 | |||
| Nickname(s) | Orange Crush La Naranja (The Orange) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | December 15, 2005; 19 years ago (2005-12-15) | ||
| Stadium | Shell Energy Stadium Houston,Texas | ||
| Capacity | 20,656 | ||
| Majority owner | Ted Segal | ||
| General manager | Pat Onstad | ||
| Head coach | Ben Olsen | ||
| League | Major League Soccer | ||
| 2024 | Western Conference: 5th Overall: 8th Playoffs: First round | ||
| Website | houstondynamofc.com | ||
 Current season | |||
Houston Dynamo Football Club is an American professionalsoccer club based inHouston. The club competes inMajor League Soccer (MLS) as a member of theWestern Conference. Established on December 15, 2005, the club was founded after their former owners relocated theSan Jose Earthquakes' players and staff to Houston following the2005 season. For their first six seasons in Houston, the Dynamo played atRobertson Stadium on the campus of theUniversity of Houston. During the2012 season, the club moved toShell Energy Stadium, asoccer-specific stadium inEast Downtown Houston.
The club is majority-owned by Ted Segal. Segal fully controls ownership after buying out his remaining minority partners in August 2022.[1]
The Houston Dynamo have won theMLS Cup twice, doing so during their first two seasons in2006 and2007. The club has also won theU.S. Open Cup twice, in 2018 and 2023. They have been MLS Cup runners-up twice, in2011 and2012, andSupporters' Shield runners-up once in2008. The Dynamo have also reached the final of the now defunctNorth American SuperLiga, finishing as runners-up following a defeat against theNew England Revolution.
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MLS commissionerDon Garber revealed on November 16, 2005, that the league had granted permission toSan Jose Earthquakes' ownersAnschutz Entertainment Group to relocate the team for the2006 season, giving the entertainment giant 30 days to make a decision. Garber was in Houston and spoke with the media before an international friendly betweenMexico andBulgaria atReliant Stadium, citing Houston as a next destination for an MLS club whether the Earthquakes moved or not.[2]
"This is the market they've got their sights set on. This is a market that we've got investor interest, we've got sponsor interest, we've got media interest. This is a market that's going to be terrific for us. We will have a team in Houston in due time. The question is whether we have one as early as 2006 as part of a move, or as an expansion team. We'll get a team here, there's no doubt in our mind."
— MLS commissionerDon Garber, in an interview with theAssociated Press,[2] printed November 16, 2005
On December 15, 2005, Major League Soccer announced all players and coaches under contract to the Earthquakes would move to Houston.[3] The Earthquakes name, colors and competition records were retained by the league for a possible expansion team. The San Jose team would take the field in 2008. As a result, the Earthquakes suspended operations in 2006 and 2007, while the Dynamo are recognized as a 2006 expansion team.
This is not an expansion franchise. This is one of the best teams in the MLS. You are getting an extraordinary franchise.
— AEG President and CEO Timothy J. Leiweke, atHouston City Hall,[4] December 16, 2005
A ceremony was held outsideHouston City Hall on December 16, 2005, to officially announce the franchise's arrival.Mayor Bill White joined city council members, Harris County officials, local soccer organizers and fans in welcoming team coachDominic Kinnear and playersPat Onstad andWade Barrett with cowboy boots and hats. It was disclosed that the team would train and play at theUniversity of Houston's Robertson Stadium on a three-year lease with the university earning a percentage of the revenues from concessions, parking and other sources.[5]
In an immediate effort to plant roots in the community, AEG president and CEO Tim Leiweke announced formerHouston Oilers quarterbackOliver Luck as the team's president and general manager. A previousNFL Europe executive, Luck had served as the head of the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority since 2001 and was instrumental in pursuing an MLS team for the city while also overseeing the construction ofDaikin Park (home of theAstros),Reliant Stadium (home to theTexans) and theToyota Center (home to theRockets) during his tenure.[5]
The newly relocated Houston team was named Houston 1836, paying homage to the city's founding date and the logo featured a silhouette of the Statue of Sam Houston, in Hermann Park. Immediate backlash to the 1836 was voiced by the Mexican community claiming that date, the year of the Texas Revolution was not a date that should be celebrated. Ownership decided to change the name to the Houston Dynamo stripping the franchise of the Sam Houston logo.
The Dynamo played their first regular season game on April 2, 2006, atRobertson Stadium in front of a crowd of 25,462. The Dynamo beatColorado Rapids 5–2, withBrian Ching scoring four goals, with all four assisted byDwayne De Rosario. The Dynamo finished their first season with an 11–8–13 record, earning them second place in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, they eliminated bothChivas USA and the Rapids 3–1, in the Western Conference to advance to the MLS Cup.
