KC Wizards become Sporting Kansas City

When Sunil Chhetri returns to his 'Major League Soccer' club in North America next year after the end of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup campaign with India he will be back at the same club, but under a new name. The Kansas City Wizards have renamed themselves to Sporting Kansas City this week to enter a new era for the club, which also coincides with the move to their new KC Soccer Stadium next summer.

But why would a club like the KC Wizards rename themselves to Sporting Kansas City? It is a trend seen across the MLS that as the football league grows across the US and Canada, the teams are becoming stronger entities and they are becoming more and more like European football clubs rather then being just North American sports franchises. Take e.g. Dallas Burn who renamed themselves to simply Dallas FC and they have grown their fanbase quite well over the last five years since changing their name.

Also in summer 2011 Sporting Kansas City will be moving into their brand new stadium which current has the tentative name of KC Soccer Stadium. The club owners OnGoal llc hope to sell the naming rights of the stadium to a sponsor on a long term contract. The stadium will have an initial capacity of 18,500 with the option of increasing capacity to 25,000 if the need arises and the venue will be another football only venue, which has become common practice in the MLS unlike in the past when MLS clubs used to play in huge American football stadiums with less then 10% attendence and no atmosphere.

As you can see from the above there is a strategy and long-term planning behind all decisions that such an MLS club takes. And as Sunil has said in numerous interviews, in Kansas City they have everything what players need to train and play football.


Follow the clubs new website under: www.sportingkc.com .