MLS Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City Weekly Update

Published on December 1, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Sporting Kansas City News Release


SPORTING KANSAS CITY ACQUIRES MIDFIELDER PAULO NAGAMURA

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that midfielder Paulo Nagamura has been acquired from Chivas USA in exchange for a first round selection in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft.

Nagamura, 28, has featured for Chivas USA for the last five seasons, making a total of 99 appearances and scoring 11 goals. In exchange for the Brazilian, Chivas USAreceives the first round 2012 supplemental draft pick that was originally sent to Sporting KC last week in the trade for midfielder Ryan Smith. Sporting Kansas City will retain their natural first round 2012 supplemental draft pick, as well as the third round 2012 supplemental draft pick that was also acquired in the trade for Smith.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY REACQUIRES DEFENDER SETH SINOVIC

Sporting Kansas City announced Monday that midfielder Davy Arnaud has been traded to the Montreal Impact in exchange for defender Seth Sinovic and allocation money.

In exchange for Arnaud, Sporting Kansas City received defender Seth Sinovic, who was selected by the Impact in last week's Expansion Draft, as well as allocation money. Sinovic, a Leawood, Kan. native, joined Sporting Kansas City after the start of the 2011 season before going on to make 20 appearances in Sporting Kansas City's run to the Eastern Conference Championship match.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY LAUNCHES NEW ONLINE STORE

Sporting Kansas City unveiled a new online store for fans last Friday . The new site offers both Sporting Kansas City merchandise and Sporting Club merchandise. The site is the only online outlet where the Sporting Club line is available for purchase in the off-season. The lifestyle line of clothing made up 10 percent of the club's merchandise revenue in its first year of sales. Be sure to visit www.SportingClubStore.com for the perfect h oliday gift for Sporting fans.

2012 HOME OPENER SET FOR MARCH 17

Major League Soccer's 17th season will kick off on Saturday, March 10, 2012 with six matches. Sporting Kansas City will play their first home match of 2012 at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park on March 17. Opponent and kickoff time are still to be determined. Major League Soccer anticipates that the full 2012 fixture schedule will be released prior to the new year.

NIELSEN SIGNS CONTRACT EXTENSION THROUGH 2013

Sporting Kansas City announced Monday that goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen has signed a contract extension with the club. The extension will keep Nielsen at Sporting Kansas City through the 2013 season with an option for 2014, as well.

Since joining Sporting Kansas City prior to the start of the 2010 season, Nielsen has cemented himself as a fan favorite and one of the top goalkeepers in the League. In his first season with the club, Nielsen helped to record a total of 10 clean sheets as his performances earned him a nomination as an MLS All-Star.

ZAMBRANO TO MANAGE DEPORTIVO PEREIRA

Sporting Kansas City announced Tuesday that assistant coach Octavio Zambrano will not return to the team for the 2012 season. Zambrano has accepted a head coaching position with Colombian second division side Deportivo Pereira.

Zambrano, 53, was a member of Sporting Kansas City's technical staff for both the 2010 and the 2011 seasons after joining the staff from Hungarian club FC Tatabánya in December of 2009. One of the winningest head coaches in MLS history following stints with the LA Galaxy and the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, Zambrano served two seasons under Peter Vermes before accepting his new position with Deportivo Pereira.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY WAIVES FOUR

Sporting Kansas City announced last Wednesday that defender Scott Lorenz along with midfielders Jeferson, Milos Stojcev and Craig Rocastle have been waived.

KRONBERG UNDERGOES SUCCESSFUL SPORTS HERNIA SURGERY

Sporting Kansas City veteran goalkeeper Eric Kronberg is expected to miss up to eight weeks after undergoing a successful sports hernia surgery in Los Angeles earlier last week. Kronberg has suffered from the lingering injury since June and is expected to return to training by the start of the 2012 preseason.

ACADEMY TEAMS PREP FOR DA SHOWCASE

Sporting Kansas City's Under-16 and Under-18 Juniors sides will be travelling down to Sarasota, Fl. this weekend to participate in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Winter Showcase at the Premier Sports Complex.

The four-day tournament features play between all teams that currently participate in the Development Academy, the highest level of youth soccer in the United States. There has also been a group of 78 players chosen to participate in two select matches. Sporting Kansas City's U-16 forward Joey Piatczyc has been selected to play.

Additionally, the showcase will be held in conjunction with the Nike Friendlies, a friendly competition featuring the national teams of France, Turkey, Brazil and the United States.

