Sporting K.C. is expanding partnerships with Audi, Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola and Toyota, which will result in new enhancements and entitlements at Children’s Mercy Park next season. Both Toyota, a club partner since ’16, and A-B, a club partner since ’15, are expanding their deals to become first team partners of the club starting this season. Each will also take over naming entitlements for key areas of the stadium. Toyota will now have the entitlement of the stadium’s plaza, where more than 70% of fans enter the venue, according to SKC President Jake Reid. The 124,000-square-foot space operates as an activation space for other club partners, and also has two team retail stores. The space did not have a naming partner last season, with its rights previously held by Sprint before its deal with the club was minimized. Toyota will also continue to be a presenting sponsor of a video series on the club’s website. A-B will take over what was previous called the Members Club, a supporter’s space that will be now known as the Budweiser Brew House. The area will be redesigned as a sports bar that will feature banners celebrating moments in club history and a bottle cap wall. Reid said it will also provide fans with different offerings, and the club is reworking the point-of-sale system and the tap points to quicken sales.
THE SUITE LIFE: Audi will be taking over the entitlement for the stadium’s signature level for suite holders, which is the most premium dining and service available to games. Reid said that the space has a large non-game day usage, hosting more than 150 events such as corporate outings and weddings, and the upgrades will hopefully drive more events and revenue to the club. Audi is entering its second season as a club partner, and also is a presenting sponsor of a video series on the club website and its annual year-end awards gala. The Coca-Cola Champions Deck, a single-game suite located at field level, will also be upgraded as part of the entitlement. The space will offer ticket holders behind-the-scenes access to players, as well as a climate controlled and full-branded premium buffet, in addition to the existing in-seat food and beverage service. Heartland Coca-Cola has been a club partner since ’16. “Fan experience has been the number one priority for us since day one, and ensuring we’re providing fans with new and exciting things is something we continue to focus on,” said Reid. “Providing new and exciting things can be a challenge, so we’re excited to be able to have this experience bleed over into our partnerships.”
