The most significant transformation in Sporting Kansas City franchise history came in 2011, a process in which the club adopted a new name, built a new stadium and moved across the state line. Behind the scenes, the rebranding featured a host of initiatives to re-introduce the soccer team to its hometown.
More subtly, it set a tone for the product on the field, too. After the previous two seasons failed to include playoff berths, Sporting KC reached the Eastern Conference final in 2011. Club CEO Robb Heineman classified the success as the expectation for years to come. And sure enough, in five seasons under its Sporting Kansas City name, the team has never missed the postseason.