Kicking It on Campus

FC Kansas City President Brian Budzinski discusses the team's new home with UMKC Athletics officials Jessica Dixon, center, and Carla Wilson. UMKC photo by Janet Rogers.

Women’s Pro Soccer Franchise Moving to Durwood Stadium

FC Kansas City, Kansas City’s franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League, is moving to a new home: Stanley H. Durwood Stadium on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

The agreement between the team and UMKC, announced at a press conference at the UMKC Student Union, calls for FCKC to finance a seating expansion of Durwood Stadium to accommodate more than 3,200 fans. FCKC was second in attendance in the eight-team league during the inaugural 2013 season.

FCKC last year played in a suburban football stadium. The move to Durwood brings the team to a soccer-specific field and stadium, as well as to the heart of Kansas City. For UMKC, the agreement provides another strong connection to the community, provides another on-campus amenity for students and expands an already premiere facility.

“This agreement will bring many of the best women’s soccer players in the world to the campus of Kansas City’s university,” team spokesman Jeff Husted said at the press conference.

UMKC Director of Athletics Carla Wilson said she is excited about the partnership.

“This is one more way for us to connect with the broader community in Kansas City. This is a sports town. Our teams are important to us. I love the idea of inviting our community to come to our campus to cheer for a successful, winning professional franchise that we can all be proud of,” Wilson said. “These athletes are terrific role models for all of the young people in this community, but especially for the young women. This is an ideal partnership, and I’ll be rooting for FCKC to win the next NWSL championship right here at Durwood Stadium.”

The Stanley H. Durwood Soccer Stadium & Recreational Field serves as the official home of the Kangaroos and provides student-athletes, students and community groups with one of the top soccer facilities in WAC and the Midwest. The facility currently provides seating for 850 fans along with press suites, a ticket booth and concession stand, while a separate addition hosts locker rooms for men’s and women’s soccer, softball and track & field, as well as offices for the respective coaching staffs.

FC Kansas City will play at least 11 regular season home games at Durwood Soccer Stadium for each of the next two seasons. Fans who have already placed deposits for 2014 season tickets will be contacted in the next week by their account executives to choose seats.. Season tickets will go on sale 10 a.m. Jan. 20.


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