around our city saturated in red, don’t forget that just five years ago we were a sea of blue when our Royals won the 2015 World Series after taking the 2014 series to a full seven games. Those are impressive credentials for any city.
But the distinctive list of local champions doesn’t end there. In fact, Kansas Citians have yet another team that is a two time league champion. In both 2010 and 2013, Sporting KC won the MLS Cup, bringing two more trophies and titles to our city.
Wait, what — you didn’t know that? Well, that makes me a little sad for you because you are missing out on the chance to embrace a truly great KC sports experience.
Before we go any further, let me tell you just a little about that 2013 MLS Cup game… With the temperature a chilly 20 degrees at game time, the 2013 championship game was one to remember. The game was the coldest MLS match, ever. At the end of regulation and overtime, the game was tied 1-1. After ten rounds of penalty kicks — the longest in shootout in MLS Cup history — Sporting KC took home the trophy with a final score 7-6. In spite of the bitter cold, and a very long game, standing in that stadium with our son and two of his friends is a memory I will always cherish.
As diehard Sporting fans, we make it to multiple games each season and set our DVR to record the road games and those we cannot attend in person.
Sporting KC provides a little different experience than our Chiefs and Royals, but I can assure you that it is not lacking in any sense.
Let me give you a little insight to what a trip to Children’s Mercy Park has to offer:
- Up close and personal interaction with the field and players. With a seating capacity of just over 18,000, there isn’t a seat in the stadium that doesn’t offer a great view of the field. No matter where you sit, you can hear the players and coaches ongoing game commentary.
- The stadium was made with families in mind. With a kid’s soccer field available just behind the seating area, it’s easy to get the wiggles out with a quick pick-up game. Not a soccer player? There is plenty of room in this same area to burn some energy just running around.
The stadium is perfectly laid out for a walk around the concourse without missing any of the action on the field.- The Cauldron. This end zone, filled with some of the most passionate sports fans around, keeps things moving with cheers and chants — and an occasional very vocal expression when they don’t think the ref is spot on with a call.
- Great snacks. Not only does Sporting have a great stadium food provider, there are also some favorite local restaurants bringing their best to the park. When it’s time to nosh, your family can choose from great burgers, Mexican fare, brats, chicken, and more.
- During the regular season our players may be called up to play for their national team. Soccer is one of the only sports where players may leave during the season to play for their home country’s team. This culturally diverse group embraces the opportunity to represent their country and our city.
But is this enough to make it worth loading up the old minivan for a family outing? Well, if it’s not, consider this: The Victory Project.
This is a Sporting KC campaign that:
- Recognizes kids with cancer at each home game
- Provides funds to support children’s cancer research
- Fulfills wishes of kids with a cancer relapse or a secondary cancer diagnosis
- Helps make soccer accessible for kids with different abilities and limited financial resources through schools, non-profits and community partners
- Funds a community kitchen that provides meals to KC children and families in need
Our Sporting KC players and coaches are not only champions on the field, but their love for our city extends off the field through their commitment to causes that benefit children.
As you can see, there are a lot to experience when you attend a Sporting game, but the number one thing — and for me the key piece in attending any game — is FUN! I cannot possibly describe the excitement of a great save, a penalty kick putting one scorer again the goalkeeper, watching the set up on a corner kick, that shot that just misses or even better, sneaks past the opposing keeper.
Add to that witnessing the unbelievable athleticism of these players who play the full field for two 45-minute halves without substitutions, and you can’t help but feel a little smug that this team is our very own.
Over the years, our family has made so many great memories at Children’s Mercy Park. We have celebrated with the champions, watched broken hearted as the season comes to an end too soon, and cheered on our team through clutch goals and bad calls.
But some of our best memories include introducing one of our son’s college friends to professional soccer and sharing the excitement as our great nephew and great niece attended their first Sporting game. We love the game, we love the team, but most of all we love the memories that come from spending time with our family and friends cheering for the best team in Major League Soccer.
No matter what you have planned for these next few months, big travel or a family staycation, make sure you make time for at least one Sporting KC game. And do it early in the season because I am certain that after you experience one game at Children’s Mercy Park, you are going to be back in line for tickets to at least a couple more.
I promise, when you leave you will feel like you are truly in the city of champions!
