Houston Dynamo

Not to be confused with Houston Dynamos.
Houston Dynamo
The star on the crest is an ad hoc adoption, likely a nod to Texas as it was its own nation.
Full name Houston Dynamo
Founded 2005
Stadium BBVA Compass Stadium
Ground Capacity 22,039
Owner Gabriel Brener
Oscar De La Hoya
Jake Silverstein
Ben Guill
Manager Owen Coyle
League Major League Soccer
2015 Western Conference: 8th
Overall: 15th
Playoffs: Did Not Qualify
Website Club home page
Active affiliates of Houston Dynamo
MLS USL NWSL

Houston Dynamo is an American professional soccer club based in Houston, Texas, United States. The franchise competes in Major League Soccer (MLS), in the Western Conference. The Dynamo originally played their home games at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston campus until moving to their home stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium, during the 2012 season.

Houston Dynamo won the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cups in their first two years of the franchise's existence. In 2008, Houston became the first Major League Soccer club to secure a point on Mexican soil in the CONCACAF Champions League era.[1]

The Dynamo is owned by Gabriel Brener, Jake Silverstein, Ben Guill, and world Olympic boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya.[2] The team's head coach is Owen Coyle.

History

The team was created on December 15, 2005 when the San Jose Earthquakes players and head coach Dominic Kinnear were relocated, due to AEG being unable to secure a soccer-specific stadium, even though this stadium would not be finished until 2012. Although all of San Jose's players and Kinnear moved to Houston, the team's name, logo, history and statistics were not transferred and remained inactive in San Jose until the Earthquakes were reactivated in 2007. The Houston Dynamo MLS home record attendance currently is 70,550, which was set in 2006.

Inaugural season (2006)

Paul Dalglish 2006 MLS Cup Trophy
Paul Dalglish holds the trophy after the 2006 MLS Cup victory

The Dynamo played their first MLS league game on April 2, 2006 at Robertson Stadium in front of a crowd of 25,462. The Dynamo beat the Colorado Rapids 5–2, with Brian Ching scoring four goals, with all four assisted by Dwayne De Rosario. Later in the season, Houston beat established MLS clubs such as D.C. United, Los Angeles Galaxy, New England Revolution, Chicago Fire and FC Dallas.

The Dynamo finished their first season with an 11-8-13 record, earning them second place in the Western Conference. In the Conference semifinal playoffs, they beat Chivas USA. They beat Colorado Rapids 3-1 in the Western Conference Final to advance to the MLS Cup.

Houston beat the New England Revolution 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie to win the 2006 MLS Cup on November 12, 2006 at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The game was scoreless until the second half of extra time, when New England's Taylor Twellman scored. One minute later, Brian Ching headed in the tying goal for Houston, and for the first time in MLS history, the championship was decided by a penalty shootout. Kelly Gray and Stuart Holden scored Houston's first two penalty kicks. Dwayne De Rosario and Brian Ching scored the last two. Goalkeeper Pat Onstad saved New England's Jay Heaps penalty kick to secure the MLS Cup for Houston. By winning the 2006 MLS Cup, Houston qualified for the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup.

2007 season: Repeat

Houston began the 2007 season by competing in the 2007 CONCACAF Champions' Cup. After winning a quarterfinal against Costa Rican team Puntarenas F.C., Houston exited the competition in the semifinals, beating Mexican team Pachuca 2-0 in the first leg but losing 5-2 after extra time in the return leg.

Houston began its 2007 MLS league season with shutouts against Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA. Houston then struggled in the regular season, losing against New York Red Bulls, Chicago Fire, Toronto FC, and New England Revolution. Due to their success in winning the MLS Cup in their first season, Houston were invited to spend the day at the White House on May 29, 2007 and meet with President George W. Bush.

President George W. Bush and Houston Dynamo 2007 MLS Cup Champions
President George W. Bush and the 2007 Dynamo squad after the second MLS Cup victory

Houston made some significant trades during the 2007 season They traded Kevin Goldthwaite and a first round pick in the 2008 SuperDraft to Toronto FC for Richard Mulrooney. They traded Alejandro Moreno to Columbus Crew in exchange for Joseph Ngwenya. And they traded Kelly Gray to Los Angeles Galaxy for Nate Jaqua. After regrouping and pulling off a win against FC Dallas, Houston began an unbeaten streak of eleven games and a shutout streak of 726 minutes,[3] a new MLS record.

Houston also competed in the inaugural North American SuperLiga, where they dominated the group stages, before losing in a semifinal shootout against Pachuca.