The championship match was scoreless until the second half of extra time, when New England'sTaylor Twellman scored. One minute later, Brian Ching headed in the tying goal for Houston. The cup final became the first time in MLS history, that was decided by apenalty shootout. Houston beat the New England Revolution 4–3 on penalty kicks to win the 2006 MLS Cup.Kelly Gray andStuart Holden scored Houston's first two penalty kicks. Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Ching scored the last two. By winning the 2006 MLS Cup, Houston qualified for the2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup for the first time in club history.
Houston began the 2007 season by competing in the2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. After winning a quarterfinal against Costa Rican teamPuntarenas F.C., Houston exited the competition in the semifinals, beating Mexican teamPachuca 2–0 in the first leg but losing 5–2 after extra time in the return leg.
Houston began its 2007 MLS league campaign with shutouts againstLos Angeles Galaxy andChivas USA. The team would continue to struggle in the regular season. During the season, Houston made some significant trades. They tradedKevin Goldthwaite and a first-round pick in the 2008 SuperDraft toToronto FC forRichard Mulrooney. The team also tradedAlejandro Moreno toColumbus Crew in exchange forJoseph Ngwenya. And they tradedKelly Gray toLos Angeles Galaxy forNate Jaqua. After beatingFC Dallas, Houston began an unbeaten streak of eleven games and a shutout streak of 726 minutes,[6] an MLS record.
Following their comebck, Houston finished as the second seed in the regular season clinching a berth to the2007 MLS Cup Playoffs. Their first opponent in the postseason were in-state rivals FC Dallas. Dallas won the first leg 1–0, but Houston won the second leg at Robertson Stadium, 4–1 in extra time, to win 4–2 on aggregate. Houston faced theKansas City Wizards in the Western Conference final, winning 2–0 to advance to theMLS Cup championship game for a consecutive season. Just like in 2006, Houston faced theNew England Revolution for the championship. Houston won 2–1 on a game-winning goal byDwayne De Rosario in the second half, thus winning a conescutive MLS Cup.
Late in 2007,Major League Soccer informed Dynamo ownersAnschutz Entertainment Group that they should divest their interest in the Dynamo, as they wanted each ownership group to own only one team. AEG also owned theLos Angeles Galaxy.[7] On November 21, 2007, it was announced that AEG was in negotiations to sell the Dynamo to a partnership of Brener International Group andGolden Boy Promotions, owned by the famed boxerOscar De La Hoya.[8]
On February 26, 2008, Houston Dynamo PresidentOliver Luck revealed the planned negotiations to the media stating that the Houston Dynamo would be managed in majority by original ownersAnschutz Entertainment Group (who held 50% of ownership) along with newfound partners Gabriel Brener, head of Brener International Group, and multiple World and Olympicboxing championOscar De La Hoya (each with 25% ownership).[9] De La Hoya had been seen wearing Dynamo colors on his boxing uniform with a small Houston Dynamo logo on his right leg in a fight against boxerSteve Forbes. He had also pledged to help find Dynamo asoccer-specific stadium.
The Dynamo participated in the inauguralPan-Pacific Championship on February 20, 2008, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Houston qualified to participate in the tournament via their in MLS Cup. The Houston Dynamo won their first match against Sydney FC, before finishing in second place after their 6–1 loss toGamba Osaka in the final match. The Dynamo were back on the pitch competing in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (qualifying as the 2007 MLS Cup Champions). The Dynamo playedMunicipal in the Quarterfinals winning 3–1 on aggregate (0–0, 3–1) at Robertson Stadium. The club lost toDeportivo Saprissa on 3–0 aggregate (0–0, 0–3) atEstadio Ricardo Saprissa.
Houston began their regular season home opener in a 3–3 draw against Texas Derby rival,FC Dallas. Houston fell behind twice before a game-tying goal in the 93rd minute. The Dynamo went 0–2–4, before getting their first league win of the season in a 2–1 win over the Colorado Rapids. The Dynamo went on a 5–0–4 run to finish the season 13–5–12, claiming 1st in the Western Conference and 2nd overall (behind the Columbus Crew). The Western Conference Semifinals was played against the New York Red Bulls with the first leg finishing in a 1–1 draw atGiants Stadium, and the second leg moved to Robertson Stadium where the Red Bulls defeated the Dynamo 0–3 in front of more than 30,000 fans.
The Dynamo started the new year with a quick exit from the 2008–09CONCACAF Champions League with a 1–4 aggregate loss (1–1, 0–3) toAtlante in the quarterfinals.
