FC Kansas City

FC Kansas City
Full name FC Kansas City
Nickname(s) FCKC, "The Blues"
Founded 2012 (2012)
Stadium Swope Soccer Village
Ground Capacity 3,557
Owner Elam Baer
Head Coach Vlatko Andonovski
League National Women's Soccer League
Website Club website

FC Kansas City is an American professional women's soccer club based in Kansas City, Missouri. The team began play in the National Women's Soccer League in 2013 and won the championship in 2014 after defeating Seattle Reign FC 2–1 on August 31, 2014.[1] They repeated as NWSL Champions after again defeating Seattle 1–0 on October 1, 2015.[2]

History

Establishment and inaugural season

In November 2012, it was confirmed that a Kansas City-based women's professional soccer team had been accepted into a new women's professional soccer league, later named National Women's Soccer League.[3] The KC ownership group is composed of Chris Likens, his two sons Brad and Greg Likens, and Brian Budzinski, the same owners of the Missouri Comets of the Major Indoor Soccer League.[4][5]

On December 12, 2012, FC Kansas City announced that Vlatko Andonovski, a former professional player and head coach of the Kansas City Kings of the PASL and Missouri Olympic Development Program (ODP), would be head coach of the team.[6] On January 11, 2013, a new logo was unveiled for the team that features the team's colors: blue, white and black. According to a team-issued press release, "the new logo also represents the ever-flowing qualities that make up the game of women's professional soccer."[7][8]

On January 14, 2013, as part of the NWSL Player Allocation, Nicole Barnhart (USA), Lauren Cheney (USA), Renae Cuéllar (MEX), Marylin Diaz (MEX), Becky Sauerbrunn (USA), Desiree Scott (CAN), and Lauren Sesselmann (CAN) were named to the team.[9][10][11][12] On January 18, the team selected Kristie Mewis, Erika Tymrak, Whitney Berry, and Nia Williams in the 2013 NWSL College Draft.[13] The team signed Sinead Farrelly, Jen Buczkowski, and Leigh Ann Robinson as free agents.[14] During the February 7, 2013 NWSL Supplemental Draft, the Blues selected Courtney Jones, Bianca Henninger, Merritt Mathias, Casey Nogueira, Tina DiMartino, and Casey Berrier.[15]

The Blues finished second during the regular season with an 11–6–5 record earning a berth to the playoffs. Post-season, the team swept the majority of the league's annual awards with Lauren Holiday receiving Golden Boot and League MVP honors, Erika Tymrak the recipient of the Rookie of the Year, and Becky Sauerbrunn winning Defender of the Year. Head coach Vlatko Andonovski won Coach of the Year.[16] Four players were also named to the league's Best XI: Nicole Barnhart, Leigh Ann Robinson, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Lauren Holiday.[17]

New ownership

In January 2017, it was announced that FCKC had been purchased by Elam Baer, the CEO of Minneapolis-based North Central Equity, LLC.[18] Jean-Yves Viardin was named the new general manager and Vlatko Andonovski remained as head coach.[19] NWSL Commissioner Jeff Plush stated, "Elam is committed to strengthening FC Kansas City’s roots throughout the entire Kansas City metropolitan area and beyond. Elam and his partners will look to build off of what has been started by the Likens family, whose support of and many contributions to the establishment and growth of the league will never be forgotten."[19]

Players and coaches

Current squad

As of August 3, 2017[20]
No. Position Player Nation
2 Forward Groom, SheaShea Groom  United States
3 Defender Moros, BeccaBecca Moros  United States
4 Defender Sauerbrunn, BeckyBecky Sauerbrunn (Captain)  United States
5 Defender Arlitt, AlexAlex Arlitt  United States
6 Defender Bowen, KatieKatie Bowen  New Zealand
7 Midfielder Laddish, MandyMandy Laddish  United States
8 Forward Rodriguez, AmyAmy Rodriguez  United States
9 Midfielder LaBonta, Lo'eauLo'eau LaBonta  United States
10 Midfielder Averbuch, YaelYael Averbuch  United States
11 Midfielder Scott, DesireeDesiree Scott  Canada
13 Defender Taylor, BrittanyBrittany Taylor  United States
14 Forward Leroux, SydneySydney Leroux  United States
15 Midfielder Tymrak, ErikaErika Tymrak  United States
17 Defender Miramontez, SydneySydney Miramontez  United States
18 Goalkeeper Barnhart, NicoleNicole Barnhart (Vice-Captain)  United States
19 Goalkeeper Parkhill, CatCat Parkhill  United States
21 Midfielder Flynn, CarolineCaroline Flynn  United States
22 Defender Reed, BrianneBrianne Reed  United States
25 Forward Ratcliffe, BrittanyBrittany Ratcliffe  United States
31 Defender Gibbons, ChristinaChristina Gibbons  United States
44 Forward Kelly, MaeganMaegan Kelly  United States
88 Midfielder Newfield, AlexaAlexa Newfield  United States

Head coaches

Retired numbers

FC Kansas City retired numbers
No. Player Position Career No. retirement
12 Lauren Holiday FW/MF 2013–15 August 27, 2015[22]

Year-by-year

Year League Regular Season Playoffs Avg. Attendance
2013 NWSL 2nd Place Semi-Finals 4,626
2014 NWSL 2nd Place Champions 2,018
2015 NWSL 3rd Place Champions 3,091[23]
2016 NWSL 6th Place Did not qualify 3,162[24]
2017 NWSL

