Editing Sporting Kansas City (section)

===Early years (1996–1999)===
The Kansas City MLS franchise was founded by [[Lamar Hunt]], who was also the founder of the [[American Football League]], the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], the [[United Soccer Association]] (which merged with the NPSL to form the [[North American Soccer League (1968–1984)|North American Soccer League]] or NASL), and [[Major League Soccer]]. The '''Kansas City Wiz''' played their first game on April 13, 1996, defeating the [[Colorado Rapids]] at [[Arrowhead Stadium]] with a score of 3–0.<ref name="First Game 1">{{cite web|title=Matchcenter|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/1996-04-13-kansas-city-wizards-vs-colorado-rapids|website=mlssoccer.com|publisher=Major League Soccer|access-date=October 1, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001175008/http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/1996-04-13-kansas-city-wizards-vs-colorado-rapids|archive-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref><ref name="First Game 2">{{cite web|title=Schedule|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule?month=all&year=1996&club=13&competition_type=all&broadcast_type=all&op=Search&form_id=mls_schedule_form|website=mlssoccer.com|publisher=Major League Soccer|access-date=October 1, 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001175001/http://www.mlssoccer.com/schedule?month=all&year=1996&club=13&competition_type=all&broadcast_type=all&op=Search&form_id=mls_schedule_form|archive-date=October 1, 2015}}</ref> The Wiz players included [[Preki]], [[Mo Johnston]], and [[Digital Takawira]], and were coached by [[Ron Newman (footballer)|Ron Newman]]. The team finished third in the Western Conference (fifth overall) in 1996 regular season with a 17–15 record, qualifying for the [[1996 Major League Soccer season|first ever MLS Playoffs]]. In the 1996 conference semi-finals, the Wiz beat the [[Dallas Burn]] in three games, won the final game in a shootout, and lost the conference final to the [[LA Galaxy]].

Following the 1996 season, the Wiz changed names, becoming the "Wizards", following legal action from the now defunct electronics retailer [[The Wiz (store)|The Wiz]].<ref name="Soccer United Marketing, LLC">{{cite web |last1=West |first1=Phil |title=How Sporting Kansas City got their name |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/09/how-sporting-kansas-city-got-their-name |website=MLSSoccer.com |publisher=Soccer United Marketing, LLC |access-date=December 11, 2018 |date=August 9, 2017 |archive-date=December 14, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181214070141/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/08/09/how-sporting-kansas-city-got-their-name |url-status=live }}</ref> For the [[1997 Major League Soccer season|1997 MLS season]], their record was 21–11, sufficient for the Western Conference regular season championship. [[Preki]] was named 1997 [[Major League Soccer MVP Award|MLS MVP]].<ref>{{cite web |title=SoccerAmerica – MLS: Preki Named 2003 MVP |url=https://www.socceramerica.com/article/5284/mls-preki-named-2003-mvp.html |website=www.socceramerica.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160611110157/http://www.socceramerica.com/article/5284/mls-preki-named-2003-mvp.html |date=November 21, 2003 |archive-date=June 11, 2016 |access-date=July 22, 2017 }}</ref> In the first round of the playoffs, the Wizards lost to the last-seeded Colorado Rapids. The Wizards had losing records for the [[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]] and [[1999 Major League Soccer season|1999 seasons]], finishing last in the Western Conference both years. The Wizards fired Ron Newman early during the 1999 season,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Michael |title=So You Wanna Be An MLS Coach {{!}} US Soccer Players|url=http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/2010/09/so-you-wanna-be-an-mls-coach.html|date=September 25, 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130922003743/http://www.ussoccerplayers.com/2010/09/so-you-wanna-be-an-mls-coach.html |archive-date=September 22, 2013}}</ref> and replaced him with [[Bob Gansler]]. The Wizards finished the 1999 season with a record of 8–24, which put them in last place in the Western Conference once again.