Kansas City's CPIFL Team Will Be Called The Renegades

Kansas City’s new professional indoor football team will be called the Renegades, the team announced today.
The team will play in the Champions Professional Indoor Football League, which includes teams from Wichita; Tulsa, Okla.; Sedalia, Mo.; and Sioux City, Iowa. The new team has taken over physical assets of the former Kansas City Command.
The Renegades will play in Kansas City's Kemper Arena for the 2013 season, competing with as many as 10 teams in the Champions Professional Indoor Football League.
General Manager Reggie Harris said last month that the league is not trying to become a national organization like the AFL.
“What we’re trying to do is create a league that is more accessible for fans and that has a financial situation that works,” Harris said.
He estimated that ticket prices would average $20 but could dip as low as $10.
The formal announcement came in a news conference with Harris, team owner Jeremy Ploeger, Head Coach Richard McCleskey, and players Tod Devoe, Victor Mann, and Carson Coffman.
Ploeger also founded sports management firm J&M Management and is vice chairman of the Jackson County Board of Planning & Zoning Adjustments.

KC Pro Indoor Football Team Will Announce Team Name and Logo Thursday

Kansas City’s new professional indoor football franchise will be holding a press conference to formally announce their new franchise name and logo.

When:     This Thursday, Sept. 20th

Time:       2pm

Location:   Brio Tuscan Grille
                 502 Nichols Rd
                 Country Club Plaza
                 Kansas City, MO

The Kansas City franchise recently acquired the physical assets of the Kansas City Command and will play their 2013 season at  Kemper Arena. The move was made so that fans will be able to tailgate and enjoy the complete fan experience at an affordable price.

Comets to Hold Open Tryouts this Weekend

The Missouri Comets will hold open tryouts this Saturday and Sunday, September 22-23 at the KC Soccer Dome in Kansas City for a chance to earn a roster spot on the 2012-2013 Comets Indoor Soccer team. Tryouts are open to all players 18 years of age or older and are open to the public. All interested participants can pre-register online or at the door. Register at http://www.cometsindoorsoccer.com/page/index.php?pageid138.
Heading up the tryouts are Comets' assistant coaches Vlatko Andonovski and Doug McLagen; the Legendary "Scorin" Goran Hunjak will be on site as a special consultant. Coaches and players can be made available for interviews both days as well.
Open Tryout Sessions
Saturday September 22 from 2pm - 5pm
Sunday September 23 from 9am - Noon
KC Soccer Dome is located at 5909 Equitable Road Kansas City, Missouri
Follow the Comets: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cometssoccer
Twitter @MISLComets
For more information about the Comets, visit http://www.cometsindoorsoccer.com/.

Galaxy Girls Dance Team Announced

One of the most exciting annual events of the Comets' pre-season concluded this weekend with the 2012-2013 Galaxy Girls Finals on the KC Live! Stage in the KC Power & Light District. Charlie Keller, Director of the Galaxy Girls, was very pleased with the talent she saw through this year's trial process.
"We had more dancers audition than we ever have before. The skill level this year was higher than what we've seen in the past as well. Overall, it made for a few tough decisions, but I am very happy and excited for this year's squad."
Interested dancers started the process earlier this month by taking special prep classes to learn the dances they would be performing this year. After that they were put through a progression of dancing, interviews and public speaking exercises during the Preliminary Auditions and the Semi-Finals; both events held at 'All About Dance by Katye', studio sponsor of the Galaxy Girls.
A panel of judges including local media and celebrities evaluated the dancers individually and in groups on Saturday September 15th downtown. The final squad was announced this afternoon on the Missouri Comets website. The Galaxy Girls can be seen interacting with the crowds and performing at all Comets home games this season. They are available for public appearances as well. For more information about the Galaxy Girls or to schedule an appearance, contact Charlie Keller, Charlie@KCArenaSports.com or 913.742.7050 x7207

