Former West Ham United winger Matt Jarvis proudly flew the Claret and Blue flag Stateside as he joined fans from across America at NBC’s Premier League Mornings in Kansas City.
Jarvis also took part in a range of activities across the city, including a host of collaborations with Kansas City sports teams, fan events and activations. Premier League Morning Live brings together fans of all 20 clubs across America, in a celebration of the sport, US fandom and community.
The event featured opportunities for fans to take photos with the Premier League Trophy, a range of activities, and plenty of Hammers giveaways. Previous fan festivals were held in Chicago, Nashville, Washington D.C., New York, Boston, Austin, Miami Beach, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Orlando, where the Club has always enjoyed a strong presence to engage with the US fanbase.
Hammers fans turned up in numbers to welcome Jarvis and Hammerhead to Missouri, with a fantastic atmosphere for the 9am CT kick-off. The former winger, who made 90 appearances for the Club, was on hand to pose for plenty of pictures, sign autographs and get involved with fantastic matchday atmosphere in the city.
After watching the game, Hammers fans packed out Café Corazón, Kansas City’s first Latin and Indigenous coffee shop led by CEO Dulcinea Herrera. Dulcinea's husband, Christian Anderaos, player for the Kansas City Comets who represented the Hammers at this summer’s The Soccer Tournament (TST) in North Carolina, helped create a connection, blending culture, football, and community into one powerful synergy.
The event featured a Q&A with Jarvis, a DJ, a signature limited edition cocktail named Hammertime! and plenty of giveaways, including one lucky fan who walked away with a signed shirt. Despite the result, spirits weren’t dampened in KC with a packed house and electric atmosphere throughout in a true celebration of the strength of the West Ham family.
There was cause for celebration as Kansas City Hammers received Official Supporters Club (OSC) status, becoming the 53rd group in North America alone, highlighting the Club’s continual US growth. The event came fresh off the heels of the Club’s pre-season tour of America for Premier League Summer Series and recent activation in Los Angeles, where Jack Collison joined fans at COSM for the game against Tottenham Hotspur.
Elsewhere, throughout the weekend, the Club were at the heart of the sporting scene, with Jarvis filming content with Kansas City Chiefs legend Christian Okoye at the iconic Arrowhead Stadium. Then it was onto the baseball, as Jarvis took in Kansas City Royals’ MLB clash with Seattle Mariners, before he saw Kansas City Current lift the NWSL Shield following a 2-0 win over Seattle Reign at CPKC Stadium.
Following a non-stop weekend of celebrating West Ham United and Kansas City sports, Jarvis said: “It’s always brilliant to be able to fly the flag for the Club in the USA and I have loved spending time with the fans in Kansas City at Premier League Mornings Live. Having been to Nashville last year, I knew it was going to be a great weekend and our fans didn’t disappoint, they brought the energy and it was nice to spend time with them.
“The growth of the Premier League and West Ham United in USA is amazing to see; you can see the impact the Club is having with the engagements and activations out here. I’m always grateful for the love I get from the fans at events from London to Kansas City, the knowledge and passion the fans have in the USA is incredible, its testament to our growth in the country. I just want to thank all the fans for coming out, it was brilliant to be able to meet them as we keep growing the West Ham family.”
“Equally, it was nice to get a true taste of the sporting scene in Kansas, from the iconic Arrowhead Stadium, to sampling baseball and seeing the Kansas City Currents win the NWSL shield, it highlights the passion for sport in the city. With the World Cup on the horizon next year, it’s going to be an amazing year for the growth of the sport in the USA.”
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