They will fill every seat in every row, same as always, just with a few more layers. Those scarves will actually serve a purpose. Spiked hot chocolate instead of beer, perhaps, because kickoff is expected with the temperature around 34 degrees — perfect for storing meat but suboptimal for playing soccer.
That some 20,000 people will be there anyway to cheer Sporting Kansas City against Portland in the Western Conference final Thursday night at Children’s Mercy Park is a grand testament to the franchise’s success, the sport’s continuing growth, and a relationship between team and fan that should be the goal of everyone in pro sports.