PAGE 8B
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SOCCER
Sporting KC shows appreciation for young fans
JOEL PETTERSON
jpetterson@kansan.com
Graham Zusi and several partners rode down Jayhawk Boulevard Wednesday afternoon in a large van with decals obscuring the windows, looking for a victim.
They found a student walking by himself on the sidewalk and told him to get in the van and ride with them, which he did.
But the student was on his way to take a quiz and couldn't stay, he told the men in the van, so they dropped him off at his class and drove off, eventually arriving at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
The polite kidnapping was part of an on-campus promotional appearance by Sporting Kansas City, the Major League Soccer.team that plays its home games in Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kan.
After walking and driving through campus at 2 p.m., Zusi and his teammates held a public practice at the soccer complex on campus in front of about 200 to 300 fans. Afterward, several players and coaches greeted fans at Johnny's North.
Some Lawrence families with younger children came out to watch the public practice, but this appearance had a more specific focus: targeting college-age fans who have been a significant factor in the explosion of popularity that Sporting has experienced since the team rebranded itself in 2010.
"Obviously the reason we're coming out here is to try and get the college kids and young professionals who have become a big part of our fan base," Zusi said.
A significant part of that fan base in Lawrence is the Mass Street Mob, a group of Sporting fans started by Adam Critfas and several of his friends after the rebrand, when the team changed its name from The Wizards to Sporting.
"There were six of us who have always watched soccer our whole lives, we always played soccer," said Crifasi, a second-year graduate student from Olathe. "We just realized there are a lot of people around campus who like soccer too, and we just wanted to get them all together."
When the group was founded, Crifasi imagined it might hit 20 members or so. But this year, Mass Street Mob regularly rents buses to take about 60 fans to every home game. Last Saturday, for Sporting's game against Portland, the Mob and other Sporting fans packed the Red Lion Tavern to capacity for a watch party.
Crifasi and the rest of the group helped promote the appearance through Facebook and Twitter during the day, as the team kept its appearance a secret from the general public until Wednesday morning.
Andy Tretiak, Sporting's Vice President of Marketing, said the team's increase in popularity among college-age fans over the past couple years was definitely by design.
"More kids grow up playing soccer now than any other sport, so we have very much marketed our team to that generation," said Tretiak. "And
we want that generation to adopt Sporting as their team"
Martin Ramos, a senior from Chanute, adopted Sporting a year ago and came to see the practice despite having never attended a Sporting game.
"Since the World Cup, I've been attracted to soccer, and I just needed that fix." Ramos said. "Sporting KC kind of gives me that."
Edited by Amanda Gage
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Sporting Kansas City players horse around prior to practice Wednesday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
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Sporting Kansas City goal keeper Jimmy Nielsen juggles a ball with his teammates before practice Wednesday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
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Sporting Kansas City's junior squad goalkeeper Jacole Turner dives to save a ball during Wednesday afternoon's practice at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
Sporting Kansas City midfielders Graham Zusi and Luke Sassano run through drills during practice Wednesday afternoon at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
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