Topeka RoadRunners Bounce Back, Thaw The Chill 4-1

Following their first overtime loss of the season, the RoadRunners (2-0-1) needed to make a statement on Day Three of the NAHL Showcase. And they did, defeating the Coulee Region Chill (1-2-0) by a score of 4-1.
Coulee Region got things started at 18:15 of the first period when the RoadRunners turned the puck over in front of the net, allowing Hunter Anderson to score on a rebound off Spencer Viele, giving the Chill a 1-0 lead heading into the 1st Intermission.
Topeka stuck back early in the 2nd period as Cam Bleck wrapped around the net to slip the puck past Devin Kero, tying the score 1-1 at 3:32. Later in the period, Drew Kariofiles gave the RoadRunners a 2-1 lead, ending the team’s 0 for 15 power play drought with a one-timer at 15:37. Sean Gaffney would add another power play goal less than two minutes later at 17:25. Topeka stormed into the 2nd Intermission with a 3-1 lead.
“We played with more purpose, energy and detail,” beamed Roadrunners Head Coach Scott Langer. “Specialty teams were the difference. We grew as a team this morning.”
Dan Dupell would pile on another goal with a shorthanded effort at 2:35 in the 3rd, highlighting what has been a dominating penalty kill for the team (the Chill would finish the game 0 for 6 on the power play). Opponents are now 0 for 14 against Topeka’s penalty kill this season.
For the goalies, Spencer Viele (2-0, 47sv, 1.00 GAA), making his second start this season, picked up the win with 15 saves. The RoadRunners bombarded the Chill’s Devin Kero (0-1, 35sv, 4.00 GAA) with 39 shots in the game.
With the victory, the RoadRunners secured a winning trip to Blaine with one game remaining. Tomorrow, at 3:30pm, they take on the Bismarck Bobcats before boarding the bus for home and a day off. On Monday night, they hit Landon Arena for the Topeka Home Opener against the Odessa Jackalopes. For ticket information, call 785-286-PUCK or visit the Expocentre Box Office.

Topeka RoadRunners Fall to Warriors in a Shootout 2-1

After three periods, a combined 50 penalty minutes, and 18 shootout attempts, the Topeka RoadRunners (1-0-1) fell one goal short against the Michigan Warriors (1-1-0) in Day Two of the NAHL Showcase. Michigan Defenseman Corey Schueneman scored the deciding goal on their ninth attempt, giving the Warriors a 3-2 shootout edge that the RoadRunners were unable to overcome.
The game was a defensive battle in every sense but it did not start out that way. Just 35 seconds into the first period, the Warriors were on the scoreboard as Jake Strzalkowski found the back of the net for his first goal of the season (assisted by Jake Hopfner). Michigan would lead for most of the period until Dan Dupell’s game-tying goal, also his first of the year, at 18:19 (assisted by Dallas Crum).
From that point on, neither team could break through with each goalie turning in a sterling performance. Mackenzie Sawyer stopped 26 shots for the RoadRunners but was overshadowed by his counterpart, Michael Pesendorfer, who turned the puck away 33 times in regulation. Despite a number of opportunities in the final period, the RoadRunners struggled to find any free space between the pipes.
The Penalty Kill also came up big for both squads. The Warriors went 0 for 4 on Power plays while the RoadRunners were 0 for 5.
“This loss shows how important the small details can be,” said Head Coach Scott Langer. “Mack[enzie] gave us every opportunity to win in regulation. We, as a team, need to bear down and finish our chances and take advantage of the solid goaltending we are getting.” Topeka was coming off an equally strong performance by Goalie Spencer Viele (1 G, 32 SV) in last night’s victory over Kenai River.
The game was not without extracurricular activity with Michigan racking up 28 penalty minutes to Topeka’s 26 (including 10 minute majors for Michigan’s Shawn Badali and Topeka’s Mick Bruce).
The RoadRunners look to rebound tomorrow morning against the Coulee Region Chill at 10:15am. On Saturday, they close out the 2012 NAHL Showcase against the Bismarck Bobcats at 3:30pm. Fans can hear all of these games streaming live at www.countrylegends1069fm.com.