In the regular season, Houston went on an 11-game unbeaten streak (8–0–3) early in the season before losing to theLos Angeles Galaxy in June. The Dynamo were inconsistent the rest of the season while dealing with international competition, but still finished the season tied for first in the Western Conference with a 13–8–9 record, finishing second in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, Houston beatSeattle 1–0 on aggregate in extra time. The Dynamo then lost 0–2 in extra time to the Galaxy in the Western Conference final.The Dynamo reached the semifinals of the2009 U.S. Open Cup before losing to the expansion Seattle Sounders FC 1–2 in extra time, after former Dynamo playerNate Jaqua scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute.
During the 2009–10 offseason, the Dynamo saw the departures of two key players,Ricardo Clark toEintracht Frankfurt andStuart Holden toBolton Wanderers.
The 2010 season kicked off with a 1–1 draw against FC Dallas atPizza Hut Park. The home opener againstReal Salt Lake saw Brian Ching injure a hamstring strain, which kept him out for 4–6 weeks. Later in the season, Geoff Cameron was off the roster, after rupturing hisPCL during a game against theChicago Fire; losing 2–0. Cameron eventually returned in August. The Dynamo finished the season 9–15–6 (7th West, 12th overall), and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season.
During the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The club defeatedMiami FC, 1–0, on June 29 before losing toChivas USA, 1–3 in the Quarterfinals on July 6 (both games at Robertson Stadium). The Dynamo also competed in the 2010 North American SuperLiga, winning the group before exiting after a 0–1 loss toMorelia on August 5 at Robertson Stadium.
The Dynamo switched to the Eastern Conference for the 2011 season, after teams inVancouver andPortland were added. The team ended the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-9-13 (WLD) and 49 points. This record was fueled by MVP candidateBrad Davis's league-leading 16 assists.
In the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Dynamo were matched up in a series against thePhiladelphia Union, which the Dynamo won 3–1 in the home and home series. For the Eastern Conference Final, the Dynamo traveled to Kansas City. Brad Davis was injured in the first half, however, the Dynamo scored twice to earn their ticket to the MLS Final and a chance to face theLos Angeles Galaxy. Los Angeles'sHome Depot Center had been selected to host the2011 MLS Final. The Dynamo were not able to power through, surrendering a goal toLandon Donovan in the 72nd minute.
After completion of their new stadium, the Dynamo made a victorious home debut on May 12, 2012, vs. D.C. United thanks to aBrad Davis strike in front of a capacity crowd of 22,039 that would mark the beginning of what would be an unbeaten year for the Dynamo at home, posting a year-end home record of 11–0–6. In the playoffs, the Dynamo traveled to Chicago to face theChicago Fire. Buoyed by two goals byWill Bruin, the Dynamo held on to a 2–1 victory in Chicago. The Dynamo then faced the top seed in the Eastern Conference,Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, played over two legs. Behind goals from Adam Moffat and Will Bruin. In front of a crowd of 20,894, Kansas City defeated the Dynamo 1–0, but the Dynamo survived 2–1 on aggregate.
The Dynamo advanced to face D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Finals, with the first leg being played in Houston. The Dynamo won the first leg 3–1, behind goals fromAndre Hainault,Will Bruin, andKofi Sarkodie in front of 22,101. In the second leg, a 33rd-minute goal fromOscar Boniek García gave the Dynamo a 1–1 draw, and the Dynamo won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to their second straight MLS Cup, in a rematch to face theLos Angeles Galaxy.
MLS Cup 2012 was hosted by L.A. with a sellout crowd of 30,510. After getting a goal fromCalen Carr in the 44th minute.. One minute after Calen Carr went down with an injury, the Galaxy equalized throughOmar Gonzalez's header. Five minutes later,Landon Donovan sealed the win with a penalty afterRicardo Clark handled the ball in the area.Robbie Keane added a third goal for LA, who would win their fourth MLS Cup.
During the 2012 season, the Dynamo were undefeated at home, part of what would eventually become a 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions.[10]Will Bruin emerged as leading goal-scorer in his second season with the team. The Dynamo topped their group in the2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, where they moved on to faceSantos Laguna in the round of 16 of the competition to be played March 5, 2013. By finishing as runners-up in MLS Cup, they were awarded a berth in the2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League as well.
The 2013 Dynamo season saw the men in orange continue their home dominance with a 9–4–4 record. Their36 consecutive game home-win streak ended bySporting Kansas City on May 12, 2013, in a 0–1 loss, afterAurelien Collin scored the winner. The Dynamo clinched a playoff berth as a 4-seed with a 14–11–9 overall record. Houston faced Montreal in a heated contest for the MLS Wildcard Match to open the postseason atBBVA Stadium.Will Bruin continued his torrid postseason run of goals with a brace in a 3–0 rout against Montreal.
