Weekly Update: Busy stretch goes on

WEEKLY SCHEDULE:

The Kansas City Wizards continue their busy stretch of games with matches Tuesday and Saturday. After three SuperLiga games last week, Kansas City plays a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match Tuesday in Minnesota before hosting the Houston Dynamo Saturday on the 4th of July. The Wizards will host their weekly press conference Thursday at the team's Swope Park Training Center. The team will then celebrate America's independence with a full slate of family-friendly activities Saturday, including the largest fireworks display in Kansas City, sponsored by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas.

WIZARDS TO HOLD FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR SATURDAY AFTER HOUSTON MATCH:

The Wizards will host the biggest fireworks show in Kansas City, sponsored by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas, after Saturday's match against the Houston Dynamo. Kansas City will also host several family-friendly activities, including a dunk tank, apple bobbing, face painting, inflatable games for children and more. For tickets call (913) 387-3400 or go online to www.ticketmaster.com/kcwizards.

FANS ALLOWED TO ENTER FIELD AFTER SATURDAY'S MATCH TO VIEW FIREWORKS SPECTACULAR:

After players have exited the playing surface following the conclusion of Saturday's MLS contest between the Kansas City Wizards and Houston Dynamo, fans will be allowed to enter the field at CommunityAmerica Ballpark for a better view of the post-match fireworks spectacular presented by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Fans will be allowed to bring blankets on the field to view the fireworks display in comfort.

AIR FORCE AND MARINES TO BATTLE ON THE PITCH SATURDAY PRIOR TO WIZARDS GAME:

Saturday, a group of serviceman from Whiteman Air Force Base will take on those from the U.S. Marine Corps from Belton in a soccer match on the game field at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The match will kick-off at 4 p.m. CT. Anyone with a ticket to the Wizards-Dynamo match will be able to watch the Air Force squad take on the Marine squad.

KANSAS CITY FANS TO "DUNK THE HOUSTON DYNAMO FAN" SATURDAY FOR CHARITY:

Kansas City Wizards fans will be able to "Dunk The Dynamo Fan" for charity on Saturday. Starting at 6:00 p.m. CT, a "Houston Dynamo Fan" will taunt Wizards fans to dunk him for charity. $3 will give participants three chances to drop him as he heckles Wizards fans with every miss, all the while predicting victory for Houston. Proceeds from this tongue-in-cheek 4th of July event will benefit the Kansas City Soccer Foundation.

BUY A PEPSI/PRICE CHOPPER FAMILY 4-PACK FOR SATURDAY'S MATCH

Families interested in watching the Wizards take on MLS-leading Houston Dynamo this Saturday are encouraged to take advantage of the Pepsi/Price Chopper Family 4-Pack. Packages start at just $81, and families of four will receive over $120 in value. Fans can purchase the package through this link at Ticketmaster.com or by calling the Wizards at (913) 387-3400. As part of the Pepsi/Price Chopper Family 4-Pack, fans will receive:

• Four (4) Kansas City Wizards Tickets
• Four (4) Hot Dogs at CAB
• Four (4) Pretzels at CAB
• One (1) Stadium Blanket
• One (1) Pepsi Coupon Package for redemption at area Price Chopper stores:
     • One (1) Free 6-Pack of Dr. Pepper or Sierra Mist (20 oz. bottles)
     • One (1) Free 2 Liter of Crush or Sierra Mist
     • One (1) Buy One, Get One SOBE Lifewater (20 oz. bottle)
     • One (1) Kansas City Wizards Merchandise Discount Coupon good for $5 off a merchandise purchase of free customization of a Wizards jersey.
     • All coupons expire on November 30, 2009

Pepsi/Price Chopper Family 4-Packs are available for the following Kansas City Wizards matches:

WIZARDS TO FACE MINNESOTA THUNDER IN OPEN CUP TUESDAY:

The Kansas City Wizards enter the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 on Tuesday, when they face the Minnesota Thunder (USL-1) at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn. The match will be broadcast live online at www.USLlive.com. Fans can also follow the action via a live blog at www.hillcrestroadblog.com.

Last season, Kansas City made the quarterfinals of the tournament. The Wizards lost in penalty kicks to Seattle Sounders (then of USL-1) at Qwest Field after a 0-0 tie through regulation and extra time. Should the Wizards win Tuesday, they will either travel to face Seattle for the second straight season or host the Portland Timbers (USL-1). Below are the potential quarterfinal matches in Kansas City's group:

• July 7 Portland Timbers (USL1)/Seattle Sounders (MLS) at Minnesota Thunder (USL1) 7:35 p.m. CT National Sports Center Blaine, Minn.

