Heineman came out with his first question answering Orlando City fans who have held out hope that they could some how get Dom Dwyer to return to their club now that they've entered MLS in 2015. Quickly seeming to put an end to any speculation (and really any hope Orlando City fans had of getting him were a delusional to begin with).
Heineman also crushed some wild fan hopes for player signings, from the hopeful, to the never gonna happen. And also crushed the baseless speculation that the team was chasing Giovanni Dos Santos again. He did though provide some hope of an incoming Designated Player, and also said that the team was still looking to bring in a defensive midfielder. Heineman also seemed to indicate that the club has yet to give up on getting Brazilian right back, Igor Juliao back in Kansas City.
Heineman answered a few questions pertaining to stadiums throughout the tweet along as well. The first one would be a blow to a number of fans who were hoping for an expanded Sporting Park in the future. When asked when we'd see an expanded Sporting Park, Heineman responded "I'd guess never." It's a departure from his previous comments on the topic when he's said things from five years to that they'd look into it after 2015. While Toronto is working on an expansion of BMO Field to up their capacity, Sporting Park really is restricted by the land it is on. The only way to go is up. In the past talk has been about raising the roof on the East Stand so that he matched the level of the West Stand and adding a second tier, as well as adding more seats above the Cauldron. The process for that certainly wouldn't be cheap or as easy as the expansion of BMO appears to be. On other stadium topics, Heineman was asked whether the team would ever return to the Truman Sports Complex, to play at either of the two stadiums out there. In regards to Kauffman, Heineman was more interested in the idea if it were a downtown stadium. As for Arrowhead, Heineman was asked about playing one game a year at the team's former home, to which he responded that the chances were low.
Back to Sporting Park, Heineman was asked about friendlies this summer for Sporting, to which Heineman responded that they had nothing lined up at this time regarding a big name European team. Heineman did though say that they were working on setting up a friendly between the team and former goalkeeper, Jimmy Nielsen's Oklahoma City Energy, which would be fun. But on the other hand I also think that game would do a lot more for Oklahoma City to host Sporting for a game (just don't get hurt). My assumption had been that one of the friendlies this summer would be a visit from partner club Fluminense as part of the home and home friendlies that were part of the agreement. Heineman was asked about training at Fluminense ahead of the 2016 season, for which Heineman said that the club would like to, which would be the perfect time for the "return" leg of the friendlies.
Heineman also pretty much confirmed the leaked jerseys as the team's new primary jersey for those that were doubting that the leaked jersey was really going to be the team's new jersey in 2015. He also gave further proof to the word going around that there was going to be no third jersey in 2015. Rumors had been making the rounds that KC would have a third that would keep the argyle pattern but would instead go to white instead of the black that the team had over the past two years.
A few other minor bits of information from his tweets tonight. He said that the land where the US Training Complex will be going in is currently being prepped for the ground breaking, which previously mentioned was planned for some time in the first half of 2015. He also seemed to confirm an eventual interest in the team creating a USL team that would play at Swope Park with FC Kansas City. It's an area that I feel is the next logical step for Kansas City. The LA Galaxy showed how a successful model for their USL team can help players develop to eventually help the main team. With a number of other MLS teams starting USL teams themselves this year, it'll be interesting to see how many do it right and how many do it wrong, and whether that pushes Kansas City to create their USL team quicker or not.
We also may have finally found out why I'll likely never get a job with Sporting Kansas City. This may have been my favorite question of the night, though it went unanswered.
Heineman ended the night with the below Tweet, that will certainly lead to a lot of responses and create further interest locally in the team and their push in 2015.
Keep hearing rvdv rumor....definitely on the radar. Not imminent...
— Robb Heineman (@RobbHeineman) February 12, 2015
Of course, as I feel obligated to say each time Robb does one of these things, make sure you take your grain of salt.
3 comments:
I am very disappointed to hear that at this time the club isn't looking to expand seating. RH did say they would evaluate that after the 2015 season. I think he should hold to his word and at leasts evaluate it. He has also said the stadium was built with expansion in mind. So a second deck all the way round or at least above the East Stand should be planned in the future.
If expansion is not in the near future, then the club is obviously trying to make tickets scare and more valuable. That means I will be watching more games on TV. And when they take that away so more folks come to games, then I will not only stop attending but also stop watching. I really hope this is not the progression the club is planning.
SKC cannot afford to become a corporate-like atmosphere where us common folk cannot attend games. The value in dollars may increase, but the fan base will shrink.
^^
I seriously doubt that is why they are not expanding.
And did he say he didn't evaluate it?
i doubt Rob is the one that has the say in expansion, he wouldnt be the one forking over the money
15 years and they might want a new one in the west bottoms, who knows
Post a Comment