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The Dynamo then facedNew York Red Bulls who had beat them during the regular season in all three meetings, and it appeared they would thrash the Dynamo in the playoffs after the Red Bulls jumped out to a 2–0 lead during the first leg in Houston.Ricardo Clark was able to get on the board at the 50', andOmar Cummings, scored in stoppage time to complete Houston's exciting comeback. The 2nd leg in New York proved to be just as exciting.Bradley Wright-Phillips put the Red Bulls in the series lead again in the 23', butBrad Davis capitalized on a mistake from the Red Bull defense to level the score before the half.Omar Cummings for the second time scored a thrilling stoppage-time goal to put the Houston Dynamo into the Conference Championship for the third consecutive year.
Unfortunately for the Dynamo, that would be as far as they would go. After a draw at home againstSporting Kansas City, the eventual champions, the Dynamo would fall 2–1 to Sporting on the return leg in Kansas. However, 2013 would be considered a successful year for the Dynamo. The team had core players all signed to long-term contracts.
On July 1, 2014, Houston Dynamo announced a multi-year jersey sponsorship withBHP Billiton.[11] Dominic Kinnear was the head coach. Brad Davis was the team captain. On July 23, 2014, the Dynamo signed DeMarcus Beasley from Puebla. The team finished 8th in the Eastern Conference and did not make the playoffs for only the second time in club history.
The Dynamo returned to the Western Conference before the start of the 2015 season.Owen Coyle was named the new head coach, and Brad Davis continued as captain. Houston finished eighth in the Western Conference, and finished fifteenth in the twenty-team league and failed to make the playoffs. At the end of the 2015 season, the team announced Brener had bought out AEG's remaining stake and was now the majority owner.
On May 25, 2016, the Houston Dynamo announced they were parting ways with head coach Owen Coyle, by mutual agreement. On June 7, Wade Barrett took over as the interim head coach. The Dynamo went on to finish last in the West on thirty-four points with an average attendance of approximately 20,000. Wilmer Cabrera was named the new head coach on October 28, 2016, replacing Wade Barrett, who was not selected as the head coach.
The team finished fourth in the West during the 2017 season, earning their first playoff berth since 2013. They made run in the post season, but lost toSeattle Sounders FC in the MLS Western Conference Finals.
The 2018 season marked the firstU.S. Open Cup title in franchise history when the team beat thePhiladelphia Union 3–0 in the final. The Dynamo qualified for the2019 CONCACAF Champions League, their first appearance in the competition since 2013. However the team failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs, prompting calls for new ownership as Brener and De La Hoya remained quiet about the team's woes.[12]
The Dynamo started the 2019 season by competing in the CONCACAF Champions League and defeatingC.D. Guastatoya in both legs of the first round. They then lost toTigres UANL by an aggregate score of 3–0 in the quarterfinals. Houston participated in the inauguralLeagues Cup but were eliminated via penalties in the first round byClub America. After going through a 2–11–1 stretch during the summer, the Dynamo fired head coach Wilmer Cabrera.[13] They missed the MLS playoffs for the second consecutive year.[14]
The Dynamo hired former U.S. men's national team playerTab Ramos as head coach in 2020,[15] traded for formerMinnesota United FC attackerDarwin Quintero[16] and signed Croatian goalkeeperMarko Maric.[17] However, they would miss the playoffs for the sixth time in seven years, finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference during the COVID-19 shortened season.[18] After the 2021 season the Houston Dynamo chose not to extend Tab Ramos's expiring contact after finishing bottom of the Western Conference for a consecutive season.[19]
Ted Segal completed the acquisition of the Houston Dynamo andHouston Dash on June 22, 2021.[20] The deal was reportedly worth $400 million. Since acquiring the team, Segal has invested significantly into the club, both the Dynamo and Dash andShell Energy Stadium.
One of Segal's first changes as the new majority owner of the Dynamo was to bring in Dynamo legendPat Onstad as the General Manager. Onstad returned to Houston after serving as an assistant coach, chief scout and technical director for three MLS teams since 2011. Before returning to Houston, Onstad was the technical director and vice president of soccer operations for the Columbus Crew where he helped build the roster that won the 2020 MLS Cup and the 2021 Campeones Cup.
