Sporting Kansas City’s progress and popularity as an MLS franchise helped shape the region as a soccer hotbed to the point of landing games in next year’s FIFA World Cup, and no person was more responsible for that growth than Peter Vermes.

As the team’s losing trend continued early this season, Vermes and the franchise parted ways. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnist Vahe Gregorian discussed Vermes’ important contributions to the area’s sports landscape.

Also, the Royals came out of the gate flat for their home opening series but got a nice lift from Kris Bubic in their first road game. And who saw this all-No. 1 seed Final Four coming? Someone on our show did.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hope springs eternal for the Royals as opening day approaches. The boys in blue enter this season coming off a playoff appearance and seemed to have bolstered the lineup and bullpen while maintaining their solid starting rotation.

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian address expectations for manager Matt Quatraro’s team, and what to make of the late spring training roster moves.

Beat witer Jesse Newell joins the conversation as we switch to the Chiefs and their free agency activies as the period winds down. We also get in a little college basketball conversation after the sooner-than-expected losses by the Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers in the NCAA Tournament. How did it end so abruptly for the local teams?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Kansas City Royals are coming off a playoff season and bid for an encore. KC Star sportswriters break down the team on SportsBeat KC

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A sports month so much fun it has its own nickname is upon us. March Madness brings its special appeal to Kansas City with the Big 12 Tournament and at Kansas and Missouri.

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian break down the Big 12, SEC and NCAA tournaments.

They’re not the favorites in their league tournaments, but the Jayhawks and Tigers are safely in the NCAA field and would like good showings in Kansas City and Nashville this week to gain momentum.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back to the business of roster building for the Chiefs. The NFL Combine is in the rear-view mirror and the draft is next month. The Chiefs are looking to fill projected voids, especially at offense tackle and the defensive line.

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnist Sam McDowell and beat writer Jesse Newell break down where the Chiefs stand and what changes could be on the horizon. Two potential departures -- guard Trey Smith to free agency and tight end Travis Kelce to retirement -- didn’t happen.

But moves are coming, and we project what they’ll be on the show.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A game in the Big Easy was nothing but for the Chiefs. They dropped Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles 40-22 and were never part of the game. How did this happen, and what’s next for the Chiefs?

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Jesse Newell, columnist Vahe Gregorian and sportswriter Pete Grathoff broke down the action, starting where it all went wrong for the Chiefs.

With free agency possibily having a major impact on next season’s roster -- and a decision by Travis Kelce about his future -- the Chiefs could have a different look next year.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another NFL season, another Super Bowl appearance for the Chiefs. Their AFC Championship Game victory over the Buffalo Bills was a master class in preparation and execution by the players and coaching staff, and now one opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, stands between the Chiefs and making history as the first team to win three straight Super Bowls.

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell along with beat writer Jesse Newell review the triumph over the Buffalo Bills and how the Chiefs pushed the right buttons when it mattered most.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember when all of the country outside of New England wanted the Chiefs to knock off the Patriots in the 2018 AFC Championship Game? Football fans had grown weary of the ultra-successful team playing in its eighth straight conference title game.

Little did we know that’s when Chiefs began their path to becoming the same team. Sunday marks the Chiefs’ seventh straight AFC title game appearance, this time against the Buffalo Bills.

On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian and beat writer Jesse Newell break down what it took for the Chiefs to reach this point and how they can make it three straight Super Bowl trips with a victory at home on Sunday.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Chiefs are back in a familiar place, the AFC playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium. The two-time defending NFL champion begins the quest for an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl title with Saturday’s meeting in the AFC Divisional Round against the Houston Texans.

The teams met last month in Week 16 of the regular season with the Chiefs prevailing 27-19. How could this game be different? Star columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian along with beat writer Jesse Newell break down the game and the Chiefs’ chances against a rugged Houston defense on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices