KSHB 41 News reporter Braden Bates covers parts of Jackson County, Missouri, including Lee's Summit. Send Braden a story idea by e-mail.
The KC Current marked its home opener and the second anniversary of CPKC Stadium with a win, in the first sports complex dedicated to a professional women's sports team in the world.
The official anniversary of the stadium in on March 16, when, two years ago, fans were welcomed to the facility for the first time.
Now, on the start of the team's third season in the stadium, the $140 million build, which holds 11,500 seats, was filled with fans dressed in teal in a sold out show.
The crowd's buzz around the new season was a testament to the growing passion surrounding women's professional soccer in Kansas City.
"Look around, I mean it's electric. It's amazing," C.C. Conley said.
Among those in attendance was an original fan of the team who has since become a season ticket holder.
"It feels incredible. It feels great to be back in action," Megan Ann Cappuccino said.
She was described by her friends as the Current's biggest fan and remembers the days when the Current shared Sporting KC's facility.
Cappuccino said attending matches at CPKC Stadium is a regular part of her life.
"Now that we've been in CPKC, we're season ticket holders and we come to every match," Cappuccino said.
She described the excitement of the game itself as one of the reasons she keeps coming back.
"That's why I love this team. You never know, you can't take your eyes off it," Cappuccino said.
Reflecting on the stadium's debut in 2024, Cappuccino said the experience was out of this world.
"I said, it's like being on the moon. There's only so many people in history that actually got on the moon or go in space and for me, that's exactly what this was. Like, literally walking on the moon," Cappuccino said. "The first women's stadium to have that ability, to have that accessibility to have the opportunity. It's been a dream."
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She knows what this means for women's sports and the precedent this sets.
The stadium is built to last. CPKC Stadium has a 50-year lease deal with Port KC, ensuring the Current will call it home for decades to come.
Cappuccino said the permanence of a dedicated women's stadium carries a deeper meaning for the sport.
"The fact that it's a women's stadium, that's one of my favorite things. The fact that our team gets to go into our locker room, keep their stuff there and they get to call this home, too. I think that sets the bar for where women's sports should have been," Cappuccino said.
Development around the stadium is also continuing to grow, with new residential and commercial projects taking shape in the surrounding area.
"We're opening up our park, the streetcar's going to be able to come down. So, even though it's building up residential, it's building up a commerce, a community to where we can enjoy it all the time," Cappuccino said.
While CPKC Stadium will always hold the distinction of being the first dedicated women's sports complex in the world, it may not be the only one for long. Teams across various sports are increasingly investing in their professional women's programs.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