Segal's commitment to returning the Dynamo to promince was most evident on March 2, 2022, when Houston Dynamo FC made their biggest signing in club history whenHéctor Herrera joined on a pre-contract agreement through the 2024 MLS season as adesignated player.[21]
Paulo Nagamura was appointed as the head coach ahead of the 2022 season on January 3, 2022, and was dismissed eight months later after a 8-16-5 record placed the team last in the Western Conference.[22]Dynamo 2 managerKenny Bundy was named the interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
Ben Olsen was hired as the manager for the 2023 season.[23] The former MLS andUSMNT midfielder led the team to a 14-11-9 record in league play and the club's firstMLS Cup Playoffs appearance in five seasons leading the Dynamo to the Western Conference Final against LAFC. The team won the2023 U.S. Open Cup and advanced to the knockout phase of theLeagues Cup.
The Dynamo announced the addition of U.S. Men's National Team legendTim Howard to its ownership group on July 16, 2024.[24] Howard said joining the HDFC ownership grants him the opportunity to "further contribute to the growth of the game in the United States and connect with the passionate soccer fans who call Houston home."
The official colors of the Dynamo crest are Wildcatter orange, Space City blue, and Raven black.[25] The star on the original crest is anad hoc adoption, likely a nod to theHouston, Texas Flag or the "Houston 1836" crest concept. It also retains the soccer ball with the star in the middle from the "1836" logo, though the shadow is changed to Space City blue.
With the 2006 MLS Cup win, asanctioned star was added above the shield in 2008, after wearing thescudetto in 2007. Since they won the MLS Cup again in 2007. they wore thescudetto for the second consecutive year in 2008. Consequently, a sanctioned star was added to the crest in 2009 for their win atMLS Cup 2007.
In 2020, the club rebranded as Houston Dynamo FC with a new logo. The new logo features a hexagonal shape to whose six sides represent the Dynamo's founding in 2006 and to reference the six wards that made up the original layout of the city. The crest also references Houston's bayou system with the channels within the interlocking monogram to represent Bayou City's waterways.[26]
Houston announced the name "Dynamo", on March 6, 2006, which refers to Houston's energy-based industrial economy, as well as a previous Houston soccer team, theHouston Dynamos who played in theLone Star Soccer Alliance andUnited Soccer League.[27][28] The official reason for the name is that then-team president Oliver Luck said, "Dynamo is a word to describe someone who never fatigues, never gives up. The name is symbolic of Houston as an energetic, hard-working, risk-taking kind of town."[29] The team colors are orange, white, and "Space City" blue or "Luv Ya Blue" (light blue), meant as a symbol of the city ofHouston flag which is light blue and of yet another team in Houston's sports history – the NFL'sHouston Oilers.
Originally, on January 25, 2006, the team had announced thatHouston 1836 would be the team name. This followed an online survey for the fans to provide suggestions for the name. According to MLS & AEG, who chose the name, the 1836 name referred to the year that the city of Houston was founded by brothersAugustus Chapman Allen andJohn Kirby Allen.[30] The name had perceived ambiguity, however, as it is also the year ofTexan independence fromMexico.[28] Houston 1836's logo featured a silhouette ofGeneral Sam Houston, one of Houston's and Texas' most famous historical figures. The choice of Houston 1836 soon became a political issue. It raised a furor among some locals of Hispanic descent, a major target audience, who related 1836 with thewar for Texas independence. Owing to protests from Hispanic fans, the name was changed to the Dynamo. MLS has since not allowed any online surveys to name expansion teams.
In 2020, the club officially added "Football Club" to its name, commonly abbreviated as Houston Dynamo FC.[31]
| Stadium | Capacity | Location | Year(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robertson Stadium | 32,000 | Houston, Texas | 2006–2011 | |
| Reliant Stadium | 71,795 | 2006 | Hosted one game in MLS regular season (first match of a doubleheader featuringFC Barcelona vs.Club América) and the2010 MLS All-Star Game | |
| Carl Lewis Track & Field Stadium | 6,000 | 2006 | Hosted one game in U.S. Open Cup | |
| Aggie Soccer Stadium | 3,500 | College Station, Texas | 2007, 2011 | Hosted one game in CONCACAF Champions' League, one game in US Open Cup |
| Shell Energy Stadium | 20,656 | Houston, Texas | 2012–present |
On December 2, 2010, Harris County and the Houston Sports Authority reached an agreement for the 20,000–22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium inDowntown Houston east ofDaikin Park, acrossHighway 59 which would be the third sporting facility for Downtown Houston. The venue, then under the name of 'BBVA Compass Stadium' for sponsorship reasons, opened on May 12, 2012, with a game againstD.C. United.
