DC United

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DC United
Dc United.svg
Basic data
Surname DC United
Seat Washington, DC , USA
founding 1995
Colours black red
owner DC United Holdings
Jason Levien
Managing directors Tom Hunt ( COO )
Mike Schoenbrun
Dave Kasper
Troy Scott
Website dcunited.com
First soccer team
Head coach Ben Olsen
Venue Audi Field
Places 45,596
19,467 (football)
league Major League Soccer
2019 Eastern Conference: 5th place
Overall table: 10th place
Play-offs: Knockout round
home
Away

DC United is a franchise of professional football - League Major League Soccer (MLS) from Washington, DC The franchise was founded in 1995 and participated in the inaugural season in 1996 on the game mode. DC United is the second most successful team in the MLS behind LA Galaxy .

history

MLS home game against Chicago Fire (March 2009)

DC United was founded in 1995. The team name refers to Washington DC as the capital of the USA. “United” was chosen because it is a typical British name for a football club. However, United in the UK is usually chosen for a club that has arisen from the merger of two clubs.

United secured the double in their first MLS season . In the MLS Cup they beat Los Angeles Galaxy , a week later they won the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup by beating the Rochester Raging Rhinos . A year later United won the championship again. The club has thus succeeded in its only title defense to date. In 1998, United became the first US club to win the CONCACAF Champions Cup by beating Mexican club Club Toluca 1-0 . In the same year, the club also won the relatively insignificant Copa Interamericana against the Brazilian club CR Vasco da Gama . After the season, the successful coach Bruce Arena left the club and became the coach of the national soccer team of the United States .

His successor was the Dutchman Thomas Rongen , who led United to the third championship in his first season. The two following seasons closed the club as the last of the Eastern Division and Rongen had to take his hat after the 2001 season. Ironically, the club reached the highest average attendance in the club's history in two of the three seasons in which the playoffs were missed. The new coach was Ray Hudson , who after another last place in the Eastern Conference 2003 reached the playoffs.

On November 18, 2003, DC United made sports history when the club signed Freddy Adu , then fourteen . On January 16, 2004 United Adu selected the MLS SuperDraft as the first player. Adu made his MLS debut on April 3, 2004 as a substitute. He became the youngest American professional athlete since 1887.

In 2004 Piotr Nowak took over the coaching position. Despite serious injury concerns and a large number of complaints from the players about Nowak's training methods, the team reached the playoffs again with a final spurt. The Argentine Christian Gomez , who was signed during the season, proved to be a direct hit. In the semifinals, United beat New England Revolution on penalties. This game is considered by many MLS fans to be the best game in league history. United then won the MLS Cup by beating the Kansas City Wizards 3-2 .

2005 DC United took American US Team at the first South American competition Copa Sudamericana part. In the last sixteen they were just eliminated from the Chilean representative Club Deportivo Universidad Católica from Santiago de Chile . A year later, DC United won the MLS Supporter's Shield and therefore took part in the CONCACAF Champions Cup again in 2007. In 2006 United played friendly matches against top European teams. The Scottish champions Celtic Glasgow were beaten 4-0. There was a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid .

In December 2006, Piotr Nowak resigned from his coaching position and became assistant coach of the US national team. Tom Soehn became the new trainer . Also in December 2006, the move from Freddy Adu to Real Salt Lake became known. On January 8, 2007, the operational control of DC United was sold by the previous owner, Anschutz Entertainment Group, to DC United Holding, a newly formed group of investors.

DC United qualified as the best team of the MLS Regular Season 2007 for the CONCACAF Champions League 2008/09 . After the 4th match day of the group stage, the team had no more opportunity to advance to the next round. United could not survive the group stage in the North American SuperLiga either. In the three games, the team did not win a single point.

In 2008, DC United won the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for the second time in their history. On September 3, 2008, Washington beat Charleston Battery 2-1. The goal scorers were the two Brazilians Luciano Emilio and Fred .

In the MLS 2008 season , DC United only reached 6th place in the Eastern Conference and was therefore unable to qualify for the play-offs for the first time since 2002. On September 2, 2009, DC United was again in the final of the US Open Cup. The Washington team lost 2-1 to Seattle Sounders FC. The 2009 MLS season also had to end without qualifying for the play-offs.

In the CONCACAF Champions League 2009/10 , the team finished third in Group B. Thus United was eliminated.