Stadium

During the inaugural season, the Blues played their games at Shawnee Mission District Stadium in Overland Park, Kansas. The stadium has a 6,150 seating capacity.[25][26] At that time, it was the third largest stadium in the NWSL after Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, home of the Portland Thorns and Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester, New York, home of the Western New York Flash.[27] Sporting Kansas City, then called the Kansas City Wizards, played at the stadium in a match against the Colorado Rapids during the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.[28][29]

The team announced on January 8, 2014, that they would move to the Durwood Soccer Stadium on the UMKC campus to play there through 2015.[30]

However, for the 2015 season, FC Kansas City entered into a partnership with Sporting Kansas City to use their training grounds at Swope Soccer Village for training and play matches at the complex's championship field.[31] The stadium has seating for 1500, but was expanded to 3,557[32] using the bleachers FC Kansas City had purchased for use at Durwood Stadium for the previous season.[33]

Broadcasting

As of April 2017, FC Kansas City games are streamed exclusively by Go90 for American audiences and via the NWSL website for international viewers.[34] For the 2017 season, the Blues will be featured in three nationally-televised Lifetime NWSL Game of the Week broadcasts on June 3, August 16 and September 9.[35][36]

Ahead of the 2013 season, it was announced that games would be broadcast on the team's website and YouTube.[37] Eight games were broadcast locally on Time Warner Cable’s Metro Sports.[38] During the 2014 season, nine games were broadcast on the same channel.[39]

Supporters

FC Kansas City's official supporters group is called the KC Blue Crew.[40]

Honors

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2014 NWSL CHAMPIONS: FC KANSAS CITY". National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). August 31, 2014. Archived from the original on March 17, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  2. ↑ "FCKC NAMED 2015 NWSL CHAMPIONS IN 1–0 WIN OVER SEATTLE". National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). October 1, 2015. Archived from the original on October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  3. ↑ "New women’s soccer league links and news". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  4. ↑ "FC Kansas City To Launch This Spring". FC Kansas City. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Women's professional soccer coming to Kansas City". The Pitch News. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
  6. ↑ "FC Kansas City Coaching Staff Announced". FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  7. ↑ "FC Kansas City unveils new logo". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  8. ↑ "FC Kansas City Launches New Logo". OurSports Central. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Wambach, Morgan also allocated to NWSL teams". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  10. ↑ "NWSL allocation easier said than done". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Player distribution sees NWSL take shape". FIFA. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
  12. ↑ "New Women’s League Allocates Players". New York Times. Retrieved January 25, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Eight Teams Make Selections at 2013 NWSL College Draft at NSCAA Convention in Indianapolis". U.S. Soccer. January 18, 2013. Archived from the original on January 21, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  14. ↑ Lewis, Scott (February 9, 2013). "FC Kansas City officially announces the signing of Sinead Farrelly". NWSL News. Retrieved December 1, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Results: Ochs taken first in NWSL Supplemental Draft". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved February 7, 2013.
  16. ↑ Kassouf, Jeff (August 27, 2013). "Holiday named 2013 NWSL MVP; KC sweeps awards". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  17. ↑ "NWSL BEST XI". National Women's Soccer League. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
  18. ↑ "FC Kansas City Begins 2017 with New Ownership". OurSports Central. January 11, 2017.
  19. 1 2 "FC Kansas City is under new ownership". Fox Sports. January 11, 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  20. ↑ https://www.fckansascity.com/roster/
  21. ↑ "Coaches". FC Kansas City. Retrieved 2015-11-17.
  22. ↑ http://www.fckansascity.com/2015/08/19/fc-kansas-city-to-retire-lauren-holidays-number-12-jersey/
  23. ↑ "9-10-15 NWSL Statistics.pdf". ussoccer.com. US Soccer. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  24. ↑ "9-25-16 NWSL Statistics.pdf". ussoccer.com. US Soccer. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  25. ↑ "Home / News / FC KANSAS CITY NAMES VENUE FOR 2013 SEASON FC KANSAS CITY NAMES VENUE FOR 2013 SEASON". FC Kansas City. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  26. ↑ "FC Kansas City announces venue". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved February 6, 2013.
  27. ↑ "FC Kansas City calls Shawnee Mission District Stadium home". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  28. ↑ "FC Kansas City to Play at Shawnee Mission North". Down the Byline. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Kansas City Wizards Qualify for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16". WIBW. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  30. ↑ "FC KANSAS CITY ANNOUNCES NEW HOME VENUE". FCKansasCity.com. FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  31. ↑ "FC KANSAS CITY TO PLAY AT SWOPE SOCCER VILLAGE IN 2015". FC Kansas City. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
  32. ↑ "Lloyd scores in return as Dash draw Kansas City". The Equalizer. July 20, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  33. ↑ Bell, Thad (January 13, 2015). "FC Kansas City and Sporting KC partner". The Blue Testament. SB Nation. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  34. ↑ "NWSL, go90 announce exclusive streaming partnership". Black and Red United (SBNation). Vox Media. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  35. ↑ McDowell, Sam (February 2, 2017). "NWSL enters agreement with A+E Networks, which will broadcast matches on Lifetime". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  36. ↑ "NWSL Game of the Week on Lifetime schedule". National Women's Soccer League. April 16, 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  37. ↑ "FC Kansas City Announces Broadcast Partners". FC Kansas City. April 15, 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  38. ↑ McDowell, Sam (May 17, 2013). "FC Kansas City will try to bounce back from first loss of season". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  39. ↑ "FC Kansas City". My Spectrum Sports. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  40. ↑ "KC Blue Crew on Twitter". KC Blue Crew. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
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