KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Tori Fugate knows what it's like to choose a name. She and KC Pet Project will name over 16,000 animals by the end of this year.
"We have Sweater Weather Heather that just got adopted yesterday, we have a Pumpkin Spice Latte," Fugate said. "You may get a SpongeBob Squarepants for a dog, you just never ever know."
It's a huge team effort.
"There’s not one person in the building who names the animal," Fugate said.
As Kansas City adds a new member to the family — in the form of a women's soccer stadium — KC Current leaders are feeling that same pressure, but on a much larger scale.
"It’s a community asset, and not only a community asset it’s a global asset," said KC Current co-owner, Chris Long. "We had to get this right."
The team ultimately landed a 10-year agreement with Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC), and unveiled the team's stadium name on Thursday: CPKC Stadium.
It’s official: CPKC Stadium is forever etched in history 🙌 @cpkcstadium | #KCBABY pic.twitter.com/mcYaPWKXAO
— KC Current (@thekccurrent) October 19, 2023
When choosing this name, it came down to finding a partner that shared the same values.
"It was about the community, it was about striving for excellence, it was about winning," Chris Long said.
"Willingness to raise the bar to be revolutionary, and to support women’s sport," added Angie Long, one of the team's co-owner's and Chris's wife.
President of CPKC Keith Creel said they are excited to be a part of a historic event in women's sports.
"Investing in women, especially in women athletes, those are future leaders, not just in sport but in world, in business, in community," Creel said. "We’re here, we’re not going anywhere, and we hope it’s 10 years into a forever journey."
No matter how big or how small, it's important to think something — like a name — through, and take time to find the perfect pair, as Fugate knows.
"Naming that animal does make it very real that this is a huge commitment," she said. "If you give that animal the respect and time that they need, they’re going to adjust, and they’re going to build up that bond with you over time that’s just going to be something you never ever forget."
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