Comets Host Galaxy Girls Finals In The Power & Light District

The Missouri Comets will host the Finals for the Galaxy Girls Dance Team on Saturday, September 15th from 4 - 5:30pm on stage at KC Live! in the Power & Light District. All finalists have advanced through multi-week prep classes, preliminary and semi-final rounds. The event is free and open to the public. The final Galaxy Girls squad will be announced on Monday, September 17th via the Comets web site and social media outlets.
A selected panel of local judges will help determine who will make the final squad for the 2012-2013 season, and the event will be moderated by current Comets P.A. announcer, Ed Bishop.
Judges include:
Kim Roentved – Head Coach for Comets
Brian Harris and Coady Andrews – current Comets players
Eddie Kennison – former KC Chiefs wide receiver
Jay Binkley – 610 Sports
Steve Serrano – Mix 93.3
Mick Shaffer – Metro Sports
Katye Baker – All About Dance
Lisa and Linda Luft – Bolero Salon and Spa
Randy Baker – Citizens Bank & Trust
Tina Budzinski – Pembroke Hill Dance coach
Charleen Keller – Galaxy Girls Director
The Galaxy Girls have been a tradition with the Comets for many years, and continue to build the relationship between the team and fans on game day, as well as strong connections with the community through multiple public service events during the season. The Galaxy Girls work closely with Blair’s Foster Socks, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing socks to foster and homeless children.
For more information about the Comets, visit http://www.cometsindoorsoccer.com/ or email Christa Patrick at chpatrick@kcarenasports.com. Also follow the Comets on Facebook and Twitter.

Former AMC Execs Offer Dinner-And-Movie Concept In Prairie Village

By Steve Vockrodt
Former AMC Entertainment Inc. executives have signed a lease at The Village Shopping Center in Prairie Village to open a combined dining and movie theater concept.
Dineplex International LLC, a Kansas City-based company whose president is a former AMC senior vice president, agreed to lease 14,000 square feet from Lane4 Property Group Inc. at the shopping center near Mission Road and 71st Street.
Dineplex will open Standees, an adult-oriented upscale-casual restaurant that also will include three movie theaters with a combined 250 seats.
Dineplex is one of Grassmere Partners’ portfolio companies, a private investment firm founded by former AMC CEO Peter Brown.
Standees will feature a 200-seat restaurant with what Dineplex President Frank Rash described as a chef-infused upscale-causal American menu.
The theaters have about 80 seats apiece and will feature films that appeal to adults, such as “Moneyball,” independent films and alternate content such as live concert broadcasts.
Rash said the combined theater and restaurant concept did not equate to dine-in theater.
Although visitors can have drinks and appetizers with them in the theater, they cannot order meals in the theater.
“It’s not a product we feel exists today,” Rash said.
Both concepts will stand on their own with the ideal customers eating a meal at the restaurant and then catching a movie, Rash said.
The target audience for Standees are adults 40 and older.
“It’s not a family location,” Rash said. “It’s an adult night out.”
Standees is expected to open in the spring and will employ 25 to 35 workers.
It will begin going through city approvals soon, and Rash said no public assistance would be requested.
Rash declined to comment on the level of investment for the flagship Standees location.
He said Dineplex expects to add more in the Kansas City area before branching out into the region.