Houston finished in second place in the regular season in the Western Conference, advancing to the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs, where they met FC Dallas in the first round. 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 the Kansas City Wizards in the Western Conference final, winning 2-0 to advance to the MLS Cup championship game for the second year in a row. Just like in 2006, Houston faced the New England Revolution for the championship. Houston won 2-1 on a game-winning goal by Dwayne De Rosario in the second half, thus winning their second MLS Cup in a row.

Partnership with Golden Boy Promotions

Late in 2007, Major League Soccer informed Dynamo owners Anschutz Entertainment Group that they should divest their interest in the Dynamo, as they wanted each ownership group to own only one team. AEG also owns the Los Angeles Galaxy.[4] On November 21, 2007, it was announced that AEG was in negotiations to sell the Dynamo to a partnership of Brener International Group and Golden Boy Promotions, owned by the famed boxer Oscar de la Hoya.[5]

On February 26, 2008 Houston Dynamo President Oliver Luck revealed the planned negotiations to the media stating that the Houston Dynamo would be managed in majority by original owners Anschutz Entertainment Group (who held 50% of ownership) along with newfound partners Gabriel Brener, head of Brener International Group, and multiple World and Olympic boxing champion Oscar De La Hoya (each with 25% ownership).[6] De La Hoya has been seen wearing Dynamo colors on his boxing uniform with a small Houston Dynamo logo on his right leg in a fight against boxer Steve Forbes. He has also pledged to help find Dynamo a soccer-specific stadium, though he has been too busy with training to participate significantly in Dynamo decision-making. He has said he would become more involved once he retires in 2009.[7]

2008 season

The Dynamo started early competing in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship debuted on February 20, 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Houston qualified to participate in the tournament via their win as MLS Cup Champions. The Houston Dynamo won their first match against Sydney FC, before finishing second place after their 6-1 loss to Gamba Osaka in the final match. The Dynamo was back on the pitch competing in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup (qualifying as the 2007 MLS Cup Champions). The Dynamo played Municipal in the Quarterfinals winning 3-1 on aggregate (0-0, 3-1) at Robertson Stadium. The club lost to Deportivo Saprissa on 3-0 aggregate (0-0, 0-3) at Estadio Ricardo Saprissa.

Brian Mullan vs. the New York Red Bulls during the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals at Robertson Stadium.

The Houston Dynamo season began with its home opener in a 3-3 draw with Texas Derby rival, FC Dallas, after falling 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 at Giants Stadium, and the second leg moving to Robertson Stadium where the Red Bulls defeated the Dynamo 0-3 in front of more than 30,000 fans.

2009 season

The Dynamo started the new year with a quick exit from the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League with a 1-4 aggregate loss (1-1, 0-3) to Atlante 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 the Los 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. However, despite their better goal differential, they finished second in the Western Conference, because they lost the regular season series to the Galaxy.

The 2009 Western Conference Final in which the Dynamo were defeated by the Los Angeles Galaxy

In the playoffs, Houston beat the Seattle Sounders 1-0 on aggregate in extra time. The Dynamo then lost 0-2 in extra time to the Galaxy in the Western Conference final, in a game that was interrupted several times due to rolling blackouts in Los Angeles.

The Dynamo reached the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open Cup before losing to the expansion Seattle Sounders FC 1-2 in extra time, after former Dynamo player Nate Jaqua scored the game-tying goal in the 89th minute.

2010 season

During the 2009-10 offseason, the Dynamo saw the departures of two key players, Ricardo Clark to Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuart Holden to Bolton Wanderers.

The 2010 season kicked off with a 1-1 draw against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. In the home opener against Real Salt Lake, Brian Ching suffered a hamstring strain which kept him out for 4–6 weeks. The Dynamo won the game, 2-1, on a pair of penalty goals by Brad Davis. Geoff Cameron was the next player to be lost during the season, after rupturing his PCL during a game against the Chicago Fire; the Fire won the game, 2-0. Cameron returned in August, and scored a 70th-minute header from a free kick against D.C. United in the Dynamo's 3-1 win on September 25 in RFK Stadium. The majority of the season saw the Dynamo win, lose, and tie almost in that order (while going winless during the months of June and July) with the club losing out on the playoffs by Week 17, going only 4-7-2 since then. The Dynamo finished the season 9-15-6 (7th in the West, 12th overall) and missed the playoffs for the first time since moving to Houston during the 2005-06 offseason. The Dynamo finished strong, however, with the club's only winning streak at the end of the season against playoff bound teams at San Jose (1-0) on October 16 and at home against Seattle (2-1) on October 23.

