The Kansas City Wizards are proud to announce a partnership with Atlas AC, a Mexican First Division side Fútbol Club. This agreement will foster a mutually beneficial relationship between the two teams and expand the game of soccer in both countries.
Under the new leadership of the OnGoal ownership group, the Wizards organization has committed to reaching out to and investing in the large and influential Latino population in Kansas City. The Wizards formed a department solely dedicated to serving the Latino community, spearheaded by Latino Relations Director Leo Prieto and Latino Relations Coordinator Hazel Soto. The Wizards are very active in the Latino community, and its leaders were thrilled to hear of the new partnership.
"This new covenant between Atlas and the Wizards is exciting and promises to create new fans of both the Wizards and Atlas throughout the Kansas City Latino community," Guadalupe Center Executive Director Cris Medina said. "Club Atlas has a long-standing reputation with Mexican soccer fans and we see this as a win-win for everyone."
This historic deal will not only help the Wizards expand their presence in the urban heart of Kansas City, where the Wizards Swope Park training facility is currently under construction, and outlying areas, but it will also help lay a foundation for involvement in Atlas' hometown of Guadalajara, Mexico.
"It is an honor to share our passion for soccer with one of the most prominent, respected and talented Mexican professional soccer teams," Prieto said. "This is only the beginning, as we are going to cultivate our relationship with Atlas and the Latino community for years to come."
Under this agreement, the Wizards and Atlas will hold an exhibition match each year, the first of which will take place in Kansas City this summer. The two teams will also participate in player exchanges and work together on charitable causes. In addition, Kansas City and Guadalajara are sister cities and this partnership will foster a sense of civic pride among all soccer fans.
"It is our distinct privilege to enter into this relationship with a club that features incredibly passionate fans, professional soccer excellence, and world-class athletic training facilities and programs," Kansas City Wizards Executive Vice President Greg Cotton said. "We will work with Atlas to incorporate their best practices in these areas into our organization, and trust that they can learn from us as well. We also hope that the sister cities of Guadalajara, Mexico, and Kansas City will benefit from this relationship and achieve a greater sense of cultural and civic understanding through the Wizards joint programming with Atlas."
Atlas, which has over 80 state-of-the-art training academies throughout Mexico, remains legendary for its premier player development system. The organization has produced stars such as Jared Borgetti and Rafael Marquez. The team plays in Estadio Jalisco, which hosted matches in the 1970 and 1986 World Cup and regularly fills up with over 56,000 fans. It is also the home of Chivas de Guadalajara, the sister team of MLS team Chivas USA. Both teams regularly compete for the league title each year, and this partnership may fuel a future rivalry between the Wizards and Chivas USA.
Other possibilities for partnership between the two clubs include preseason training sites and a chance to explore media, marketing, and merchandising opportunities. In the case that the Wizards play a friendly match in Guadalajara, there will be travel packages available for Wizards supporters.
Wizards Head Coach Curt Onalfo was pleased to hear of the finalized agreement between the Wizards and Atlas. Onalfo lived and played in Mexico, and his wife, Sandra, hails from Tampico, Mexico. Onalfo, who is a fluent Spanish speaker, has a deep love and respect for the country, its people and culture, and the game of futbol.
"I have very fond memories of the time I spent in Mexico," Onalfo said. "I was really embraced by the people and the city of Tampico, and I also met my wife there. We now have a home in Mexico, where our family spends the holidays. Mexico and its culture will always have a special place in my heart. In my mind, Atlas is probably the best club in Mexico when it comes to developing young soccer players. The team has a rich tradition and to have the opportunity to exchange ideas and share facilities will only make both clubs better in the great game of soccer."
Both Prieto and Cotton traveled to Guadalajara this weekend to attend a ceremonial signing at the halftime of an Atlas game. Further details and information will be available upon request next week when they return from Mexico.
