SportsBeat KC: Sporting KC aims to make statements of play and protest in MLS re-start
Soccer is the first professional team sport to return to action in the U.S., and Sporting KC plays its first game of that resumption Sunday against Minnesota. All Major League Soccer games are being played in Orlando, and re-starting competition isn’t the only message you’ll be hearing from the players.
A group called Black Players for Change, which includes Sporting’s Khiry Shelton, made its first public demonstration before Wednesday’s first game in the MLS is Back Tournament. More than 170 players participating, some wearing “Silence is Violence” T-shirts, took part in the pregame protest. Sporting is expected to deliver a message before its opening game, too.
In a Friday news conference setting in Orlando, Shelton, Matt Besler and Sporting KC coach Peter Vermes spoke about the re-start and demonstrations, as does reporter Shaun Goodwin on this episode of the daily SportsBeat KC podcast with host Blair Kerkhoff.
Story links:
Sporting KC has set up camp at for MLS is Back, ready to play
Kansas City’s bid takes next step to bring 2026 World Cup to heart of North America
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 2:32 PM with the headline "SportsBeat KC: Sporting KC aims to make statements of play and protest in MLS re-start."