During the 2010 season, the Dynamo continued their season with the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The club defeated Miami FC, 1-0, on June 29 before losing to Chivas 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 to Morelia on August 5 at Robertson Stadium.

2011 season

The Dynamo went to the Eastern Conference from the Western Conference for the 2011 season, after teams were added in Vancouver and Portland. The team ended the regular season in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of twelve wins, nine losses, and thirteen draws for 49 points. This record was fueled by MVP candidate Brad Davis's league leading 16 assists.

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Dynamo were matched up in a series against the Philadelphia 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, but despite this blow, the Dynamo scored twice to earn their ticket to the MLS Final and a chance to face the Los Angeles Galaxy. Los Angeles's Home Depot Center had been selected to host the 2011 MLS Final. Two seasons prior, the Dynamo faced the Galaxy there in the Western Conference Final, during which several blackouts occurred. The Dynamo were not able to power through the game, surrendering a goal to Landon Donovan in the 72nd minute.

2012 season: A new stadium

The Dynamo played their first seven MLS regular season matches on the road because BBVA Compass Stadium, the new home of the Dynamo, was being constructed and eventually opened on May 12, 2012. The Dynamo began the 2012 season with a bang, winning their first two matches away at Chivas USA and the San Jose Earthquakes but they were only able to earn another two points from their next five matches, for a total of eight points.

After completion of their new stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium, the Dynamo made a victorious home debut on May 12, 2012 vs. D.C. United thanks to a Brad 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. The Dynamo's MLS regular season was marked by ups and downs and changes in formation from a 4-4-2 to 4-3-3 and back again by long-time manager Dominic Kinnear. Despite star center back Geoff Cameron's transfer to Stoke City midseason, The Dynamo went unbeaten with a record of 5-0-2 from July 3 to August 3, marked by superb play from captain Brad Davis, Calen Carr, newcomer Macoumba Kandji, new designated player Oscar Boniek Garcia, and the emergence of Will Bruin as a prominent goalscorer, who subsequently went on to lead the Dynamo in scoring with 12 regular season goals. However, some late season lapses caused the Dynamo to drop from second to fifth in the Eastern Conference and only make the playoffs as the wild card.

In the playoffs, the Dynamo traveled to Chicago to face the Chicago Fire in the MLS Wild Card Match. Buoyed by 2 goals by Will 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 Semifinals, which was played over two legs. Behind goals from Adam Moffat and Will Bruin, Houston extended their unbeaten streak at home to 29 games in all competitions, handing Kansas City a 2-0 loss in the first leg in front of 20,689 fans at BBVA Compass Stadium. 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. Houston won the first leg 3-1, behind goals from Andre Hainault, Will Bruin, and Kofi Sarkodie in front of 22,101 fans. In the second leg, a 33rd-minute goal from Oscar Boniek Garcia gave the Dynamo a 1-1 draw, and the Dynamo held on for a 4-2 aggregate win and advanced to their second straight MLS Cup to face the Los Angeles Galaxy

Calen Carr lies injured as David Beckham looks on during the 2012 MLS Cup

MLS Cup 2012 was hosted by L.A. in a rematch of the 2011 MLS Cup, this time in front of a sellout crowd of 30,510. After getting a goal from Calen Carr in the 44th minute, the Dynamo held a 1-0 halftime lead. However, the 2nd half turned the game on its head, beginning with Carr's ACL tear suffered in the 59th minute. One minute after this injury, the Galaxy equalized through Omar Gonzalez's header. Five minutes later, Landon Donovan sealed the Dynamo's fate just as he had the year before with a penalty after Ricardo Clark handled the ball in the area. Robbie Keane added a third goal for L.A. in stoppage time, and L.A. were crowned MLS Champions for 2012.

The Houston Dynamo managed significant achievements during 2012. During the 2012 season, they were undefeated at home, part of what would eventually become a 36-match unbeaten streak in all competitions that stretched across two stadums and parts of three seasons.[8] Will Bruin emerged in his 2nd year with the team as their leading goal-scorer. Newly acquired Designated Player Oscar Boniek Garcia had a productive half-season, and by season's end had won MLS Latin Player of the Year honors. Their MLS Cup appearance in 2012 marked the Dynamo's fourth MLS Cup appearance in their seven-year existence in the league. The Dynamo topped their group in the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League, where they moved on to face Santos 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 the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League as well.

2013 season

The 2013 Dynamo season saw the men in orange continue their home dominance with a 9-4-4 record. Their 36 consecutive game home-win streak was ended by Sporting Kansas City on 12 May 2013 in a 0-1 loss during which Aurelien Collin heading home the winner. Nevertheless, the Dynamo would make the playoffs yet again 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 at BBVA Compass Stadium. Will Bruin continued his torrid post season run of goals with a brace in a 3-0 rout against Le Impact.