SPORTING KANSAS CITY UNVEILS PROVIDENCE FAMILY PLAN

In the spirit of the holiday season, Sporting Kansas City would like to make season tickets affordable for families. Purchase two regular South Stand season tickets for receive two free youth (13 and under) South Stand season tickets. The whole family can enjoy Kansas City's most electric sports atmosphere all season long for less than $800. Payment plans are available. To take advantage of this offer, click here or call 888-4KC GOAL.

LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK TO HOST OLYMPIC QUALIFIERS

U.S. Soccer and the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football(CONCACAF) announced recently that LIVE STRONG Sporting Park will host the 2012 Men's Olympic qualifying tournament semifinals and final. The eight-nation tournament begins March 22, 2012 and will arrive in Kansas City with the decisive semifinals on March 31st before concluding with the championship match on April 2nd. The winners of each semifinal match at LIVE STRONG Sporting Park on March31st will advance to the 2012 Olympic Games in London next summer to represent CONCACAF and will meet in the championship match on April 2nd at LIVE STRONG Sporting Park.

Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members will have access to an exclusivepre-sale once tickets are made available for the matches.

2012 DISNEY PRO SOCCER CLASSIC FIELD UNVEILED, TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW

Sporting KC will face the Houston Dynamo, Montreal Impact, FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps FC in a pre-season tournament at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort in February.

The Classic begins with a week of pool play Feb. 24-March 1, followed by the championship game March 3. The tournament will offer fans unique interaction with players, such as the Orlando City Soccer "Fan Fest" on Feb. 25 when fans can meet players and pose for photos with the team's trophies.

Single session tickets for the Disney Pro Soccer Classic, which include entry into two games, go on sale for $15.50 Dec. 1 through Ticketmaster (800/745-3000 and ticketmaster.com ) and at the sports complex box office. All-tournament passes are $69.

LIVESTRONG SPORTING PARK TO BE RECREATED AT LEGOLAND

The home of Sporting Kansas City will be built at the new LEGOLAND Discovery Center following an overwhelming public vote. LIVE STRONG Sporting Park topped the list of the ten landmarks to be built on a smaller scale at LEGOLAND, which will open this spring at Crown Center. The miniature stadium will reside in the Miniland section of the park and will be joined by scaled versions of the likes of the Kansas Speedway, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and seven other notable Kansas City landmarks.

A public vote on the Discovery Center's Facebook page decided the landmarks to be featured at the Miniland. LIVE STRONG Sporting Park received the most votes, nudging the Sprint Center and the River Market out of the competition. "We are honored that LIVE STRONG Sporting Park will be built into the Miniland project," Sporting Club CEO Robb Heineman said. "There are many remarkable landmarks in Kansas City, and to be thought of after opening this year is a great tribute."

43 DAYS UNTIL 2012 MLS SUPERDRAFT IN KANSAS CITY

For the eighth consecutive year, the MLS SuperDraft will be held in conjunction with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Convention, and willtake place on Thursday, January 12, at the Kansas City Convention Center, in Kansas City, Mo. The first round of the SuperDraft will be broadcast live on ESPN2beginning at 11:00 AM CT.

Billed as "The World's Largest Annual Gathering of Soccer Coaches," each year the NSCAA Convention draws approximately 4,000 coaches from our 30,000-plusmembers, and nearly 10,000 attendees over five days.

This year, the MLS SuperDraft will include two rounds and 38 overall selections, with the Montreal Impact selecting first overall. Clubs that did not qualify for the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, in reverse order of regular season finish, hold the next eight selections. The remaining 10 positions currently belong to clubsthat were eliminated in the same round of the 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs, in reverse order of regular season finish.

A four-round Supplemental Draft will be held via conference call on Tuesday, January 17th.

2012 SEASON TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Season tickets for the 2012 Sporting Kansas City season at LIVE STRONG Sporting Park are now on sale .

Fans ages 21 and older now have the option to purchase season tickets in the Budweiser Corner at LIVE STRONG Sporting Park, an all-inclusive terrace area which provides stadium-style food options and draft beer choices.

Another new seating package for 2012 is the Sporting Family Plan. Offered exclusively in the Providence Sporting Zone, the Sporting Family Plan gives fans the option to purchase two season tickets and receive two more for children ages 13 and under for free. Season tickets in the Providence Sporting Zone start at $380 for the entire 2012 season.

Please note: When discussing our team, please refer to us as Sporting Kansas City or Sporting KC . Season tickets are currently on sale for the 2012 MLS season at state-of-the-art LIVE STRONG Sporting Park. Visit SportingKC.com or call 888-4KC-GOAL to reserve seats. For all of your Sporting Kansas City merchandise needs, visit SportingClubStore.com.

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Major League Soccer Stories from December 1, 2011


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