Topeka RoadRunners Open Season With Win

The Topeka RoadRunners opened the season on Wednesday night at the NAHL Showcase Tournament, and skated to a 2-1 win in regulation over the Kenai River Brown Bears.
The first period played out with both teams seemingly testing the waters a bit until the Brown Bears cracked the scoreboard at 18:37 of the frame when Zac Lazzaro deflected a Vincent Stefan point shot through a crowd and past Spencer Viele for the 1-0 lead that stood at the end of one period. Topeka was outshot 7-5 in the first 20 minutes.
In the second period, Topeka would take 5 penalties yielding 4 power plays for the Brown Bears, who ramped up the attack with 22 shots in the period. Topeka, who had just one power play in the period and managed just 7 shots on goal still managed to take the lead. At 2:43 Tyler Andrew blocked a shot at the 'Runners blue line and chased down the bouncing puck, putting it behind the Brown Bears goalie for the game tying short-handed goal. Topeka pulled ahead at 6:16 when Kyle Sharkey's pass to Sean Gaffney was deflected in the air where Gaffney swung baseball style and swatted the puck just under the crossbar for a 2-1 lead. Topeka held the 2-1 lead after two periods, despite being outshot 29-12.
In the third period, Topeka held Kenai River to just 4 shots but one was on a breakaway that Viele turned aside to protect the one goal cushion. It was one of the 32 saves he made in the game helping propel Topeka to a 2-1 win.
Topeka (1-0-0) squares off with the Michigan Warriors (0-1-0) Toady at 1:30 pm.
The game will be broadcast by Arch Ecker via streaming audio at countrylegends1069fm.com and available for pay-per-view at nahl.FASTHockey.com.

Topeka RoadRunners Announce 2012-13 Captains

The Topeka RoadRunners have revealed the captain and the alternates for the 2012-13 season.
Head Coach Scott Langer said, "We don't select captains, they are revealed in the training camp process". Together with his assistant coaches Harry Mahood and Josh Kamrass, the captain selected was Drew Kariofiles. The 5'8", 180 lb forward came to Topeka this season as a free agent after his previous team, the St. Louis Bandits went dormant in the offseason. He scored just three goals in 53 games last season, but buried 3 goals in 4 preseason games in Topeka.
"Drew is a special player who leads by example and fits right in to our belief system", Langer said. "Combined with our alternate captains, we have a rock solid leadership group who RoadRunner Nation can be proud of."
The alternate captains will be Kyle Sharkey and Kevin Patterson. Sharkey returns for his third season with Topeka, averaging 30 points a year. A 5'8" 175 lb left winger, Sharkey is a deceptively gifted yet scrappy veteran who shows no fear on the ice. "Kyle is one of those players coaches dream of. Hard-working, honest, coachable, and responsible, he is an excellent role model for the younger players to follow", said Langer.
Meanwhile, Kevin Patterson returns for his second season on the 'Runners blue line. Langer spoke highly of his defenseman, saying, "The thing you notice about Patterson is he doesn't make the same mistake twice. Just like Drew and Kyle, he's someone you want the younger guys to emulate."
Overall, Langer is pleased with his captains as a group. “These three players have a ‘come to work’ mentality every day”, he said. “This is a very veteran team and expected to be full of leadership.”
The 'Runners and their newly named captains begin their season tonight at the NAHL Showcase Tournament in Blaine, MN.

KU Pulls Out Of Sports Complex Plan, Decides To pitch Its Own facility

The University of Kansas is seeking some changes in a plan that would establish new sports and recreation facilities in the city of Lawrence.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports the university is pulling out of a proposal to build a new $24 million sports complex in conjunction with the city. Instead, KU says it wants to build a larger sports complex near the initial planned site and have the city move its recreation center and youth fieldhouse there.

Kansas City's CPIFL Team To Hold Tryouts This Weekend

Kansas City's new CPIFL team has set tryouts for this coming Saturday, Sept. 15th at 8am. At least 10 players will be signed to the team from this tryout.
The tryouts will be held at KC Sports Lodge, 19310 E. 50th Terr. Independence, MO. It is $50 if players pre-register and $60 the day of tryouts.
To pre-register, players should e-mail their first name, last name, DOB, height, weight and position to info@kcindoorfootball.com . Player highlight videos are also encouraged.
"After receiving a large number of inquiries by players from all over the country who want to play in Kansas City, we decided to host tryouts this Saturday. We are excited to sign 10 players from this tryout and look forward to meeting the athletes," said Harris.
- The team has received inquiries from players all over the country hoping to have a shot at playing in Kansas City.
- The Kansas City franchise recently acquired the physical assets of the Kansas City Command and will play their 2013 season at Kemper Arena. The move was made so that fans will be able to tailgate and enjoy the complete fan experience at an affordable price.
- Just last month the new franchise announced the signing of some high profile players including Utah Blaze QB Carson Coffman (K-State), Omaha Beef DB Cornelius "Pig" Brown (Mizzou), KC Command WR OJ Simpson, KC Command DL Tommy Chavis, Fairbanks Grizzlies star WR Anthony "AP" Parks (Oklahoma State) and NFL Super Bowl champion LB Diyral Briggs (Green Bay Packers).
- The team recently joined the Champions Professional Indoor Football League (CPIFL), which consists of top caliber Midwest professional teams from the AFL, IFL and APFL. They join several other top franchises including the Wichita Wild, Sioux City Bandits and Oklahoma Defenders.