The Dynamo then had to face New York Red Bulls who had bested them during the regular season in all three meetings, and it looked like they would thrash the Dynamo in the playoffs as well 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', and Omar Cummings, recently returned to full form, scored in stoppage time to complete the Dynamo 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', but Brad Davis punished a mistake from the Red Bull defense to level the score before the half. Enter Omar Cummings for a second time, and for a second time, he scored a thrilling stoppage time goal to put the Houston Dynamo into the Conference Championship for the 3rd consecutive year.

Unfortunately for the Dynamo, that would be as far as they would go. After an uninspired draw at home against Sporting Kansas City, the future champions, the Dynamo would fall 2-1 to Sporting on the return leg in Kansas. However, 2013 would still be considered another in a long line of successes for the Dynamo, and the team had their core players all locked into long-term contracts for the future.

Colors and badge

The colors of the Dynamo crest are orange, black and white, with Space City blue added as an accent and border color. The star on the crest is an ad hoc adoption, likely a nod to the Houston, 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, a sanctioned star was added above the shield in 2008, after wearing the scudetto in 2007. Since they won the MLS Cup again in 2007. they wore the scudetto for the second consecutive year in 2008. Consequently, a sanctioned star was added to the logo in 2009 for their win at MLS Cup 2007.

Name

Houston announced the name "Dynamo", on March 7, 2006, which refers to Houston's energy-based industrial economy, as well as a previous Houston soccer team, Houston Dynamos who played in the Lone Star Soccer Alliance and United Soccer League. The official reason for the name is that "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." The name "Dynamo" is also an homage to teams based out in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union -- Dynamo Kyiv, Dinamo București, Dynamo Moscow, and Dinamo Zagreb.[9] The team colors are orange, white, and "Space City" blue or "Luv Ya Blue" (light blue), meant as a symbol of the city of Houston flag which is light blue and of yet another team in Houston's sports history - the Houston Oilers of the NFL.

Originally, on January 25, 2006, the team had announced that Houston 1836 would be the team name. This followed a 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 brothers Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen. The name had perceived ambiguity, however, as it is also the year of Texan independence from Mexico. Houston 1836's logo featured a silhouette of General 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 the war for Texas independence. Due to protests from Hispanic fans, the name was changed to the Dynamo. MLS has since not allowed any online surveys to name expansion teams.

Stadiums

Robertson Stadium was the former home of the Houston Dynamo.
Stadium Capacity Location Year(s) Notes
Robertson Stadium 32,000 Houston, TX 2006–2011
Carl Lewis Track & Field Stadium 6,000 Houston, TX 2006 Hosted one game in US Open Cup
Aggie Soccer Stadium 3,500 College Station, TX 2007, 2011 Hosted one game in CONCACAF Champions' League, one game in US Open Cup
BBVA Compass Stadium 22,039 Houston, TX 2012–present

BBVA Compass Stadium

BBVA Compass Stadium is the current home of the Houston Dynamo.
Main article: BBVA Compass Stadium

On December 2, 2010, Harris County and the Houston Sports Authority reached an agreement for the 20,000–22,000-seat soccer specific stadium in Downtown Houston east of Minute Maid Park, across Highway 59 which would be the third sporting facility for Downtown Houston. The venue, now known as BBVA Compass Stadium, opened on May 12, 2012 against D.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 Mayor Annise Parker, Harris County Judge Ed 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 will be able to experience unobstructed views from both the lower and upper seating bowls, which are supported by a single concourse.[10] The concourse provides full access around the stadium with easy access to concession and toilet facilities.[10] The fan experience will be enhanced by modern sound and video elements throughout the stadium.[10] Fully integrated broadcast facilities will allow viewers and listeners to feel part of the atmosphere.[10]

Aside from Major League Soccer and international soccer matches, the new Dynamo stadium also hosts Texas Southern University football, concerts, boxing matches, and much more.[10] With its downtown location, the new stadium is now a part of a true Stadium District, which already features Minute Maid Park and Toyota Center, as well as other amenities and attractions such as the George R. Brown Convention Center, the Hilton Americas, Discovery Green, and Houston Pavilions.

Houston Sports Park

HSP is the permanent home and professional training center for the Dynamo first team and youth academy.

