Shortly after the United States national team miraculously advanced to the knockout stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Wednesday morning, it was announced that ESPN cameras would be coming to Kansas City for their on-air crowd reaction shots.
The entire downtown Power & Light district has been an absolute blast the last two weeks for US watch parties. In the outdoor KC Live! area, the Kansas City Wizards have been hosting one of the largest outdoor watch parties in the country. Inside one of the bars at Power & Light, though, has been one of the wildest madhouse scenes you've never seen before.
Johnny's Tavern, home bar of the American Outlaws - Kansas City chapter has been putting on the loudest, most patriotic watch parties around. Don't believe me? Check out the media section of their Facebook fan page.
So, when you're trying to decide where to go to watch the game Saturday afternoon, keep that in mind. Take my word and make Johnny's (or the KC Live! outdoor area) the place to be. You watch one game there, you won't ever watch another game anywhere else.
And, as if that weren't enough soccer excitement for one day, just 10 miles to the west of downtown, the Wizards will return to MLS action when they host the New York Red Bulls at 7:30 p.m. at Community America Ballpark.
If you happen to make it downtown for the US game, the Wizards will be selling two-for-one tickets to Saturday night's game. As if that weren't incentive enough, their will also be a five dollar shuttle service from Johnny's to the Wizards game (and back afterwards) leaving at 5:30, which means you can stay downtown and celebrate a United States berth in the quarterfinals all afternoon, yet still make it to the Wizards game without going to jail. Win-win, right?
In all seriousness though, do your absolute best to get to either the P&L or Johnny's watch party. If you're wavering on the soccer fandom fence, it'll topple you over to the fan side. Just do one thing: plan on getting there early. It's going to be packed.