Patrick Mahomes traded football for soccer on Saturday as he and wife Brittany went to the opening of the Kansas City Current’s stadium on the first day of the NWSL season.
Built at a cost of nearly $120million on the banks of the Missouri River, with the downtown skyline just to the south, CPKC Stadium represents one of the few facilities in the world that has been constructed expressly for the use of female athletes.
The 11,000-seat stadium, almost entirely privately financed, will be christened on Saturday when the Current play the Portland Thorns.
Mahomes and his wife, a soccer player in college, were front and center of the ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Current chairman and CEO Chris Long, Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas and NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman.
The couple then made their way into the stadium and down onto the field as the thousands of fans in attendance cheered them.
Patrick Mahomes and wife Brittany went to the opening of the Kansas City Current’s stadium
Chris Long high-fives Mahomes as Brittany and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas look on
The couple posted a selfie of them on the way to the game on Instagram, adding ‘KC Baby’
Most of the 14 NWSL teams in the league rent stadiums, or if they are owned by a Major League Soccer club, play in venues built for the men.
But the vision of the Current’s ownership group, led by Chris and Angie Long and including investors such as Chiefs quarterback Mahomes and Brittany, was to build facilities of their own.
They began with an $18m, purpose-built practice facility, then turned their attention to the stadium, where they could control standards, scheduling and, most importantly, revenue.
The predecessor to the Current, known as FC Kansas City before it folded in 2017, played at various times at a high school football stadium, a college soccer stadium and the training field of MLS club Sporting KC.
When the club reformed as the Current in 2021, it began playing in a minor league ballpark before moving a few blocks over to Children’s Mercy Park, one of the jewels of MLS but a stadium that nevertheless belonged wholly to someone else.
Season tickets have been sold out for months, and the demand for single-game seats is strong enough that some fans already are wondering when the stadium will expand. It was designed so that seats can be added in the future.
Yet the construction of CPKC Stadium – naming rights were sold to the Canadian Pacific Kansas City railway – has not been without detractors.
The 11,000-seat stadium will be christened on Saturday when they play the Portland Thorns
Season tickets have been sold out for months, and the demand for single-game seats is strong
Yet the construction of CPKC Stadium has not been without detractors amid traffic concerns
Some are concerned about property values and traffic congestion, others a lack of parking; the club recently said spots would cost $50 per match, and many fans took to social media to express their outrage.
The club hopes many take advantage of ride-share options and public transportation to alleviate the parking concerns.
Nor could the timing be better in Kansas City, where a golden age of sports is underway.
The Royals, who won the World Series in 2015, are planning to build a new downtown stadium by 2028 as part of a $2billion-plus public-private partnership.
The Chiefs are coming off back-to-back Super Bowl titles, will try to become the first team in NFL history to three-peat this coming season, and are aiming for an $800m renovation of their own at Arrowhead Stadium.
Sporting KC remains a popular draw, as do several minor league teams in the area, while the NCAA wrestling championships and Big 12 basketball tournaments will soon take place at the nearby T-Mobile Center.
News
Sab Zada - Jaden Smith’s ex has ‘joined’ the rapper and revealed his ‘OBSESSIONS’ in love – daem
After her breakup with Will Smith’s son Jaden, rapper Diablo has been sighted with Sab Zada. After her breakup with rapper and actor Jaden Smith, Sab Zada,…
Jada Pinkett Smith shows love for her children, even the ones who are not her biological children. Trey Smith said: ‘I don’t consider her a stepmother’ – daem
Though they are now closer than ever, Will Smith and his son Trey Smith didn’t always have that kind of relationship. Will Zampino wed Sheree Zampino early…
Michael Jackson’s friend ‘knows the real reason’ he wore a white glove on his right hand – daem
Michael Jackson’s friend ‘knew the real reason’ he wore single white glove on right hand A single white glove became a signature accessory for Michael Jackson over…
Jada EXPOSES Diddy’s Exploitation of Will Smith! “What He Did to Our Son Was Sinister” – I’m Disappointed I Trust My Ex-Husband Too Much – daem
Will Smith & Jada EXPOSE P Diddy! “What he did to our son is sinister” In a shocking revelation that has taken the entertainment world by storm,…
Will Smith shares what he did for his family, he is not ashamed of his children and ex-wife – daem
Los Angeles, November 27, 2023 – Hollywood superstar Will Smith is taking luxury travel to new heights as he indulges in a series of globe-trotting escapades with…
Prince Harry vows to ‘SUE’ Mike Tindall if he contests his place at Invictus Games Birmingham 2027: ‘IT’S MY WORK’ – daem
In an unexpected twist in the ongoing drama surrounding the Invictus Games, Prince Harry has issued a formal threat to sue former rugby player Mike Tindall if…
End of content
No more pages to load