The training facility for the Dynamo first team and academy teams is located at the Houston Sports Park (HSP). Opened in 2011, the complex features seven soccer fields, field lighting, and parking. All of the fields feature Bermuda grass, except one that contains FieldTurf. One of the fields, entitled the Methodist Champions Field, is reserved exclusively for use by the Dynamo and visiting professional teams. The remaining fields are available for public rental. Future plans for the complex will see the construction of a Methodist Hospital physical therapy center and a Competitive Edge Sports Performance facility. The complex, located 10 miles south of BBVA Compass Stadium, was built through a partnership with the City of Houston.

On April 26, 2014, the Houston Dynamo has announced the formation of a U-23 team.[11]

Club culture

Supporters

Texian Army is one of the Supporter Clubs of the Dynamo

The Dynamo enjoyed good fan support in its first season. Their first ever match attracted 25,462 fans against Colorado Rapids on April 2, 2006. 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's Reliant Stadium as part of a double-header, with the other game being an exhibition match between FC Barcelona and Mexican side Club 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 the 2006 MLS Cup, which was played about 275 miles (450 km) from Houston, in Frisco, Texas.

There are currently four officially recognized Supporter groups, Texian Army, La Bateria, Brickwall Firm and El Batallón.[12]

Mascot

In 2007, Houston started a search for a mascot by asking members of the 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 named Dynamo Diesel. He was unveiled at Houston Zoo on April 3, 2007.[13] Dynamo Diesel began working alongside the Houston Dynamo marketing and community outreach programs. He is not only present at games, cheering on the team, but also joins the Houston dancers, the Dynamo Girls[14] helping to promote the Dynamo in Houston.[15] The Dynamo Girls, the Houston Dynamos' cheer-leaders were featured in an episode of the MTV reality series Made.

Rivalries

Main article: Texas Derby
Brian Ching dribbles through two FC Dallas players

The Houston Dynamo's main regional rival is FC Dallas. The two teams play for El Capitan, a cannon that goes to the regular season series victor.

The Dynamo have also developed an intra-league rivalry with Sporting Kansas City.[16]

Revenue and profitability

The Dynamo's revenues have increased significantly since moving into BBVA Compass Stadium in 2012, propelling the team into profitability.[17] The Dynamo doubled their season ticket sales to 12,000 within one year of moving into the new stadium.[17]

Sponsors

On August 24, 2007, the Houston Dynamo reached a four-year sponsorship deal with Houston-based retail electricity provider, Amigo Energy, worth $7.5M. Amigo Energy became the official jersey sponsor. The Dynamo were the fifth league team to sign jersey sponsors.[18] The Amigo Energy logo appeared on all team jerseys, along with other on-field gear, and Amigo Energy also became the official home and business retail energy provider of the Dynamo.

On December 7, 2010, the team announced Greenstar Recycling as their new corporate jersey sponsor. The deal was worth $12.7 million over three years, with two additional option years, making it the largest sponsor in team history. The Greenstar logo appeared on Dynamo game jerseys and all team apparel. Greenstar had managed all recycling and waste management services at BBVA Compass Stadium.[19] The deal ended amicably after just over two years to facilitate Waste Management's acquisition of Greenstar.[20]

In July 2014, the Houston Dynamo and Dash signed a jersey sponsorship deal with BHP Billiton that will extend to 2017, with a two-year option.[21] [22]

Broadcasting

Television

2016 Houston Dynamo Local TV Partners and Broadcast Teams[23]
English Broadcaster(s) English Broadcast Team Spanish Broadcaster(s) Spanish Broadcast Team
Root Sports Southwest (20 games)[24]
KUBE TV Houston, Channel 57 (2 games)[25]
HoustonDynamo.com/Live (1 game)[26] 		Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: Eddie Robinson
Sideline: Matt Pedersen		 UniMás Houston (4 games)[27] Play-by-play: TBA
Color: TBA

For the 2015 season, Root Sports Southwest serves as the English broadcaster of all 22 non-national Major League Soccer matches. The one-year deal with ROOT SPORTS' regional network includes a 30-minute pregame and postgame show for each game. Games and weekly programing had aired the previous two seasons on Comcast SportsNet Houston, which was purchased out of bankruptcy court by DirecTV and AT&T in October 2014 and rebranded as Root Sports Southwest.[28]

Root Sports initially cancelled the three-year deal signed in 2013[29] with CSN Houston before agreeing on this new deal with the Dynamo. In comparison, the Dynamo lose airtime by way of a weekly show and daily coverage on CSN's daily newscast but gained a higher distribution to homes in Houston that weren't subscribed to Comcast and therefore did not have access to Comcast's exclusive sports network.