The 2010 season was the worst for United since the MLS was founded. The team reached 8th place in the Eastern Conference and last place in the overall table. Because of this, the previous coach Curt Onalfo was dismissed in August 2010. Former MLS player Ben Olsen, previously assistant coach under Onalfo, took over the post of head coach as an interim solution. At the end of the season he was officially confirmed as a coach. In the US Open Cup, DC made it to the semifinals and was eliminated there against the Columbus Crew.

Colors and coats of arms

The team colors and the club logo were unveiled on October 17, 1995. Black and red are basic colors of DC United. The home jerseys are also red, while away from home the team plays in white. The three stripes on the shoulder of the shirt symbolize the three largest administrative units in the Washington Metropolitan Area : District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland . For the home jerseys they are white and for the away jerseys they are red. White and red are also the colors of the flag of Washington, DC, and the stripes also feature in the flag image.

DC United mascot, the eagle "Talon"

The club's mascot is an eagle named "Talon".

The team's name, DC United, and a black eagle on a red background were on the original coat of arms. In addition, three stars with three soccer balls were depicted in the lower part of the coat of arms, which in turn represented the three administrative areas Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland. The bald eagle on the coat of arms symbolizes on the one hand Washington as the capital of the USA, and on the other hand the characteristics of the team: speed and strength. Before the 2008 season, the logo was revised. The eagle was depicted more shadowy and the three stars were gone. There was only one star in the middle of the bird. This soccer star symbolized winning the MLS Cup in 1996.

The logo was revised again on December 10, 2015. The coat of arms is now colored black. On this is the eagle, which is painted over with red and black horizontal stripes based on the flag of the District of Columbia . The eagle's wings protrude over the edge. Furthermore, the three stars are available again.

Stadion

Go United poster hung on the side of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium

Since the club was founded, the club has played in the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium (often abbreviated RFK). The stadium seats 56,454 spectators. Until 2007, DC United shared the stadium with the Washington Nationals from Major League Baseball , who now play in the newly built Nationals Park . The DC United Training Complex is north of the stadium. The reserve team of the MLS franchise plays there.

Audi Field

There have been plans for a football-specific stadium for a long time, but no location has yet been found. After projects failed at two locations (in the Washington DC metropolitan area on the Anacostia River and in neighboring Prince George's County ( Maryland )), fans worried that the team might move to another city as a result. One suggestion that came up in late 2009 is to build a new home in nearby Baltimore, Maryland. However, this could not be realized.

On July 25, 2013, official plans were released to build a stadium at Buzzard Point, a peninsula on the Potomac River and Anacostia River in south-western Washington, DC. On December 17, 2014, plans for a new stadium were approved. Completion should be in 2017.

In February 2017, Audi USA acquired the naming rights to the new stadium. In the future it will be called Audi Field .

Fans and rivalries

Fan groups

The club has three big fan clubs: The "Barra Brava", the "Screaming Eagles" and "La Norte".

Rivalries

DC United's arch-rivals are New York Red Bulls (formerly NY / NJ MetroStars or MetroStars). Both clubs play for the "Atlantic Cup" every season. This competition was introduced by the management of both clubs. The winner is the team that wins the most points from a direct comparison of the two teams.

There is also a rivalry with Charleston Battery from the USL First Division, which is unique for the MLS . The fans of both clubs established the "Coffee Pot Cup", for which both clubs play in friendly matches every year.

organization

owner

Billionaire George Soros was the director of the Washington Soccer LP, which in 1995 received the rights to DC United from the MLS. Soros was also the main funder for the franchise. Former DC United President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Payne was already part of the owners' group at the time. But he moved to Toronto FC in 2012 . New investors have been sought since 1998. On February 15, 2001 it was decided to sell the rights to DC United to the Anschutz Entertainment Group . The franchise operated under this owner until 2007.

On January 8, 2007, DC United Holdings, a group of investors led by Victor MacFarlane and William HC Chang, chairman of Westlake International Group, bought the rights to the MLS franchise. The other investors were Kevin Payne and the two former basketball players Brian Davis and Christian Laettner . In April 2009, Victor MacFarlane sold his stake in Chang after his two stadium proposals were rejected. Chang owned 98% of DC United Holdings. In October of the same year, Chang also bought the remaining 2% shares from Davis and Laettner. In addition to DC United, he is also the main investor in the San Francisco Giants from Major League Baseball .

Kevin Payne left as a co-owner in 2012. On July 10, 2012, the Indonesian entrepreneur and sports investor Erick Thohir became a co-owner. His sports investment company owns a. Shares in Inter Milan , where he has been President since 2013. Businessman Jason M. Levien became a co-owner of DC at the same time as Thohir. The former sports agent was previously CEO of the Memphis Grizzlies and co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers .

