Friday, February 22, 2008
Tonight at Abe and Jake’s Landing, University of Kansas students will get the opportunity to mingle with Kansas City professional athletes. They won’t be Chiefs or Royals, but those familiar with football of the international variety will be able to socialize with Major League Soccer’s Kansas City Wizards.
Players and staff will be at Abe and Jake’s to interact with fans and introduce themselves to Lawrence, said Rob Thomson, 2001 University graduate and Wizards vice president of marketing and communications. Wizards’ players Ryan McMahen, Tyson Wahl, Eric Kronberg and Amir Lowery will compete in a foosball tournament. The team will also stage merchandise giveaways.
The Kansas City Wizards soccer team held a meet and greet in 2007 at the Voodoo Lounge in Kansas City, Mo., giving fans the opportunity to come out and get together with their favorite players. Fans will get that chance one again tonight when the Wizards come to Abe and Jake's Landing.
Thomson said the club wants to reach out to college students to expose them to the club and the efforts it’s making to extend its reach into communities outside of Kansas City. The Wizards had a similar event last year at Kansas City’s Voodoo Lounge to introduce its players to the community.
“Our biggest asset is that our players are approachable, fun and great to be around,” Thomson said. “They are tremendous athletes, but are also just like your college buddies off the field.”
Jacob Shinn, Kansas City, Mo., junior, and member of the KU club soccer team, said he was a Wizards fan but wasn’t aware the team would be making an appearance in Lawrence. He said there was a good chance he would attend, but that it would be nice to have it advertised better to people who don’t necessarily follow the team during the off-season.
“It’s a good thing,” Shinn said. “People need to start going to games and if they start knowing the players and who they are, that will probably help.”
The Wizards last appearance in Lawrence was in 1999 when United States national team legends Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola played a concert for area fans. The club also has extensive ties to the University in its front office staff. Ten of the clubs employees are KU graduates and many of its best interns hail from KU, Thomson said.
The club’s supporters group, The Cauldron, is home to many KU students as well. Wahl, a third year defender for the club, said college-age fans in The Cauldron play a large role in creating the environment at games.
“I think it really helps with the excitement and just the energy level of the stadium,” Wahl said. “I think when The Cauldron is there and you hear the drums and stuff like that it makes you want to play a little harder.”
breakbox
What: Wizards Meet and Greet Where: Abe and Jake’s Landing When: 9:30 p.m. to close
Thomson said with the club moving to Community America Ballpark for this season, it was trying to provide activities college fans would enjoy. The team will provide bus rides to and from games, party decks at the stadium and postgame parties at Legends.
“We provide a great gameday experience and the atmosphere at games is perfect for college-aged fans,” Thomson said.
Despite soccer’s place behind more traditional sports like football and baseball, Shinn said there were enough fans to make the event worthwhile.
“Lawrence has a lot of soccer fans so it’s not like they are coming out here with no hope,” Shinn said.
— Edited by Jared Duncan
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