| Full name | D.C. United | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | United, DCU, Black-and-Red | |||
| Founded | 1994 | |||
| Stadium | RFK Stadium Washington, D.C. (Capacity: 45,596) |
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| Owner | William H.C. Chang | |||
| President | Kevin Payne | |||
| Head Coach | Ben Olsen | |||
| League | Major League Soccer | |||
| 2011 | Eastern Conference: 7th Overall: 13th Playoffs: DNQ |
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| Website | Club home page | |||
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| Current season | ||||
D.C. United is an American professional soccer (association football) club based in Washington, D.C. which competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.
Over the club's history, D.C. United has been considered to be the flagship franchise of MLS winning 12 international and domestic titles. Domestically, United has been one of the most successful MLS clubs. United has won the U.S. Open Cup twice, and holds an MLS record for most MLS Cup and Supporters' Shields apiece, winning each honor four times. United was the also the first club to win both the MLS Cup and MLS Supporters' Shield consecutively.[1]
On the international stage, D.C. United has competed in both the CONCACAF Champions League and its predecessor, the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. The club is also the only American soccer club to ever compete in a CONMEBOL (South American) competition, participating in the 2005 and 2007 editions of the Copa Sudamericana. In 1998, the club won the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.[2] Subsequently, United won the now-defunct Copa Interamericana, a competition between the CONCACAF on CONMEBOL champion that year to determine the best soccer club in the Americas. In the 1998, and final edition of the Copa Interamericana, D.C. United defeated Vasco da Gama of Brazil to take the title.[3]
The team's home field is the 45,596-seat Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, owned by the District of Columbia and located on the Anacostia River. The team has proposed building a new 24,000-seat soccer-specific stadium at multiple possible sites in the Washington metropolitan area.[4] The team is owned by San Francisco-based William H.C. Chang through the consortium D.C. United Holdings. The team's head coach is long-time starting midfielder Ben Olsen, who has coached the team since 2010.
Players such as Jaime Moreno, Marco Etcheverry, and Eddie Pope are among the team's most successful stars. D.C. United has a strong fan base, with three supporters' clubs and one of the highest attendance averages in Major League Soccer.[5] The club's official nickname is the "Black-and-Red" and home uniforms are black and white with accents of red. The team's name alludes to the "United" appellation commonly found in the names of soccer teams in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.[6]
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Prior to the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the United States Soccer Federation fulfilled promises to FIFA by aiding in the foundation of a new professional league. On June 15, 1994, Major League Soccer selected Washington, D.C. out of twenty-two applicants to host one of the first seven teams, with three more added before the league's launch.[7] Like many team names in MLS, the team's name was chosen as a reflection of the names of European clubs, such as Leeds United.
On April 6, 1996, D.C. United played in the league's inaugural match against the San Jose Clash in Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California.[7] In the league's early years, D.C. was the most successful of all the teams. Bruce Arena, the club's first coach, led the team to the first "double" in modern U.S. soccer history in 1996, beating the Los Angeles Galaxy to take the first MLS Cup and the USL First Division club the Rochester Raging Rhinos to win the U.S. Open Cup. D.C. repeated its MLS Cup victory in 1997 against the Colorado Rapids, with the match hosted at RFK Stadium. The team also saw early successes in CONCACAF competitions, winning both the Champions' Cup and the Interamerican Cup in 1998.[1]
In October 1998, Arena left the team to direct the U.S. men's national team. Arena's departure marked the beginning of a downturn in the team's fortunes.[8] While the club again won the MLS Cup in 1999 under coach Thomas Rongen, lackluster results in 2000 and 2001 led to Rongen's departure and his replacement by Ray Hudson in 2002. The team did not, however, fare much better under Hudson, and Piotr Nowak replaced him before the start of the 2004 season.[9] The club's first season under Nowak was marred by injuries in the early going, and some players were known to have complained about Nowak's methods.[10] Nevertheless a strong finish, assisted in large measure by the late-season acquisition of Argentine midfielder Christian Gómez, propelled United into the playoffs as the second seed. There they advanced past the New England Revolution on penalty kicks in what has been called one of the best games in MLS history.[11][12][13][14][15] United then defeated the Kansas City Wizards to take their fourth MLS Cup.[1]
On November 18, 2003, MLS made sports history by signing Freddy Adu, a 14-year-old soccer prodigy and on January 16, 2004 he was officially selected by United with the first pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft. When Adu entered United's regular-season opener as a second-half substitute on April 3, 2004, he became the youngest player in any professional sport in the United States since 1887.[16] On December 11, 2006, D.C. United traded Adu and goalkeeper Nick Rimando to Real Salt Lake in exchange for a major allocation, goalkeeper Jay Nolly, and future considerations.[17]
In 2005, the club made MLS history by becoming the first United States-based team to participate in Copa Sudamericana, entering in the Round of sixteen.[18] Since 2006, United has played well against international competition, beating Scottish champions Celtic F.C. and drawing Real Madrid in Seattle. In addition, the 2006 MLS All-Star Team, which included eight United players and was managed by United's manager Piotr Nowak, defeated English champions Chelsea.[9] In 2006 and 2007, the United became the first club in league history to win the MLS Supporters' Shield consecutively.