The owner group currently consists of Erick Thohier, Jason M. Levien and William Chang.

The US software manufacturer Leidos has been the main sponsor of DC United since February 14, 2014 . The team was previously sponsored by Volkswagen Group of America, a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG . Other sponsors are Adidas , GEICO , Verizon Wireless and Papa John's Pizza .

media

All DC United games are broadcast on Comcast SportsNet regional network. Selected home games can also be seen in high definition. Selected games will be broadcast on ESPN2, NBC Sports Network or in Spanish on Galavisión. The games can be received in Spanish in the Washington, DC area via the radio station WDCN-LP.

Youth and development

DC United Academy

In 2004, the franchise set up a youth and development structure. The youth teams U-14, U-16 and U-18 play in the leagues of the US Soccer Development Academy . The teams in the age groups U-12, U-13 and U-15 are organized in the US Club Soccer Northeast Pre-Academy League. In order to find potential youth players, soccer camps and selection training are held every year.

The top of the Academy structure is the U-23 team. This plays in the National Premier Soccer League , the fourth highest league in the country. The coach is Jamie Moreno and the home games are played at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland .

USL Championship partnership

Until 2012, a DC United reserve team played in the MLS Reserve Division. During this time, the reserve team won the MLS reserve in 2005 and 2011. After the MLS and the USL Championship had suitable through a partnership, this team was withdrawn. Since then, the Richmond Kickers have acted as training partners in the USL Pro. After the Kickers withdrew from the USL, the Loudoun United team became a new USL Championship partner. At the same time, DC United holds the franchise rights to this team.

Players and staff

Current professional squad

As of March 14, 2019

No. position Surname
1 United StatesUnited States TW Chris Seitz
3 United StatesUnited States FROM Chris Odoi-Atsem
4th United StatesUnited States MF Russell Canouse
5 VenezuelaVenezuela MF Júnior Moreno
7th United StatesUnited States MF Paul Arriola ( DP )
8th Costa RicaCosta Rica MF Ulises Segura
9 EnglandEngland ST Wayne Rooney ( DP )
10 ArgentinaArgentina MF Luciano Acosta
11 ArgentinaArgentina ST Lucas Rodríguez
13 FranceFrance FROM Frédéric Brillant
15th United StatesUnited States FROM Steve Birnbaum
16 IrelandIreland MF Chris McCann
No. position Surname
18th HungaryHungary ST Zoltán Stieber
20th United StatesUnited States FROM Jalen Robinson ( HGP )
21st United StatesUnited States FROM Chris Durkin ( HGP )
23 United StatesUnited States FROM Donovan Pines ( HGP )
24 United StatesUnited States TW Bill Hamid ( HGP )
25th United StatesUnited States ST Quincy Amarikwa
26th United StatesUnited States MF Antonio Bustamante ( HGP )
28 Costa RicaCosta Rica FROM Joseph Mora
29 ArgentinaArgentina FROM Leonardo Jara
30th United StatesUnited States FROM Akeem Ward
36 United StatesUnited States TW Earl Edwards Jr.
91 JamaicaJamaica FROM Oniel Fisher

Previous players

Coaching staff

As of January 4, 2019

  • United StatesUnited States Ben Olsen (coach)
  • United StatesUnited States Chad Ashton (assistant coach)
  • United StatesUnited States Nolan Sheldon (assistant coach)
  • United StatesUnited States Zach Thornton (Goalkeeping Coach)

Previous trainers

successes

  • MLS Cup
    • Winner (4): 1996, 1997, 1999, 2004
    • Finale (1): 1998
  • MLS Eastern Conference
    • Winner (Playoff) (5): 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2004
    • Winner (Regular Season) (6): 1997, 1998, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2014
  • CONCACAF Giants Cup
    • Finale (1): 2001
  • More Achievements
    • Atlantic Cup (9): 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014
    • Carolina Challenge Cup (3): 2010, 2012, 2014
    • MLS Reserve Division (1): 2005

