When Sporting Kansas City rebranded its franchise more than six years ago, its management built a marketing campaign around a state-of-the-art venue and a fresh start. Peter Vermes was part of those meetings, an important voice in the room, but in a more private setting, he pinpointed a supplemental plan of his own.
Championships. They were the true essence to the sustainability of a franchise, with the competition less relevant than the concept of a title itself. So as his club prepared for its first U.S. Open Cup, a tournament many teams use for prospect progression, Sporting KC treated it as a priority.