Since their back-to-back Shields, the club has not qualified for the playoffs, marking a downturn in the club's form. United won their last major title in 2008, winning the U.S. Open Cup. In 2008 and 2009, United had dry spells at the tail end of the season, ultimately causing them to miss out on the playoffs. 2010, was otherwise an absymal campaign, winning six matches, drawing four and losing 20, marking their worst record in history. In 2011, United for a record-breaking fourth year, failed to qualify for the playoffs in the second to last week of the campaign.
The team's colors and original logo were announced on October 17, 1995 along with those of the other ten original teams during a presentation in New York City.[7] Black and white are D.C. United's primary colors, though the team's nickname is the "Black-and-Red." Red is used to accent the home jersey while white is the main color of the team's away kit. The three stripes along the shoulder — in white at home and black on the road — do not represent the three jurisdictions of the Washington Metropolitan Area (Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia); rather, they represent the fact that the team's kits are made by Adidas. The team's shirt sponsor is German motor company Volkswagen[9] In 2011, the team introduced a predominantly red third kit with black accents to be worn four or more times in the season.[19] The team has also previously used white away uniforms with red stripes. White and red are the colors of the flag of Washington, D.C., and the stripes are also reminiscent of those used on the flag. Goalkeepers usually distinguish themselves with a red or green colored shirt.
The team's original shield was implemented in 1996 consisting of the team's name, D.C. United, above a black Bald Eagle facing right on a red field, clawing three soccer balls overlaid on three white stars. The three stars and balls were intended to represent the region's three jurisdictions. The bird, associated with the federal government based in Washington, D.C., symbolizes many of the attributes of the team, including speed and power. The logo was redesigned before the 1998 season. The current design reoriented the eagle facing left, and removed the three stars below it, whose metaphor was retained by three raised wing feathers. At the center of the eagle is a single gold colored star and soccer ball, which represents the team's victory in Major League Soccer's inaugural cup in 1996.[20] The logo can also be adorned with four silver stars above it, representing the MLS Cups the team has won.