statistics

Seasonal balance

season Regular season Play-offs Lamar Hunt
U.S. Open Cup 		CONCACAF
Champions League
1996 2nd place (east) master winner not qualified
1997 1st place (east) master final Semifinals
1998 1st place (east) final not qualified winner
1999 1st place (east) master Round of 16 Semifinals
2000 4th place (east) not qualified Quarter finals Semifinals
2001 4th place (east) not qualified Semifinals not carried out
2002 5th place (east) not qualified not qualified Round of 16
2003 4th place (east) Quarter finals Semifinals not qualified
2004 2nd place (east) master Round of 16 not qualified
2005 2nd place (east) Quarter finals Quarter finals Semifinals
2006 1st place (east) Semifinals Semifinals not qualified
2007 1st place (east) Quarter finals Round of 16 Semifinals
2008 6th place (east) not qualified winner Semifinals
2009 4th place (east) not qualified final Group stage
2010 8th place (east) not qualified Semifinals Group stage
2011 7th place (east) not qualified 2nd qualifying round not qualified
2012 2nd place (east) Conference finals Round of 16 not qualified
2013 10th place (east) not qualified winner not qualified
2014 1st place (east) Conference semifinals 4th round Quarterfinals (2014/2015)
2015 4th place (east) Conference semifinals 4th round Quarter-finals (2015/2016)
2016 4th place (east) Conference semifinals 4th round Knockout Round
2017 11th place (east) not qualified 5th round not qualified
  1. ↑ Since 2002 the competition has started in the autumn of the previous year. Until 2008 under the name CONCACAF Champions' Cup .

Club records

These records relate to the regular season up to and including the 2016 season:

As of January 27, 2015

Visitor average

Regular season / play-offs

  • 1996: 15.262 / 21.810
  • 1997: 16.698 / 27.264
  • 1998: 16.008 / 18.132
  • 1999: 17,419 / 17,997
  • 2000: 18,580 / not qualified
  • 2001: 21,518 / not qualified
  • 2002: 16,519 / not qualified
  • 2003: 15.565 / 15.202
  • 2004: 17,232 / 18,432
  • 2005: 16.664 / 20.089
  • 2006: 18.215 / 20.504
  • 2007: 20,967 / 19,438
  • 2008: 19,835 / not qualified
  • 2009: 15,585 / not qualified
  • 2010: 14,532 / not qualified
  • 2011: 15,181 / not qualified

Web links

Commons : DC United  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Doug Hicks: DC United SC . In: FootballCrests.com . Retrieved June 6, 2009.
  2. ↑ MLSsoccer staff: DC United unveiled updated team logo for only the second time in club history . Major League Soccer. December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  3. ^ Steven Goff: DC United unveils a new logo . In: The Washington Post , December 10, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015. 
  4. ↑ DC United Academy Camps: Directions . In: DC United . 2009. Archived from the original on July 5, 2008. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
  5. ^ Charles Boehm: DC United Announce Long-Awaited Plans for New Stadium at Buzzard Point . Major League Soccer . July 25, 2013. Retrieved September 21, 2014.
  6. ↑ stadionwelt.de: German car manufacturer buys naming right to MLS-Stadion Article from February 16, 2017
  7. ↑ Steven Goff: United's Ownership Uncertain; After Sale Fell Through, MLS Might Take Over Operation . In: The Washington Post , October 12, 2000. Retrieved June 6, 2009. 
  8. ↑ MacFarlane leads group in purchase of Major League Soccer's DC United . In: DC United Media Relations , January 8, 2007. Archived from the original on February 2, 2008. Retrieved June 7, 2008. 
  9. ↑ Ownership DC United ( English ) DC United. Retrieved December 2, 2014.
  10. ↑ Leidos becomes the official sponsor of DC United . February 24, 2014. 
  11. ↑ DC United to partner with La Nueva 87.7 FM for Spanish-language radio broadcasts . In: DC United , January 20, 2010. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. 
  12. ^ DC United Youth Development . DC United. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
  13. ^ DC United, Richmond Kickers announce landmark affiliation . In: DC United . DCUnited.com. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  14. ^ DC United - First Team. Retrieved March 14, 2019 .
  15. ↑ DC United - Coaches. Retrieved January 4, 2019 .
  16. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k MLS Factbook 2012. (PDF) MLSsoccer.com, archived from the original on December 24, 2012 ; accessed on July 28, 2012 (English).
  17. ↑ TheCup.us - game details for the competitions. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  18. ↑ rsssf.com - game details for the competitions. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  19. ^ DC United All-Time Leaders . In: Major League Soccer . August 22, 2009. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  20. ↑ MLS - 1996 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  21. ↑ MLS - 1997 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  22. ↑ MLS - 1998 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  23. ↑ MLS - 1999 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  24. ↑ MLS - 2000 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  25. ↑ MLS - 2001 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  26. ↑ MLS - 2002 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  27. ↑ MLS - 2003 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  28. ↑ MLS - 2004 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  29. ↑ MLS - 2005 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  30. ↑ MLS - 2006 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).
  31. ↑ MLS - 2007 Full Season Stats. Retrieved July 28, 2012 (English).