Mavericks Renew Affiliation Agreement With AHL’s Chicago Wolves & Announce Ticket Initiatives

Missouri Mavericks’ President and General Manager Brent Thiessen announced at the team’s Fan Fest Saturday the Mavericks have renewed their affiliation agreement with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Chicago Wolves for the 2012-13 season. The Wolves are the primary affiliate of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) Vancouver Canucks.
“We are very excited to renew this relationship which we believe helps maintain our status as one of the elite teams in the Central Hockey League,” said Thiessen. “We believe Missouri is one of the premier places to play in the CHL and we look forward to receiving players from one of the premier teams in the AHL.”
The affiliation agreement allows for Mavericks players to compete in the Chicago Wolves training camp, and it also allows for a limited number of players to be signed to two-way contracts between the Mavericks and the Wolves. Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman will also attend the Wolves training camp in Chicago along with select Mavericks players.
The agreement paves the way for Chicago to loan players to the Mavericks should the opportunity arise as well as allow Mavericks players to move up to the AHL based on the needs of the Wolves.
The Chicago Wolves began operations in 1994 in the International Hockey League (IHL) and joined the AHL in 2001. Chicago has never had a losing season in their 18 seasons and the team has won four league championships with two in the IHL and two in the AHL. Most recently, Chicago was awarded the AHL’s Calder Cup in 2008.
Also, on Saturday the Mavericks announced many of the ticket initiatives for the 2012-13 season. The team’s Mini Packs went on sale today and individual tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, September 25 at 12 p.m.  On October 1, Mavericks’ Freedom Friday tickets, Price Chopper Two-for-One tickets and Family 4-Packs will go on sale.
Mavericks Mini Packs are on sale now and fans have the ability to purchase 8-game or 16-game packs.  Fans interested in purchasing Mini Packs can call the Mavericks’ ticketing staff at (816) 252-7825 or visit the Mavericks’ website for more information.
Individual tickets for all 33 of the Mavericks’ regular season home games will go on sale on Tuesday, September 25 at 12 p.m. at the Silverstein Eye Centers Box Office or any Ticketmaster outlet. Fans can go to Ticketmaster.com or call (800) 745-3000 to purchase individual tickets. The Mavericks pricing at the box office remained the same as the 2011-12 season.
“We are proud to be one of the very few teams in professional sports to keep our box office price structure the same year over year,” said Mavericks’ President and General Manager Brent Thiessen. “We continue to have the one of the lowest ticketing fee structures for professional entertainment in the Kansas City area.”
On October 1, fans will have the ability to purchase Freedom Friday tickets, Price Chopper Two-for-One tickets and Family 4-Packs. Freedom Friday tickets are available for all military personnel (active or non-active) with military ID card and they will receive $5 off any ticket at the Silverstein Eye Centers Box Office only (excludes End level seating, maximum five tickets per ID, Friday games only).
Price Chopper Two-for-One tickets can be purchased starting October 1 by showing a Price Chopper card in person in the Silverstein Eye Centers Box Office or online at Ticketmaster.com by typing the code ‘ChopperXXXX’ with the X’s representing the last four digits of the Price Chopper Card (certain restrictions apply).
Family 4-Packs will be available for the Mavericks’ games on November 23, December 31 and March 10.  The 4-packs will include four tickets, four hotdogs and four Pepsi products.