On February 5, 2011, Houston Dynamo players, accompanied by Dynamo owner Philip Anschutz and Equity Partners Oscar De La Hoya and Gabriel Brener, Houston MayorAnnise Parker, Harris County JudgeEd Emmitt, Houston Dynamo President Chris Canetti, amongst others, participated in the groundbreaking of the Dynamo's new stadium in front of a few thousand fans. Construction began later that month.
Spectators can experience unobstructed views from both the lower and upper seating bowls, which are supported by a single concourse.[32] The concourse provides full access around the stadium with easy access to concession and toilet.[32] On June 22, 2022, Houston Dynamo Football Club (HDFC) announced plans for major upgrades toShell Energy Stadium.[33] The renovation project began immediately following the conclusion of the 2022 MLS and NWSL seasons and was ready in time for the 2023 season. The project was headlined by the installation of all-new mesh seats throughout the entire seating bowl and made Shell Energy Stadium the first soccer-specific stadium in America with mesh seating throughout the building. A portion of the east side of the stadium was reconfigured to create a new air-conditioned, premium all-inclusive club area. The East Club, includes the three centermost sections of the east sideline lower level and hold a capacity of 824 guests. It opens into a climate-controlled club area where guests can enjoy an all-inclusive experience with premium food options, a dedicated bar serving beer, wine and cocktails along with non-alcoholic beverages.
The East Club features nine loge boxes, which offer individuals and companies the opportunity to entertain guests in a semi-private space with access to all of the all-inclusive benefits of the East Club. Each loge box seats eight guests.
Aside from Major League Soccer and international soccer matches, the stadium also hostsTexas Southern University football, concerts, and much more.[32] With its downtown location, the stadium is now a part of a true Stadium District, which featuresDaikin Park andToyota Center, as well as other amenities and attractions such as theGeorge R. Brown Convention Center, the Hilton Americas,Discovery Green, and Houston Pavilions.[citation needed]
On June 13, 2019, it was announced thatBBVA Compass Stadium was changing its name to BBVA Stadium following the sponsor's rebrand.[34]
During the second half of the 2021 season, BBVA Stadium was rebranded as PNC Stadium followingPNC Financial Services' acquisition of BBVA USA in June 2021.[35]
On January 17, 2023, PNC Stadium became Shell Energy Stadium followingShell Energy and the Dynamo agreeing on a stadium naming rights deal reportedly worth $40 million over 8 years.[36] Shell Energy Stadium has a capacity of 20,656.
The training facility for the Dynamo,Houston Dash and academy teams is located at theHouston Sports Park (HSP). Opened in 2011, the complex features seven soccer fields, field lighting, and parking. All of the fields featureBermuda grass, except one that containsFieldTurf. Four fields are reserved exclusively for use by the Dynamo, Dash and visiting professional teams. The remaining fields are available for public rental. The training facility is located 10 miles south ofShell Energy Stadium and was built through a partnership with the City of Houston.
The first ever match attracted 25,462 fans against Colorado Rapids on April 2, 2006, at Robertson Stadium. Attendance gradually declined throughout the remainder of the spring and summer months. During July and August, they played five matches at Robertson Stadium, and the average attendance for those matches was 10,348.
The team's attendance figures received a boost on August 9 when they played a game against Los Angeles Galaxy in Houston'sReliant Stadium as part of a double-header, with the other game being an exhibition match betweenFC Barcelona and Mexican sideClub América, which attracted a crowd of 70,550. Home attendance began to rise again as the weather cooled and the playoffs approached.
For the 2006 season, they averaged 18,935 over the 16 regular season home games. Attendance remained high during their playoff run, where home attendance was 17,440 and 23,107 in games against Chivas USA and Colorado Rapids. Dynamo fans contributed greatly to the sell-out crowd of 22,427 in the2006 MLS Cup, which was played about 275 miles (450 km) from Houston, inFrisco.
There are four officially recognizedsupporter groups,El Batallón (est. 2006), Texian Army (est. 2006), Bandera Negra and The Surge.[37]La Bateria andBrickwall Firm are former supporter groups.[38]
In 2007, Houston started a search for a mascot by asking members ofThe Art Institute of Houston to submit drawings, from which several finalists were selected and an official mascot would be decided through an online poll, both for the mascot design and name. The winning design, by Eric Hulsey and Leslie Lopez, was of an orange-haired fox and namedDynamo Diesel. He was unveiled atHouston Zoo on April 3, 2007.[39] Dynamo Diesel began working alongside the Houston Dynamo marketing and community outreach programs.