• or Portland Timbers (USL1) at Kansas City Wizards (MLS) 7:30 p.m. CT Shawnee Mission North H.S. Overland Park, Kan.

• or Kansas City Wizards (MLS) at Seattle Sounders (MLS) 7 p.m. PT Starfire Sports Complex Tukwila, Wash.

ARNAUD, CONRAD, ESPINOZA TO COMPETE IN CONCACAF GOLD CUP:

Kansas City Wizards midfielder Davy Arnaud and defender Jimmy Conrad have been named to the United States National Team for the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. kicks off the Gold Cup this Saturday, July 4 against Grenada at 8 p.m. CT. All of the U.S. matches in the CONCACAF Gold Cup will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and the Univision networks, with all three group games airing on TeleFutura. For more information about the tournament, visit www.goldcup.org. Arnaud and Conrad joined the U.S. Monday, while Espinoza will join his national team, Honduras, after Tuesday's Open Cup match.

The Gold Cup squad will retain four players from the U.S. Confederations Cup roster that upset World No. 1 Spain Wednesday by a 2-0 score line. The U.S. Men play Brazil for the Confederations Cup championship Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT live on ESPN. Budweiser and the Wizards will host a watch party for the match Sunday at Hooter's in The Legends, directly across from CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards will then face Santos Laguna in the final SuperLiga group-stage match at 5:30 p.m. CT at CAB. A Wizards win will secure a berth in the SuperLiga semifinals.

The U.S. Gold Cup team will face Roger Espinoza's Honduras on Wednesday, July 8 at RFK Stadium at 8 p.m. CT. Group play wraps up Saturday, July 11 as part of a tripleheader at Gillette Stadium. That day, the Wizards will face the New England Revolution at 3 p.m. CT in MLS play. The U.S. will then play Haiti at 6 p.m. CT, with Honduras facing Grenada at 8 p.m. CT.

WIZARDS HOST KANSAS CITY COLLEGE SHOWCASE JULY 25-26:

The Kansas City Wizards, Raytown Soccer Club and William Jewell College will host the 2nd annual Kansas City College Showcase July 25-26. The event will take place at William Jewell College and the Wizards' Swope Park Training Center. KCW Juniors U-16 and U-18 teams will take part in the showcase. Registration costs $800 per team and includes a voucher for a Kansas City Wizards ticket during the 2009 season. Each team will play three games in the showcase, with at least one taking place at the Kansas City Wizards training facility. To register for the tournament,
follow this link
.

MODIFIED JIMMY CONRAD SHOW AIRS FROM FOX AND HOUND IN OVERLAND PARK THIS MONTH:

The Jimmy Conrad Show, presented by Budweiser, will air Wednesday night on Sports Radio 810 WHB from 7-8 p.m. CT and simulcast online at kcwizards.com. The show will be broadcast live from Fox and Hound in Overland Park, Kan. during the month of July. While Conrad is away with the U.S. National Team, Dave Borchardt and Sam Pierron will take over the show. Borchardt and Pierron will discuss topics including the Wizards, the U.S. National Team and anything else from the football world. Fans are encouraged to call in during the show.

Fox and Hound - Overland Park
10428 Metcalf Ave
Overland Park, KS 66212
(913) 649-1700
Google Maps Link

In 2009, the Wizards will take registrations from fans at each edition of the Jimmy Conrad Show for month-end drawings. Prizes will include Field Side Reserved tickets, a clinic from a Wizards player, a Football/Futbol double-header package and a VIP Meet & Greet session after a training session. Each fan can enter that month's drawing each time they attend The Jimmy Conrad Show.

The Jimmy Conrad Show will be held at different bars throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area. The show will run from 7-8 p.m. CT each week except for a small number of nights when the time will change due to programming conflicts on Sports Radio 810 WHB.

Fans can download archives of The Jimmy Conrad Show from the podcast page at kcwizards.com.

ZONA WIZARDS AIRS THURSDAY ON 1480 AM:

Wizards Head Coach Curt Onalfo joins Enrique Morales each Thursday at 5 p.m. CT for his weekly Spanish-language coach's show Zone Wizards on Ke Buena 1480 AM. This week, Spanish-speaking fans are encouraged to listen for a recap of last weekend's SuperLiga match against Santos Laguna, Tuesday's Open Cup match in Minnesota and for a preview of Saturday's 4th of July celebration against the Houston Dynamo.