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1996–2001
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2002–2003
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2004–2005
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2006–2007
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2008–2009
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2010–2011
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2012
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1996–1997
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1998–1999
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2000–2002
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2003–2004
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2005
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2006–2007
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2008–2009
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2010–2011
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2012
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1997–1998
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1999–2000
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2003
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2007
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2011–2012
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| Season | Manufacturer | Sponsor | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–2001 | Adidas | MasterCard | [21] |
| 2002–2004 | None | ||
| 2005–2007 | Sierra Mist | ||
| 2008– | Volkswagen | [9] |
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (RFK) has been home to D.C. United since the club's founding in 1996. RFK was built in 1961 as a dual use baseball and American football stadium. Prior to 1996, it periodically hosted soccer matches, including the 1980 Soccer Bowl, the 1993 Supercoppa Italiana, and five matches during the 1994 FIFA World Cup. When the Washington Nationals baseball team shared the field from 2005 to 2007, there were criticisms regarding problems with the playing surface and even the dimensions of the field.[22] The D.C. United Training Complex is located north of the stadium, and is where the Reserve Division team plays.[23]
Several regional university stadiums have been used by the team for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches, including Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1996,[24] and George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Virginia in 2010.[25] Similarly, the team has also used the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland for multiple early-round games in U.S. Open Cup and CONCACAF Champions' Cup since it opened in 2001.[26][27][28] Exhibition games have also been played in nearby FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.[29]
In July 2006, D.C. United proposed building a new stadium along the Anacostia River as part of a redevelopment plan for Anacostia Park. However disputes with the city government about the proposal forced the team to consider other sites.[4][30] In February 2009, the team announced plans for a new stadium in nearby Prince George's County, Maryland close to FedEx Field. Dubbed the Prince George's County Soccer Stadium, this proposal ran into similar trouble when the County Council voted to send a letter to the Maryland General Assembly opposing the stadium plan.[31] Fear that the lack of a new stadium might cause the team to leave the Washington, D.C. area caused protests on May 9, 2009.[32]
In October 2009, the Baltimore Sun reported that Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon has asked the Maryland Stadium Authority to explore the possibility of building a 17,000- to 20,000-seat soccer stadium that could serve as D.C. United's permanent home, as well as host concerts, lacrosse games and other events, to woo D.C. United to Baltimore. The proposed stadium complex, according to Dixon's letter, would be part of a "green mixed-use project" with access to light rail, Interstates 95 and 295. A potential location mentioned for the stadium is in the 42-acre (170,000 m2) Westport Waterfront project.[33] A feasibility study has been commissioned by the Maryland Stadium Authority was expected to be released in December 2010.[34] Since then two sites in Washington, D.C. have also been proposed, one near Buzzard Point, and one as part of a redevelopment of Capital City Market.[35]
D.C. United has four major supporters groups; La Barra Brava, the Screaming Eagles, La Norte[36] and the District Ultras. Each group has a designated section of the home stadium. La Barra Brava, Spanish for "The Brave Fans", was founded in 1995 by Latino fans in the Washington, D.C. area, mostly Bolivian immigrants in support of original United players Marco Etcheverry and Jaime Moreno. They seek to bring a South American style to home games.[37] All four clubs host public tailgates before home matches, and are known for singing during games.[38] La Norte, which takes its name from its location on the North side of the stadium, is noted for its streamers, large drum, and harassment of the opposition.[39] The District Ultras is known for its tifo; large hand-painted banners made specifically for a particular match.
D.C. United's primary rival is the New York Red Bulls. The two teams compete annually for the Atlantic Cup, a competition instituted by the two clubs. The cup is awarded to the team that gets the most points across the teams' meetings throughout the season. The Los Angeles Galaxy are United's second rival, one with whom D.C. has jockeyed over the years to represent MLS as its signature franchise.[40] The teams, who met in the first MLS Cup, have the oldest rivalry in Major League Soccer.[41] D.C. United also has a burgeoning rivalry with the Philadelphia Union as the two teams represent two cities separated by only 120 miles.[42] D.C. United is also unique among MLS teams for its rivalry with the Charleston Battery of the United Soccer Leagues, as they compete every time they face one another for the Coffee Pot Cup, a trophy established by the two sides' supporters.[43]
Billionaire investor George Soros was the primary financial backer and director of Washington Soccer L.P., the group that owned the operating rights to D.C. United when the league was founded in 1995.[44] Kevin Payne, former President of Soccer USA Partners and current CEO of D.C. United, was instrumental in organizing this ownership group. By 1998 the group was looking for new investors, and on February 15, 2001, it agreed to sell the team to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), founded by Colorado billionaire Philip Anschutz, with AEG exercising its option to become the sole investor-operator on January 8, 2002.[7] AEG, who also own Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, ran the team until 2007.
