In many ways, 2011 marked the definitive turning point for Sporting Kansas City as an MLS franchise.
This transformative season saw the Kansas City Wizards become Sporting Kansas City, marked the dawn of the Children's Mercy Park era, and kickstarted a decade of unprecedented, trophy-laden success under Manager Peter Vermes.
The 2011 campaign began in earnest nine years ago today as Vermes' men, decked in Sporting Blue for the very first time, set out on a 10-game road swing ahead of the June 9 grand opening of Children's Mercy Park.
The first fixture on the calendar took Sporting to Dignity Health Sports Park for a showdown with now-extinct-but-never-forgotten Chivas USA.