Topeka RoadRunners Tripped Up In Preseason Loss

In the final weekend before the regular season opens for Topeka, the RoadRunners made their first ever visit to Aberdeen, SD to face the Wings and dropped the first of the two game series, 6-2 in front of an enthusiastic crowd.
Topeka killed off a couple of penalties and on their first power play cashed it in when Drew Kariofiles snapped home the rebound of a Luke Veitch point shot, also assisted by Tyler Poulsen at 12:07 of the first period. Topeka led 1-0 after 1, outshooting the Wings 17-12.
In the second period, Aberdeen caught a break when a Tommy Miller centering pass hit a 'Runners defenseman's skate and deflected in behind Spencer Viele to tie the game at 1-1 just 1:45 into the second period. The 'Runners retook the lead at 8:27 as Dan Dupellmade a nice play to keep the puck in the zone, and Brody Decker made a nice pass across to Kariofiles who buried his second of the game and third of the preseason. Aberdeen tied it up during their fifth power play of the game at 18:18, a slick redirection by Joey Parizek. Not done yet, the Wings took the lead at 19:43 when Kyle Haak was left alone in front of the net and tucked home a low shot for the 3-2 edge.
Miller padded the Wings lead at 1:45 of the third on a crisp wrist shot through traffic, and added two more late in the period for the final 6-2 margin. Viele played all 60 minutes in the game in goal, making 28 saves including three breakaways. Both teams will close out their preseason when they meet Saturday night at 7:15 pm. The game will be streamed live at countrylegends1069.com and available for pay-per-view at FASTHockey.com.

Missouri Comets Announce Regular Season Schedule

The Missouri Comets will host 13 home games for the 2012-2013 MISL regular season at the Independence Events Center starting with the Home Opener: Friday, November 2nd against their biggest rival, the Wichita Wings at 7:35pm. a
Feature series to watch this season include six games against the Wichita Wings, four games against the Milwaukee Wave; prime revenge matches after the Wave defeated the Comets during last season's MISL Semi-Finals, and four games against the newest team in the MISL, the Chicago Soul FC.
The complete promotional schedule will be released at a future date and will feature fan favorites including the Mascot Game, Retro Game, and Pink Game which benefits the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation. www.takedefense.org.
2012 - 2013 Missouri Comets Regular Season Schedule
Friday Nov. 2 vs. Wichita Wings 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Sunday Nov. 4 AT Wichita Wings 3:05pm Harman Arena
Sunday Nov. 11 AT Milwaukee Wave 3:00pm U.S. Cellular Arena
Friday Nov. 16 vs. Syracuse Silver Knights 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Saturday Nov. 24 vs. Baltimore Blast 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Friday Nov. 30 AT Syracuse Silver Knights 6:30pm Syracuse Oncenter
Saturday Dec. 1 AT Rochester Lancers 6:00pm Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
Sunday Dec. 9 vs. Chicago Soul FC 3:10pm Independence Events Center
Friday Dec. 14 AT Syracuse Silver Knights 6:30pm Syracuse Oncenter
Saturday Dec. 15 AT Baltimore Blast 6:35pm 1st Mariner Arena
Friday Dec. 21 AT Wichita Wings 7:35pm Harman Arena
Friday Dec. 28 AT Chicago Soul FC 7:30pm Sears Centre Arena
Saturday Dec. 29 vs. Syracuse Silver Knights 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Sunday Jan. 6 vs. Wichita Wings 3:10pm Independence Events Center
Thursday Jan. 10 vs. Milwaukee Wave 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Saturday Jan. 12 AT Wichita Wings 7:35pm Harman Arena
Saturday Jan. 19 vs. Rochester Lancers 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Saturday Jan. 26 AT Baltimore Blast 6:35pm 1st Mariner Arena
Sunday Jan. 27 AT Rochester Lancers Noon Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial
Friday Feb. 1 vs. Rochester Lancers 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Saturday Feb. 2 AT Milwaukee Wave 6:00pm U.S. Cellular Arena
Sunday Feb. 10 vs. Baltimore Blast 3:10pm Independence Events Center
Sunday Feb. 17 vs. Milwaukee Wave 3:10pm Independence Events Center
Friday Feb. 22 vs. Chicago Soul FC 7:35pm Independence Events Center
Sunday Feb. 24 vs. Wichita Wings 3:10pm Independence Events Center
Wednesday Feb. 27 AT Chicago Soul FC 7:00pm Sears Centre Arena
The MISL Playoffs will begin with the semifinals March 8-10, featuring the No. 1 and No. 4 seeds and the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds meeting in home-and-home series' with a mini game to decide the series following the second game if needed. The championship will follow the same format on March 15-17. The higher seed will have the option to choose which game it hosts.
The MISL Board of Governors increased each team's number of regular season games from 24 to 26 beginning with the 2012-13 season, adding two games for each team without increasing the length of the regular season. The Governors also voted for a single-table format, eliminating the past divisional alignment.
The Comets regular season will start two weeks early than projected and conclude on the road February 27, 2013. The Independence Events Center is the official home of the Missouri Comets where fans get to experience the excitement of indoor sports up close and personal. Over 50,000 fans showed their Comets' support last season at the IEC, which will also host this year's Comets Fan Fest; a free event on Saturday, September 29th from 3-6pm.

