Category: Sporting KC

Sporting Park will hold an international doubleheader featuring the United States Men’s National Team on July 13 during the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, CONCACAF announced on Tuesday.

The biennial tournament is the premier competition for the United States Men’s National Team in 2015 and the region’s marquee event, which will help determine CONCACAF’s representatives at the Centennial Cup America in 2016 and the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2017.

2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup – Group A (U.S. MNT) Schedule
Tuesday, July 7, at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas
Friday, July 10, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Monday, July 13, at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.

CONCACAF’s top-ranked teams – Costa Rica (No. 16), Mexico (No. 20) and the United States (No. 28) – will headline the 12-nation tournament from July 7-26, along with Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Canada, Guatemala, Panama, El Salvador, Haiti and Cuba. Honduras and French Guyana will meet in March with the playoff winner securing the final berth in the 2015 Gold Cup.

The U.S. Men’s National Team, which features Sporting KC Designated Players Matt Besler and Graham Zusi, returns to Sporting Park for the fourth time. The state-of-the-art stadium first hosted the U.S. MNT during the 2011 Gold Cup and next summer’s match will mark the sixth time a U.S. Men’s or Women’s National Team has played in Kansas City, Kan., since the award-winning venue opened in June 2011 – more than any other city in the country over that time period.

Sporting Kansas City Season Ticket Members interested in purchasing tickets for the Gold Cup doubleheader at Sporting Park will have access to an exclusive pre-sale prior to the general public. Additionally, individuals who place deposits for season tickets or group tickets for the 2015 season will also receive priority consideration during the pre-sale opportunity.

For the holiday season, special ‘Give the Gift of Gold Cup’ gift packages will be available for a limited time, including a $25 ticket voucher to any 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup gameday and an official CONCACAF Gold Cup T-Shirt. Visit concacafsoccershop.com for more information.
– Story from Sporting KC

Nate Bukaty, a radio and television commentator from Kansas City, has been hired as Sporting Kansas City’s play-by-play announcer for the 2015 season.

Bukaty will take over the role as the lead voice of Sporting KC on locally televised matches and select radio broadcasts, according to an announcement from the club.

During the past four years, Bukaty has been actively involved in Sporting Kansas City broadcasts on TV and radio.

In 2010, he was the host of the Kansas City Soccer Show on 810 WHB. In 2012 and 2013, Bukaty attended and covered the club’s preseason campaign in Orlando, Fla.

Bukaty also served as a sideline reporter for SKCTV Network during the 2013 MLS Cup Playoffs and was 810 WHB’s play-by-play announcer for Sporting KC home matches during the 2014 season.

Bukaty, a native of Kansas City, Kan., has served as the play-by-play voice for the Kansas women’s basketball team for the past 14 years and a sideline commentator for Kansas football since 2006. Bukaty graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1994 and received a journalism degree from the University of Kansas in 1998.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity,” Bukaty said. “As a Kansas City native and local soccer fan, I vividly remember attending professional indoor soccer games as a kid. I’ve witnessed the exponential growth of soccer in this city over the past 20 years and I’m excited to be in the thick of it. It’s a dream come true to work for Sporting Kansas City, calling a sport that I love.”

Since 2007, Bukaty has co-hosted The Border Patrol on Sports Radio 810-WHB. Bukaty previously worked on the Royals Radio Network, leading the Kansas City Royals pregame and postgame coverage. Bukaty also served as a clubhouse reporter for Royals television broadcasts on Fox Sports Kansas City.

In addition to calling locally broadcast Sporting KC games in 2015, Bukaty will call select games on radio and host the club’s weekly radio show.

Jake Yadrich, who worked last year as the Ivy Funds sideline reporter for SKCTV Network, will remain on the broadcast team in 2015. Callum Williams and Diego Gutierrez, who in 2014 served as play-by-play announcer and color commentator, will not be back in 2015. Future additions to the broadcast team will be announced at a later date, the club stated.

Sporting Kansas City signed 26-year-old defender Jalil Anibaba on Friday after acquiring his rights from Orlando City SC.

Anibaba was selected in the third round of the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft by Orlando City SC on Wednesday and was subsequently traded to Sporting KC as part of an agreement reached Monday between the two clubs.

In addition, New York City FC selected midfielder Sal Zizzo from Sporting Kansas City’s unprotected roster in the ninth round of yesterday’s Expansion Draft.

Sporting KC declined a contract option for Zizzo last month and will receive allocation money as compensation for his selection in the draft.

Anibaba made 112 regular season appearances over four years with the Chicago Fire (2011-2013) and Seattle Sounders FC (2014). He has recorded four goals and six assists while splitting time as a central defender and right back.

He signed a new contract with Major League Soccer on Friday and has been added to Sporting Kansas City’s senior roster for the 2015 season.

“Jalil is a player we scouted and interviewed heavily before the 2011 draft and we are excited to bring him to Kansas City now,” Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes said. “We look forward to seeing his athleticism and personality within the group come January.”

“First I would like to thank Seattle, their coaches, players and fans for their support last year, and I am definitely excited to come to Kansas City,” Anibaba said. “I look forward to contributing to our championship-caliber team and am ready to get to work. I anxiously await playing in front of the amazing fans at Sporting Park. Being on the visiting end there numerous times, it will feel great to be on the right side and be a part of the incredible atmosphere.”

In 2014, Anibaba made 16 regular season appearances for Supporters’ Shield winners Seattle Sounders FC. He also played in four matches during Seattle’s run to their fourth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championship.

His first three professional seasons came with the Chicago Fire, which drafted Anibaba in the first round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft after he was named MVP at the 2011 MLS Player Combine. He played in 96 of the team’s 102 regular season matches from 2011-2013, appearing in the 2011 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final and being named a finalist for Major League Soccer’s Fair Play Award in 2013.

As a youth, Anibaba represented the United States at the under-18 and under-20 national team levels.

He played in the 2007 Pan-American Games in Brazil before attending Santa Clara University, where he was the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year and earned All-WCC honors three straight years.

Anibaba transferred to the University of North Carolina for his senior season, starting all 24 games and leading the Tar Heels the College Cup en route to a First Team All-ACC selection.

Sporting Kansas City players currently under contract:
Goalkeeper (1): Jon Kempin
Defenders (8): Jalil Anibaba, Matt Besler, Kevin Ellis, Igor Juliao, Chance Myers, Ike Opara, Erik Palmer-Brown, Seth Sinovic
Midfielders (7): Bernardo Anor, Jorge Claros, Benny Feilhaber, Mikey Lopez, Jimmy Medranda, Paulo Nagamura, Graham Zusi
Forward (4): Claudio Bieler, Dom Dwyer, Jacob Peterson, Soony Saad

– Story from Sporting KC