On January 8, 2007, the operating rights to D.C. United were sold to D.C. United Holdings, a newly-formed group venture that included real estate developer Victor MacFarlane, founder of MacFarlane Partners, and William H.C. Chang, chairman of Westlake International Group. Other investors included D.C. United president Kevin Payne and Blue Devil Development, headed by former Duke basketball players Brian Davis and Christian Laettner.[45] In April 2009, Victor MacFarlane sold his share of the team to his partner William Chang after two stadium proposals had fallen through.[46] In October 2009, Chang also bought out Davis and Laettner to fully control the team.[47] Chang is also one of the primary investors of Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants.[7]
Volkswagen Group of America, the American subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, is the jersey sponsor of D.C. United. Volkswagen agreed to pay over $14 million over five-years, beginning on May 6, 2008, putting the automotive company's logo on the front of the team jersey as well as other details. The deal is the second highest in MLS history.[48] As part of the sponsorship, Volkswagen will provide complimentary parking to the first fifty Volkswagens at every D.C. United home game. Other sponsors include Adidas, GEICO, Verizon Wireless, and Papa John's Pizza.[49] In May 2007, United entered into an initial one-year strategic partnership with Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro. The goal of the partnership is to enhance the sporting and commercial success of the respective clubs by sharing expertise and experience as well as creating new opportunities for the clubs in both areas.[50]
D.C. United are televised on Comcast SportsNet. Dave Johnson handles play by play, and former United coach Thomas Rongen does color commentary. Certain home matches are shown in High Definition on Comcast SportsNet HD. Select matches are also available on ESPN 2 and ESPN 2 HD.[51] Color commentary has previously been provided by Gordon Bradley, Clint Peay, and Garth Lagerway. All matches are broadcast via radio on WDCN-LP in Spanish. Herbert Baires does play-by-play.[52]
As of December 20, 2011.[53]
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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This list shows players who have played for the team in official 2011 MLS Reserve Division games, but are not part of the senior roster.[54] For the full list of academy squads, see D.C. United Academy.
Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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For details of former players, see All-time D.C. United roster and Category:D.C. United players.
For a list of club captains, see All-time D.C. United roster#Club captains.
For player records, including player awards, see List of D.C. United records and statistics.
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| President & Chief Executive Officer | Kevin J. Payne |
| Executive Vice President | Stephen Zack |
| Senior Vice President, Marketing Communications | Doug Hicks |
| Chief Financial Officer | Michael Williamson |
| Vice President, Business Development | Dawn Ridley |
Last updated: August 3, 2011
Source: D.C. United Official Website
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Ben Olsen |
| Asst. Coach | Chad Ashton |
| Asst. Coach | Sonny Silooy |
| Asst. Coach & Goalkeeping Coach | Pat Onstad |
| General Manager | Dave Kasper |
| Special Projects Manager | Bryan Namoff |
| Team Administrator | Francisco Tobar |
| Equipment Manager | David Brauzer |
| Head Athletic Trainer | Brian Goodstein |
| Asst. Athletic Trainer / Asst. Strength Coach | Pete Calabrese |
| Assistant, Team Operations | Steve Olivarez |
| Physical Therapist | Gabriel Manoel |
| Asst. Equipment Manager | Tim Hall |
Last updated: August 3, 2011
Source: D.C. United Official Website
| Dates | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–1998 | Bruce Arena | Led the club to their first titles, and their first doubles, and to date their only continental title. |
| 1999–2001 | Thomas Rongen | First club head coach outside of the United States. |
| 2001–2003 | Ray Hudson | |
| 2004–2006 | Piotr Nowak | |
| 2007–2009 | Tom Soehn | |
| 2010 | Curt Onalfo | |
| 2010–present | Ben Olsen |
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No active D.C. United players hold team records. Last Updated October 24, 2009[55]
The MLS Best XI is an acknowledgment of the best eleven players in the league in a given season for Major League Soccer.[56]
| Year | Name | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Jaime Moreno | Bolivia |
| 2005 | Christian Gómez | Argentina |
| 2006 | Christian Gómez | Argentina |
| 2007 | Luciano Emilio | Brazil |
| 2008 | Jaime Moreno | Bolivia |
| 2009 | Clyde Simms | United States |
| 2010 | Andy Najar | Honduras |
In 2003, D.C. United introduced the "Hall of Tradition" (formerly "Tradition of Excellence"), an honor bestowed upon players, coaches & front office staff deemed by United to have been crucial to the team's success.[57]
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