Missouri Mavericks Host Fan Fest This Saturday, September 8 From 11-3 At IEC

The Missouri Mavericks third annual Fan Fest is this Saturday, September 8 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Independence Events Center.  The event is free and open to the public.
The Mavericks will host activities for fans of all ages.  For the kids, the Mavericks will have a shoot booth, obstacle course, inflatables, sumo wrestling, face painting and a balloon artist.  The team will have a "Mavenger" Hunt in which fans can complete a specified list of activities to win prizes.  The Mavericks will also give away cash prizes in a drawing every hour, and many of the Mavericks partners will be on hand with giveaways, food samples and more.
Missouri's newest game day host, Shannon Oleen, will be on hand to meet the fans and host the main stage events throughout the day.  Fans will be able to meet new Mavericks' forward Brian Bicek along with defensemen David Simoes and Dave Pszenyczny.  President and general manager Brent Thiessen, head coach Scott Hillman and assistant director of hockey operations Simon Watson will also discuss the upcoming season and partake in question and answer sessions.
Defenseman David Simoes and the American Red Cross are also asking for voluntary donors to roll up their sleeves and donate blood at any point throughout Fan Fest.  Fans who donate will also be entered into a separate drawing every hour including game used equipment from Simoes and tickets to an upcoming Mavericks' game.  To make an appointment to donate blood, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code: MAVERICKS.
Main Stage Schedule
11 a.m.             Introductions
11:20 a.m.       Discussion with Scott Hillman and Simon Watson
11:50 a.m.       Mac Introduction
12 p.m.            Q & A with Brian Bicek, David Simoes and Dave Pszenyczny
1 p.m.               Mavericks 2012-13 Season Announcements
2 p.m.               Q & A with Brent Thiessen, Scott Hillman and Simon Watson
Autograph Schedule
12 p.m.             Scott Hillman, Simon Watson and MAC
1 p.m.               Brian Bicek, David Simoes and Dave Pszenyczny

University of Missouri-Kansas City Considers A Name Change

The University of Missouri-Kansas City may become the University of Kansas City or Kansas City University, KMBZ reports.
UMKC Chancellor Leo Morton said the school is exploring and testing reaction to the names, which recognize the school’s importance to the Kansas City community, where the bulk of its students come from, KMBZ reports.
Even if the name changes, the school would remain in the University of Missouri System, the report says.
A final decision is expected by the end of the year.