On the Spanish side, Telemundo Houston returns as the Dynamo's broadcast partner for the second consecutive season.[30] The Telemundo-owned Houston station signed up for 10 Dynamo games in 2015, a three-game increase from the 2014 season. Five of those matches will air live on TeleXitos, available over-the-air on KTMD's secondary channel 47.2, and select games on TeleXitos include a 30-minute pregame and a 30-minute postgame show. Games on Telemundo, channel 47.1, air deferred at 11 p.m. on the night of the match due to scheduling conflicts with national programming (of which includes Telemundo's home games telecast of Liga MX sides León and Pachuca).

The remaining 12 games of the regular-season will be carried by MLS' national TV partners, including 8 on the Univision family of networks, which shows the Dynamo's appeal to a national Hispanic audience due to its Honduran trio (Boniek, Garrido and Lopez) and the addition of Mexican international Erick Torres.

Previous local TV broadcasters

Year English Broadcaster(s) English Broadcast Team Spanish Broadcaster(s) Spanish Broadcast Team
2006 Fox Sports Houston Play-by-play: Charlie Pallilo
Color Commentator(s):
John Doyle 		TV Informa Play-by-play: Ernesto Del Valle
Color: Gustavo Rangel
2007 KTBU "The Tube"
Fox Sports Houston 		Play-by-play: Charlie Pallilo
Color Commentator(s):
Glenn Davis
Ty Kehoe		 TV Informa Play-by-play: Ernesto Del Valle
Color: Gustavo Rangel
2008 KTBU "The Tube"
Fox Sports Houston 		Play-by-play: Charlie Pallilo
Color Commentator(s):
Glenn Davis
Steve Jolley 		TV Informa Play-by-play: Ernesto Del Valle
Color: Gustavo Rangel
2009 KHOU 11.2[31]
Fox Sports Houston 		Play-by-play: Charlie Pallilo
Color: Glenn Davis 		TV Informa Play-by-play: Ernesto Del Valle
Color: Gustavo Rangel
2010 KHOU 11.2[32]
Fox Sports Houston 		Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: James Clarkson
Sideline: David Nuño
Presenter: Matt Musil		 TV Informa Play-by-play: Gustavo Rangel
Color: Tay Polo
2011 KHOU 11.2[33]
Fox Sports Houston (simulcast) 		Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Presenter: Matt Musil 		azteca houston (17 games/deferred)[34] Play-by-play: Luis Marquez
Color Commentator(s):
Danny Gonzalez
Diego Lopez Maradona
Dorian Valenzuela
2012 KPRC Local 2 (6 games)[35]
Fox Sports Houston[36]		 Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: Eddie Robinson 		MultiMedios Houston (16 games)[37] Play-by-play: Ernesto Chavana
Color Commentator(s):
Willie Gonzalez
Heliodoro Hinojosa
2013 KPRC Local 2 (6 games)[38]
CSN Houston[39] 		Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: Eddie Robinson
Sideline: Sebastian Salazar 		Mega TV Houston (7 games)[40] Play-by-play: Gustavo Rangel
Color: Tay Polo
2014 CSN Houston[41] Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: Eddie Robinson
Sideline: Sebastian Salazar		 Telemundo Houston (7 games/deferred)[42] Play-by-play: Luis Marquez
Color: Diego Lopez Maradona
Presenter: Ubaldo Martinez
2015 Root Sports Southwest[43] Play-by-play: Glenn Davis
Color: Eddie Robinson 		Telemundo Houston (10 games/deferred)[30]
TeleXitos (5 games) 		Play-by-play: Gustavo Rangel
Color: Diego Lopez Maradona

Note: All games broadcast live unless otherwise noted.

Radio

2016 Houston Dynamo Local Radio Partners and Broadcast Teams
English Broadcaster(s) English Broadcast Team Spanish Broadcaster(s) Spanish Broadcast Team
CBS Sports Radio 650[44]
95.7-3 FM (simulcast)
Sports Radio 610 (select games)
www.houston.cbslocal.com (online stream)
Radio.com app (Mobile app) 		Play-by-play: Jeremy Branham
Color: Mike Chabala 		Amor Celestial Houston 1010AM[27] Play-by-play: Daniel Mejía
Color: Lester Gretch

We’re thrilled to partner with the Houston Dynamo. Houston is one of the youngest and most diverse cities in the nation, so it makes sense that we are creating an innovative partnership with the team that will extend across all six of our Houston brands. The millennial demographic is one whereby partnering together, we can create a synergy that creates non-traditional opportunities and enables us to tailor this partnership specifically to Houston.

