18. The Reinvention of Kansas City

How the MLS team in Kansas City went from being last in attendance and fan engagement to being a model MLS franchise that's always sold out - one of the best turnarounds in all of sports.
Sources:

Special thanks to Mike McGrew and Mike Kuhn

Lamar Hunt Sells MLS Wizards to Local Group

http://www.espn.com/espn/wire/_/section/soccer/id/2567849

Serious Investment and Savvy Marketing Revive Soccer In Kansas City by Sam Borden

https://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/24/sports/soccer/soccer-in-the-us-heartland-kansas-city-transformed.html

As expected City Council Gives Approval to Three Trail Project

https://web.archive.org/web/20080628164818/http://primebuzz.kcstar.com/?q=node%2F8940

WiZards Stadium project kicked over state lines by Kevin Collison for the KC Star

https://web.archive.org/web/20090912055722/http://www.kansascity.com/842/story/1433346.html

WiZards Kick off Zard Era

https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/wizards-kick-off-zard-card-era/n-1989400

TBT the Rochester Wizards

http://www.downthebyline.com/2015/07/tbt-rochester-wizards.html?m=1

Nine years ago, KC at Brink of losing the MLS team by Sam McDowell

https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mls/sporting-kc/article334008/Nine-years-ago-KC-was-on-the-brink-of-losing-its-pro-soccer-team.html

Star Bonds and Location Make Sporting Park a Star by Patrick Riche for Forbes

https://www.forbes.com/sites/prishe/2012/10/29/star-bonds-location-make-livestrong-sporting-park-a-star-among-u-s-soccer-stadiums/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

Sporting KC and Soccer Development by Scott Fenwick

https://onthefiredotcom.wordpress.com/2013/07/30/sporting-kansas-city-and-soccer-development-an-interview-with-david-ficklin/amp/?__twitter_impression=true