Former Wizard Returns To KC To Play Indoor Game For Comets

The Missouri Comets have announced the return of Craig Rocastle to the Comets for the upcoming season, pending league approval. Rocastle, who already had ties to the metro when he played for Sporting KC, signed with the Comets last season but was allowed to go play for Thrasyvoulos FC of the Greek Second Division, where he started 17 games, earned nine Player of the Game awards recorded eight assists.
“Letting Craig gain more experience by playing internationally will only benefit the Comets this season,” said Comets President Brian Budzinski. “We wanted him on the team and he wanted to come back to Kansas City for his family, the timing just fit and he can be an immediate impact on the team.”
Rocastle (6-foot-1, Lewisham, England) holds citizenship with the country of Grenada and played extensively in the European highest divisions including English Premier League team from Chelsea, Sheffield Wednesday and Oldham Athletic. In 2009 he signed with English club Forest Green Rovers; he made 15 appearances with the Rovers before gaining interest from American teams.
Rocastle signed with the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting Kansas City) in March of 2010 making 23 appearances and starting 18 games that season. He was an important part of the lineup for the Wizard’s match vs. Colorado in the US Open Cup, and the Wizard’s 2-1 victory over Manchester United that season. In November of 2010, he was called up to the Grenada National Team player pool where he earned his first cap on November 26, 2010 in a Caribbean Championship match vs. Guadeloupe. Rocastle appeared in six Sporting Kansas City games before hurting his knee in a Gold Cup match with Grenada. Overall, he has made 29 appearances (23 starts) for the Wizards/Sporting KC franchise and has earned 11 caps for Grenada.

Missouri Mavericks Announce Team’s Newest Game Day Host

The Missouri Mavericks announced today the team’s newest game day host for the 2012-13 season will be Shannon Oleen.  Shannon will be introduced and take part in the Mavericks’ Fan Fest this Saturday, September 8 at Independence Events Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Shannon Oleen, formerly McKain, is a native of Gladstone, Missouri and has been a lifelong Kansas City sports fan.  Most recently, Shannon cheered for the Kansas City Chiefs and she has also stood on the sidelines for Sporting KC and the Missouri Comets.  Now, Shannon is widely recognized not only as a former cheerleader, but as an acclaimed keynote speaker and leading authority in finding passion, creating positive change and reaching personal goals.
“We are excited to have Shannon join us,” said Mavericks’ President and General Manager Brent Thiessen.  “She is going to be a big asset for the Mavericks and she will help make our game days exciting, fresh and fun.  We can’t wait to have her join the staff for another exciting season of Mavericks hockey.”
“Being the host of our professional hockey team is an incredible way for me to stay involved in sports,” said Oleen. “Hearing the crowd celebrate after a Mavericks’ goal, visiting with fans and watching the fast-paced action is exciting to me.  This is exactly where I want to be.”
Shannon is a graduate of William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri where she studied political science and communication.  When she isn’t hosting games for the Mavericks or inspiring national audiences with her message, Shannon enjoys teaching cheer and dance camps to youth throughout the Midwest and spending time with family and friends.
To learn more about the Mavericks newest game day host, visit www.shannonoleen.com.
The Missouri Mavericks will host their third annual Fan Fest on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Independence Events Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  All fans are invited to attend this free event.  The Mavericks will begin their fourth season of play in the CHL in October 2012.

Chinese company wraps up its purchase of AMC Entertainment

By David Twiddy
A Chinese conglomerate has completed its acquisition of AMC Entertainment Inc., creating the world’s largest theater exhibitor.
Dalian Wanda Group. Co. Ltd. and Kansas City-based AMC announced Tuesday that the deal, valued at $2.6 billion, had closed Thursday.
AMC, the second-largest U.S. theater chain, will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Wanda. The companies said AMC will retain control of the movies and other programming shown in its theaters and will remain based in the Kansas City area. It plans to open a new headquarters in Leawood next year.
“All of us at AMC are thrilled about our future with Wanda,” CEO Gerry Lopez said in a written statement. “It allows us to continue expanding and innovating in what is the world’s largest movie market.”
AMC operates 338 theaters with 4,865 screens, mostly in the United States, and Wanda operates 94 theaters with 805 screens in China. Its portfolio includes luxury hotels, commercial real estate and department stores.