Sporting KC’s Stadium Upgrades are Great but It’s Nothing Without Fans

Lights, camera, action. We are rolling. The Sporting Kansas City season has officially begun. The team has now played on the road and at home. February has gone and March has arrived. It’s time to go.

I was lucky enough to take a long weekend and head to Houston to kick the season off. It’s always interesting to be an away fan. It’s fun, but it’s interesting. Of course, you sit as far away from the field as possible and of course the other team’s fans don’t enjoy your presence. They really don’t like when our chants can be heard above the home crowd. But our boys appreciate us being there and being loud. A good traveling crowd is a perfect way to show love to our team.

After a game on the road, it’s always nice to come back home. We all know that there’s no place like home. So, let’s talk about home for a minute. If you weren’t able to make it out to Children’s Mercy Park for the home opener, you have to find time to get there. There have been some improvements to the stadium atmosphere, and they are all really good.

The first thing a fan will notice is the easier, more streamlined entry to the stadium. I try not to bring a bag with me to make things quicker, but the new entry allows you to walk through the detectors without even removing keys, wallets, phones etc. from pockets. You just have to scan your ticket and walk through. It is easy, quick and effortless.

My favorite (and I think the most noticeable) change is the improved lighting and video boards. The lights are bright, and the video boards are crisp and clear. The ribbon boards are fun. The color changing lights are an added aspect that just makes the atmosphere seem newer and more exciting.

Tried to capture some of the new lighting effects at Children’s Mercy Park. Doesn’t translate super well to my iPhone video, but this is a very cool upgrade to the pregame presentation at #SportingKC games. It looks amazing in person. pic.twitter.com/8t26VCjrGH

— Jimmy Mack (@jcmack03) March 3, 2024

But all of those new bright shiny lights and crisp clean video boards, the quick entry and working bathroom doors don’t mean anything without the crowd to bring the atmosphere. This weekend was an incredible home opener. The seats were full. There were standing room only ticket people around the top. The Cauldron was out and loud even before the first kick. The refs were definitely aware of what the crowd thought of their terrible calls to end the game, but I won’t get into that. You can find a lot more about that on the most recent Shades of Blue pod or in the post-game recap.

The people. That is what really brings to good time to the stadium. So, make sure that you come out and take in all of the new amenities and get behind the boys. And don’t forget that as we go through the season there will be ups and downs. Wins and losses. Happiness, anger, doubt, fear, frustration and elation. We need to be there, at home and away, to bring the noise and bring the ruckus. That’s our ultimate job. Be there and be heard.