Sporting Kansas City

[beautyfromashes]

Sporting KC just had their 100th sellout game. Does this begin to show signs that they need a larger stadium similar in size to those in smaller European cities? Would they consider a DT stadium and when is their lease up at Sportibg Park?

[shinatoo]

I would have to guess their next stadium would be a joint venture between them and the Chiefs.

[KCtoBrooklyn]

There has been talk of expanding the current stadium with a potential of adding 8k seats. There was a threshold that was cited for the season ticket wait list that the owners thought would justify building the expansion (maybe 10k on the waitlist). It sounds like the waitlist has actually been diminishing, so I don't think we will see expansion any time soon. I don't think it is really necessary. Yes, the games sell out, but it is usually not hard to get a ticket. I'm not sure they would consistently sell out a larger stadium at this point.

There was a response that Robb Heineman gave once that indicated they would consider a downtown stadium once there lease is up - but that is still a pretty long time away (and maybe he was just dismissing the question and I interpreted it optimistically).

If attendance in the NFL continues to drop and MLS continues to rise, I could possibly see them doing a joint venture with the Chiefs in 20 years - maybe a 40k-50k seat venue (or they could do a larger venue with a smaller configuration for soccer). A stadium with a retractable roof that could also be used for events like a Final Four, a bowl game, conventions, etc, could be a good asset for downtown. Although and artificial surface is not great for soccer.

[earthling]

David Beckham and Sprint CEO ties to potential Miami MLS expansion...
https://www.prosoccerusa.com/expansion/ ... port-says/

[dnweava]

Sporting KC just had their 100th sellout game. Does this begin to show signs that they need a larger stadium similar in size to those in smaller European cities? Would they consider a DT stadium and when is their lease up at Sportibg Park?

a Sporting "sellout" still has many open seats since they don't include the GA areas. They don't need a bigger stadium.

[bobbyhawks]

FWIW, there are 4 EPL stadiums, 5 La Liga stadiums, and 4 Serie A stadiums under 23k in capacity (random number chosen by me). 9 of those 13 stadiums are smaller than Sporting's. I doubt Sporting would seriously entertain the notion of a brand new stadium until the one they are in is at least 10 years old. Building the 8k add-on seems the way to go if they are convinced they can sell more seats, as much as I'd love for them to be downtown. They f-ed that one up long ago.

[beautyfromashes]

I just can’t make that drive, as much as I like SKC.

[chingon]

I just can’t make that drive, as much as I like SKC.

Yup. That was a real fuck up. Classic KC.

[WoodDraw]

Wasn't the KC site Bannister though? One highway site vs. another.

[chingon]

Wasn't the KC site Bannister though? One highway site vs. another.

Yes. I meant KC writ large. KCMOs site sucked too. I guess because Cerner sucks.

[mean]

At least Bannister is relatively centralized and in the cityish. I'd argue it's a modestly better location than TSC.

[joshmv]

https://www.sportingkc.com/post/2018/01 ... c-venue-us

[TheSmokinPun]

You're kind of undermining where SKC & MLS was in 2010, when the stadium finally broke ground. Seattle had just entered the league the season before, & no one knew if they'd be able to keep those high attendance numbers up. ATL wasn't even a thought, at that point, it looked like the most likely expansion team after Portland & Vancouver was going to be the NY Cosmos.

I doubt anyone in KC would have taken the chance to work to get the stadium there at that point, other than Bannister. Time has changed though, I hope the team will look at relocating downtown instead of expanding CMP eventually. I don't mind where the stadium is honestly, easier to tailgate & such, but I get that it's a bit further drive for some in east Jax & such. Plus it's bizarre how our grid street system makes it to where my friend in PV has the same distance & time drive to the stadium as to where I'm at here in the Northland.