As it turns out, March 29 holds some serious gravitas in the annals of Sporting Kansas City.
A dozen years ago today, the club played its first of 44 MLS regular season matches at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City, Kansas. The minor league baseball venue served as Sporting’s temporary home until 2011 ushered in a new era at Children’s Mercy Park.
Downsizing from the cavernous Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City kicked off 2008 before a sellout crowd of 10,385 as Argentine star Claudio Lopez—the club’s first Designated Player—made his MLS and CommunityAmerica Ballpark debut in a Week 1 matchup against D.