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American Premier League - All done!


raysox

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Sporting Kansas City Chiefs


If you don't know the story, Lamar Hunt started the Dallas Texans in the AFL. After competing with the Cowboys for fans, he moved the team to Kansas City. After a trip to Ireland in 1962, and going to the 1966 World Cup, he fell in love with soccer. Coming back to the states, he got involved with the APL. Dallas had teams throughout the metroplex, and their University of Texas alumni owner wouldn't sell his team to a SMU grad. There was a team in Kansas City, formed in 1955. In 1967, Lamar bought the team, and basically bought his way into League 2. Much like many European and South American teams, Hunt had the idea to make a sporting club, teams with the same name underneath the same ownership umbrella. In 1972, the team began playing in Arrowhead Stadium with the Chiefs, and Sporting was promoted based on more income allowing players to be bought. The Chiefs had a good 70s, with a league title in 1976, and a US open in 1977. Another league title in 1982 helped establish the team as a premier team in the midwest. Unfortunately, the team had a bad year in 1985, and were relegated to League 2. Two years after, they were moved up to the APL, the same year they won their 2nd USOC. The 90s were hard on KC. Hunt had trouble juggling promoting the World Cup and managing his team. Two relegations in this decade hurt the team, but they would eventually move back up in 1999. Since then, Lamar died, and handed the teams off to his children, who run it to this day.


The logo and kits are very similar to the NFL team that shares the stadium. In addition to the soccer and football team, Lamar helped bring the NHL to Kansas City before selling them in 1976 and the Ice Chiefs moving to Colorado and becoming the Rockies. Teams that have fell under the Chiefs umbrella include an Arena Football team and Major League Lacrosse team.

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I really like the idea and kits! The thing that's bugging me is the crest. I think it needs to be different from the NFL Chiefs. Maybe an arrowhead outline in a shield with KC somewhere? I'm not sure but it needs...something...

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I really like the idea and kits! The thing that's bugging me is the crest. I think it needs to be different from the NFL Chiefs. Maybe an arrowhead outline in a shield with KC somewhere? I'm not sure but it needs...something...

I agree. Overall still good tho!

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Haha I love it Mike. I knew Lamar Hunt was a big supporter of soccer (didn't he help start MLS?), so I thought that would be a part of the backstory. I don't mind the logo being the same as the NFL Chiefs, considering the backstory you have them. My only complaint is the home socks. I know you were trying to emulate the NFL uniforms, but an all red sock would look way better.

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I actually had to do a presentation for a sport management class on Lamar Hunt so I drew from there a lot. He really did go to Ireland and the World Cup, but got involved with the original NASL and started the Dallas Tornado, so basically I copied that backstory then twisted it. He also owned Columbus, Dallas, and Kansas City in MLS at one time.

Dallas is last and I kept them to bounce off the Chiefs.

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Metroplex United
Metroplex United has a pretty short history too. In the 60s, the teams in North Texas were numerous and difficult. In the Texas League, there were teams in Ft. Worth, Dallas, Arlington, and Frisco. They all had poor attendance and youth systems due to the teams pulling from the same pool. A businessman who graduated from Texas-Austin thought the best way to bring a top level soccer team to Dallas would be to merge the teams that already exist, to get a super team quick. United in 1965 under the name North Texas United, the team changed the name to Metroplex in 1974, their first season in the American Premier League, after a 2nd place League 2 finish the year before. They began filling up more and more of the Cotton Bowl after successful seasons in the top tier, the stadium they still use today. Metro was their strongest in the 80s. They won league titles in 1980, 81, and 86. US Open Titles in 81, and 85, then a CONCACAF title in 1987. After the passing of their owner in 1995, the team was sold to a wealthy oil baron who wanted to be the next Jerry Jones. The team got relegated in 1998, before the owner hired a GM who had soccer knowledge to turn the team over. Two seasons later, they were back up to the top league. They haven't won any trophies since the 80s, but their fanbase is huge. Typically, the supporters groups are split by their home town going by the names of the teams before the merger.

Metroplex has always had orange and white home uniforms. Traditionally, the clash uniform would be the color of the winner of the Cotton Bowl the winter before each season starts. They signed with Under Armour in 2011, who ended that tradition. They've had a lot of flag themed clashes, but this year they're representing the skyline.
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So this was the 20th and final team in the APL. I may come back with League 2, but I'd really need some ideas before I go ahead with that.
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Not to gripe, because I have silently followed this amazing series since its inception, but I find the idea of Frisco fielding a team in 1960 highly infeasible as its population was a mere 1100 people :therock: Also, looking back through everything, I saw that with the Minneapolis SC you tended to switch between Minnesota and Minneapolis to refer to the team. So I'm tempted to ask: Which one is it?

Of course, these little nitpicks take nothing away from what you have done here. Creative premise and original designs all around. But that's what we've all come to expect from a Raysox series :notworthy:

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If you are go into do a Maryland/Baltimore team, maybe do a subtler version of the Maryland flag, like yellow and black vertical stripes on one and maybe half red and white or a "quarters" look like Aston Villa's secondary from 2013-14 (see here: http://www.historicalkits.co.uk/Aston_Villa/Aston_Villa-change-kits.html)

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Hmm seeing another one of your leagues come to a close has slightly giving me the itch to start designing again... Maybe, Just Maybe.... Great work as usual!

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