Sporting KC Crisis Communication Plan

Fact Sheet

In March 2011, Sporting KC brokered a stadium naming-rights deal with the Livestrong Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports cancer research. Under the six-year agreement, Sporting KC donated the naming rights to its state-of-the-art facility at a value of $7.5 million for Livestrong. Livestrong was then closely associated with its founder, and champion cyclist, Lance Armstrong. Shortly after the agreement, Armstrong was dogged by rumors of doping. A year later, the US Anti-Doping Agency launched an investigation into Armstrong. He did not contest the doping accusations and was stripped of all his titles. While both Armstrong and Livestrong were dropped by many sponsors, Sporting KC stood by their relationship with the charity and chose to leave the name of the stadium in place. Then, in January 2013, Armstrong confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career in an interview with Oprah Winfrey. Although the Sporting KC stadium was named after a foundation, everyone associated the foundation with Lance Armstrong. A day after the interview, Sporting KC chief executive Rob Heineman announced the termination of the clubs partnership with Livestrong because of an apparent dispute concerning financial contributions promised by the club. Livestrong released a statement alleging that Sporting KC was struggling to meet the terms of the agreement and that the charity did everything possible to reach a fair compromise. Sporting KC spokesman Rob Thompson denied the allegation that Sporting KC didn’t live up to the terms of the agreement and that, in fact, it was Livestrong that had not lived up to its partnership. As a result of the decision, the name of the stadium was changed to Sporting Park.

Talking Points

• Due to Livestrong employing tactics designed to force us into an unacceptable arrangement, our faith and trust in the partnership has been forever damaged. Therefore, we are terminating our agreement with Livestrong, effective immediately.

• Partnering with Livestrong was one of the proudest moments in our organization’s history, as we were determined to utilize the partnership to encourage social change and support the fight against cancer.

• There have been several instances when our partnership with Livestrong has been called into question.

• We have defended the Livestrong mission and never wavered in our continuing support of the cause. Apparent that Livestrong no longer shared the same spirit of partnership.

• We were not expecting Livestrong to treat us in this manner, especially in the midst of a serious transitional phase for their foundation.

• The stadium will now be referred to as Sporting Park. While we are ending this relationship, our support of the fight against cancer continues.

Media Statement:

On March 8, 2011, we officially announced a revolutionary relationship with Livestrong. It was one of the proudest moments in our organization’s history, as we were determined to utilize the naming rights of our new stadium to encourage social change, and more importantly, to support the fight against cancer both here in Kansas City, as well as nationally. However, over the last 22 months, there have been several instances when our partnership with Livestrong has been called into question, both by the media and the general public. Throughout this entire period, we have defended the Livestrong mission and never wavered in our continuing support of the cause. Despite our perseverance to maintain a relationship with the foundation, it has become apparent over the course of the past year that Livestrong no longer shared the same spirit of partnership. This morning we were disappointed to learn Livestrong is deploying tactics designed to force us into an unacceptable arrangement, after months of discussions in which we believed progress had been made. We were not expecting Livestrong to treat us, a loyal partner, in this manner, especially in the midst of a serious transitional phase for their foundation. Our faith and trust in this partnership has been forever damaged, and therefore, we are terminating our agreement with Livestrong, effective immediately. As a result of this decision, our stadium will now be referred to as Sporting Park. While we are ending this relationship, our support of the fight against cancer continues.