Houston Dynamo's main rival isFC Dallas, who they play in theTexas Derby. Since the introduction ofAustin FC in 2021, the three teams compete for theCopa Tejas, a trophy handed out to the best MLS team in the state.
The Dynamo have also developed a rivalry withSporting Kansas City after facing each other in the playoffs and the US Open Cup multiple times.[40]
From 2023, every Dynamo match is available viaMLS Season Pass on theApple TV app. Prior to this all-streaming deal, the club was aired on various TV stations in the Houston market, as well as whichever linear MLS TV partner had national rights.
The majority of Houston Dynamo matches are broadcast locally in English and Spanish.ESPN Houston 97.5 FM is the English radio partner withGlenn Davis.
TUDN Radio Houston 93.3 FM is the club's Spanish radio partner. Daniel Mejia is the play-by-play commentator with Cesar Procel serving as the color analyst.[41]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
| Name | Nationality | Tenure | G | W | L | T | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dominic Kinnear |  United States | December 16, 2005 – October 25, 2014 | 288 | 112 | 90 | 86 | 38.8 |
| Owen Coyle |  Republic of Ireland | December 9, 2014 – May 25, 2016 | 46 | 14 | 21 | 11 | 30.4 |
| Wade Barrett (interim) | United States | May 28, 2016 – October 26, 2016 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 18.2 |
| Wilmer Cabrera |  Colombia | October 28, 2016 – August 13, 2019 | 93 | 32 | 39 | 22 | 34.4 |
| Davy Arnaud (interim) | United States | August 14, 2019 – October 24, 2019 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 33.3 |
| Tab Ramos | United States | October 25, 2019 – November 4, 2021 | 57 | 10 | 26 | 21 | 17.5 |
| Paulo Nagamura |  Brazil | January 3, 2022 – September 5, 2022 | 29 | 8 | 16 | 5 | 27.6 |
| Kenny Bundy (interim) | United States | September 5, 2022 – November 8, 2022 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 40.0 |
| Ben Olsen | United States | November 8, 2022 – present | 68 | 29 | 21 | 18 | 42.6 |
| Name | Nat | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Dominic Kinnear | United States | 2005–2014 |
| Matt Jordan | United States | 2014–2021 |
| Pat Onstad |  Canada | 2021–present |
| Executive | |
|---|---|
| Majority Owner & Chairman | Ted Segal |
| Owner/Vice Chairman | Lyle Ayes |
| Minority Owner | James Harden |
| Minority Owner | Tim Howard |
| Houston Dynamo Football Club President | Jessica O'Neill |
| General manager | Pat Onstad |
| Technical director | Asher Mendelsohn |
| Assistant general manager | Nick Kowba |
| Director of methodology |  Ben Bartlett |
| Coaching staff | |
| Head coach | Ben Olsen |
| Assistant coach |  Juan Guerra |
| Assistant coach |  Aurélien Collin |
| Assistant coach |  Adin Osmanbašić |
| Assistant coach | Tim Hanley |
| Head video analyst | Carlon Carpenter |
| Sports performance director/fitness coach | Paul Caffrey |
| Head of sports science |  Alex Calder |
| Strength & conditioning coach | Anthony Narcisi |
| Director of sports medicine | Craig Devine |
| Head athletic trainer | Matt Murphy |
| Assistant athletic trainer | Juan Castano |
| Assistant athletic trainer | Brandi Neeley |
| Physical therapist | Micah Kust |
| Massage therapist | Ivan Diaz |
| Scouting coordinator & analyst |  Sebastian Romero |
| Player care manager | Martha Carvajal |
The Houston Dynamo Academy was created in 2007 and led by then-Director of Youth DevelopmentJames Clarkson.[46] On February 27, 2009, the Dynamo signedTyler Deric, their firsthomegrown player in club history. The following seasonFrancisco Navas Cobo became the second HGP in Dynamo history. On April 17, 2010, Navas Cobo became the first academy alum to appear in an MLS game for the Dynamo.Alex Dixon became the first academy alum to score a goal with his stoppage time winner againstReal Salt Lake on August 20, 2011.[47]
The Houston Dynamo Academy has trained and played their games atHouston Sports Park since it opened in 2011. Prior to that, they used multiple fields around the city.[48]
The Dynamo Academy is currently run by Academy Director Tony Vigil.