“
”

Sarah Frazier, CBS RADIO Houston Senior Vice President/Market Manager[44]

In February 2016, the Dynamo announced the start of a new multiyear deal with CBS Raio Houston. CBS Sports Radio 650 will serve as the home of the Dynamo with specific games airing on SportsRadio 610.[44] CBS Sports Radio 650 will also broadcast a half-hour pregame and ancillary programming such as The Players Show and The Coaches Show, both of which will also be broadcast on KKHH 95.7 HD-3 as well as streaming online at www.houston.cbslocal.com, and via the Radio.com app. Promotional partnerships will extend across the FM brands with on-air features and programming airing on Hot 95.7 and Mega 101.

Previous local radio broadcasters

Year English Broadcaster(s) English Broadcast Team Spanish Broadcaster(s) Spanish Broadcast Team
2015 Yahoo! Sports Radio 1560 AM[45]
ESPN 97.5 FM (select games/simulcast) 		Play-by-play: Matt Pedersen La Ranchera 850 AM
La Ranchera 101.7 FM (simulcast) 		Play-by-play: Daniel Mejía

Players and staff

For details on former players, see All-time Houston Dynamo roster.

Current roster

As of February 3, 2016.[46]

No. Position Player Nation
1 Goalkeeper Deric, TylerTyler Deric (HGP)     United States
2 Defender Anibaba, JalilJalil Anibaba      United States
3 Forward Lovejoy, RobRob Lovejoy      United States
4 Defender Agus, Agus      Spain
5 Defender Rodríguez, RaúlRaúl Rodríguez      Spain
6 Midfielder Rocha, DavidDavid Rocha      Spain
7 Defender Beasley, DaMarcusDaMarcus Beasley (DP)     United States
8 Midfielder Maidana, CristianCristian Maidana      Argentina
9 Forward Torres, ErickErick Torres (DP)     Mexico
10 Forward Barnes, GilesGiles Barnes (Captain)     Jamaica
11 Forward Wenger, AndrewAndrew Wenger      United States
12 Forward Bruin, WillWill Bruin      United States
13 Midfielder Clark, RicardoRicardo Clark      United States
14 Midfielder Alex, Alex      Brazil
18 Defender Horst, DavidDavid Horst      United States
19 Forward Manotas, MauroMauro Manotas      Colombia
20 Defender Mansally, AbdoulieAbdoulie Mansally      Gambia
21 Midfielder Steinberger, ZachZach Steinberger      United States
22 Defender Williams, SheanonSheanon Williams      United States
24 Goalkeeper Brown, CalleCalle Brown      United States
27 Midfielder García, BoniekBoniek García      Honduras
31 Goalkeeper Willis, JoeJoe Willis      United States
33 Midfielder Miranda, LeonelLeonel Miranda (on loan from Independiente)     Argentina
34 Defender Ibeagha, SebastienSebastien Ibeagha      United States

Out on loan

No. Position Player Nation
29 Midfielder Lucatero, ChristianChristian Lucatero (HGP; on loan to RGVFC Toros)     United States
30 Defender Bourgeois, BradleyBradley Bourgeois (HGP; on loan to RGVFC Toros)     United States

Head coach history

Coyle is current coach
Name Nat Tenure
Dominic Kinnear  United States 2006 – October 25, 2014
Owen Coyle  Ireland December 9, 2014 – present

Team staff

Executive
Owner Gabriel Brener, Jake Silverstein, Ben Guill, Oscar De La Hoya
President of business operations Chris Canetti
Executive vice president Steve Powell
Senior vice president David Tagliarino
Technical director and general manager Matt Jordan
Assistant general manager and director of soccer operations Nick Kowba
Coaching staff
Head coach Owen Coyle
Assistant coach Sandy Stewart
Assistant coach Wade Barrett
Sports performance director and fitness coach Paul Caffrey
Performance analyst Oliver Gage
Head athletic trainer Theron Enns
Assistant athletic trainer Rory Blevins

Honors

International

Domestic

Seasons

Year Regular Season Playoffs US Open Cup CONCACAF
Champions' League
2006 2nd, West (11-8-13) Champions
(MLS Cup New England Revolution 4-3)		 Semi-Finals Could not qualify
2007 2nd, West (15-8-7) Champions
(MLS Cup New England Revolution 2-1)		 Round of 16 Semifinals
2008 1st, West (13-5-12) Lost Conference Semifinals (New York Red Bulls 1-4) Round of 16 Champions Cup-Semifinals
Champions League-Quarterfinals
2009 2nd, West (13-8-9) Lost Conference Finals (Los Angeles Galaxy 0-2) Semi-Finals Group Stage
2010 7th, West (9-15-6) Did not qualify Quarter-Finals Did not qualify
2011 2nd, East (12-9-13) Runners Up
(MLS Cup Los Angeles Galaxy 0-1)		 Did not qualify† Did not qualify
2012 5th, East (14-9-11) Runners Up
(MLS Cup Los Angeles Galaxy 1-3)		 Round of 32 Quarterfinals
2013 4th, East (14-11-9) Lost Conference Finals (Sporting Kansas City 1-2) Fourth Round Group Stage
2014 8th, East (11-17-6) Did not qualify Fifth Round Did not qualify
2015 8th, West (11-14-9) Did not qualify Quarter-Finals Did not qualify

Note †: Eliminated in the Qualification Semifinals.