For 2014 and 2015,USL-Pro teamCharleston Battery was an affiliate with the Dynamo, letting Houston send players there on loan.[49]
In late 2014, the Dynamo met with USL officials about creating a USL team.Rio Grande Valley FC Toros replaced Charleston as the Dynamo's USL affiliate for the 2016 season.[50] The Dynamo ran all soccer operations for the club, sending academy players as well as fringe first team players and players rehabbing from injury to train and play with the Toros throughout the year. In December 2020, RGVFC and the Dynamo restructured the relationship, giving the Toros control over all aspects of their soccer operations.[51] Following the 2021 season, the agreement ended, allowing Rio Grande Valley FC to become an independent club.[51]
Brazos Valley Cavalry previously served as the Dynamo'sUSL League Two affiliate.[52]
On December 6, 2021, it was announced that the Dynamo would field a team,Houston Dynamo 2, in the inaugural season ofMLS Next Pro in 2022.[53][54] The team plays their games atSaberCats Stadium, which is part of Houston Sports Park.
The Dynamo are affiliated with theHouston Dash of theNWSL. Both the Dynamo and Dash are operated by Houston Dynamo Football Club.
League
Cups
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Dynamo. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Houston Dynamo seasons.
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | USOC | Continental / Other | Average attendance | Top goalscorer(s) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Div | League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | Name(s) | Goals | ||||||
| 2018 | 1 | MLS | 34 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 58 | 58 | 0 | 38 | 1.12 | 9th | 17th | DNQ | W | DNQ | 16,906 | Mauro Manotas | 25 | |
| 2019 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 40 | 1.17 | 10th | 19th | Ro16 | CONCACAF Champions League Leagues Cup | QF QF | 15,674 | Mauro Manotas | 15 | ||
| 2020 | MLS | 23 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 30 | 40 | −10 | 21 | 0.91 | 12th | 25th | NH | MLS is Back Tournament | GS | 5,279 | Darwin Quintero | 7 | ||
| 2021 | MLS | 34 | 6 | 16 | 12 | 36 | 54 | −18 | 30 | 0.88 | 13th | 25th | NH | DNQ | 12,220 | Fafà Picault | 11 | |||
| 2022 | MLS | 34 | 10 | 18 | 6 | 43 | 56 | −13 | 36 | 1.06 | 13th | 25th | Ro16 | DNQ | 16,426 |  Sebastián Ferreira | 14 | |||
| 2023 | MLS | 34 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 51 | 38 | 13 | 51 | 1.5 | 4th | 9th | SF | W | Leagues Cup | Ro16 | 15,029 |  Amine Bassi | 15 | |
^ 1.Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
^ 2.Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League,MLS Cup Playoffs,U.S. Open Cup,MLS is Back Tournament,CONCACAF Champions League,FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
By virtue of their MLS Cup victories, the Dynamo entered theCONCACAF Champions Cup and theNorth American SuperLiga. During the 2008 season, the Dynamo participated in the inauguralPan-Pacific Championship as well as the inauguralCONCACAF Champions League. The Dynamo participated in the final two seasons of the CONCACAF Champions Cup tournament reaching the semi-finals both times. They have also competed in five editions of the CONCACAF Champions League and reached the quarterfinals on three occasions.
Brad Davis (271)Brian Ching (56)Brad Davis (104)Brad Davis (473)Pat Onstad (53)Pat Onstad (37)Pat Onstad (384)MLS regular season only, through December 19, 2019[55]
Mauro Manotas – 19 (2018)Brad Davis – 16 (2011)Tally Hall – 12 (2013)[56]MLS regular season only
| Season | Regular Season | MLS Playoffs |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 18,935 | 20,274 |
| 2007 | 15,883 | 30,530 |
| 2008 | 16,939 | 30,053 |
| 2009 | 17,047 | 27,465 |
| 2010 | 17,310 | DNQ |
| 2011 | 17,694 | 24,749 |
| 2012 | 20,982 | 21,395 |
| 2013 | 19,923 | 21,395 |
| 2014 | 20,117 | DNQ |
| 2015 | 20,621 | DNQ |
| 2016 | 19,021 | DNQ |
| 2017 | 17,500 | 17,319 |
| 2018 | 16,906 | DNQ |
| 2019 | 15,674 | DNQ |
| 2020 | 4,857 | DNQ |
| 2021 | 12,220 | DNQ |
| 2022 | 16,426 | DNQ |
| Attendance | Date | Match | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30,972 | 11/10/07 | HOU vs.KC | 2007 Western Conference Final |
| 30,588 | 10/7/07 | HOU vs.LA | 2007 Regular Season Match |
| 30,361 | 10/18/08 | HOU vs.LA | 2008 Regular Season Match |
| 30,088 | 11/2/07 | HOU vs.DAL | 2007 Western Conference Semi-final |
| 30,053 | 11/9/08 | HOU vs.NY | 2008 Western Conference Semi-final |