Team records

International tournaments

The Dynamo participated in competition against international clubs for the two years following their inaugural season. By virtue of their MLS Cup victories, the Dynamo entered the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the North American SuperLiga. During the 2008 season, the Dynamo participated in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship as well as the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League.

Key

* Neither teams met in the tournament
† Pachuca or Houston did not qualify
‡ Neither team qualified
CONCACAF Champions League
Season Played Dynamo
Win		 Draw Pachuca
Win		 Dynamo
Goals		 Pachuca
Goals		 Goal Diff Rivalry Winner Dynamo Outcome
2007210145-1 Mexico Pachuca Semi-finals
2008*——————— — Semi-finals
2008-09†——————— — Quarterfinals
2009-10200203-3 Mexico Pachuca Group stage
2010-11‡——————— — —
2011-12‡——————— — —
2012-13†——————— — TBD
Total410348-4 Houston Dynamo (0),
Mexico Pachuca (2)		 —————————
North American SuperLiga
Season Played Dynamo
Win		 Draw Pachuca
Win		 Dynamo
Goals		 Pachuca
Goals		 +/- SuperLiga Rivalry Winner Dynamo SL Outcome
20071010220 Mexico C.F. Pachuca§ Semi-finals
2008110020+2 Houston Dynamo Runners-up
2009‡——————— — —
2010110021+1 Houston Dynamo Semi-finals
Total321063+3 Houston Dynamo (2),
Mexico Pachuca (0), Tie (1)		 —————————

Note §: Pachuca won on penalty kicks, 4-3.

Rivalry results

Main article: Texas Derby
Season Played Dynamo
Win		 Draw FCD
Win		 Dynamo
Goals		 FCD
Goals		 Goal Diff Texas Derby Winner
2006421165+1 Houston Dynamo
2007431061+5 Houston Dynamo
20083030770 FC Dallas‡
2009320142+2 Houston Dynamo
2010201112-1 FC Dallas
2011211032+1 Houston Dynamo
2012110021+1 Houston Dynamo
2013100123-1 FC Dallas
Total209743123+8Houston Dynamo (5), FC Dallas (3)

Note ‡: FC Dallas won on away goals rule, 4-2

Player records

Career

MLS regular season only, through January 21, 2016[47]

Season

MLS regular season only

Player Awards

Goal of the Year

Save of the Year

Attendance

Average season attendance

Season Reg. 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 20,985 21,395
2013 19,923 21,395
2014 20,117 DNQ
2015 20,618 DNQ

Notes:

Highest attended matches

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

Affiliations

References

  1. ↑ "Houston Dynamo 2008". Major League Soccer. Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  2. ↑ "De La Hoya new Dynamo equity partner". mls.net. February 29, 2008.
  3. ↑ Dynamo allow goal, but stay hot, houstondynamo.com, July 22, 2007
  4. ↑ MLS wants owners to sell Dynamo, Houston Chronicle, November 21, 2007
  5. ↑ Dynamo For Sale; De La Hoya Group Interested, MyFoxHouston.com, November 21, 2007
  6. ↑ De La Hoya on the way to Dynamo, HoustonDynamo.com, February 26, 2008
  7. ↑ Canales, Andrea (May 6, 2008). "De La Hoya plans for his MLS future". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved June 24, 2008.
  8. ↑ http://www.houstondynamo.com/news/2013/05/breaking-down-streak-most-memorable-moments-houston-dynamos-36-home-unbeaten-run
  9. ↑ Eighty-Sixing 1836: Why isn't "Houston" offensive too? Editorial, Enter Stage Right, March 20, 2006
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 Major League Soccer, L.L.C. "Dynamo Stadium 2012". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved August 3, 2011.
  11. ↑ http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2014/04/16/houston-dynamo-become-latest-mls-club-launch-u-23-team
  12. ↑ "Houston Dynamo Supporters". Major League Soccer. Retrieved June 1, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Houston Dynamo introduces 'Dynamo Diesel' as its new mascot". Major League Soccer. April 3, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Dynamo Girls". Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 21, 2007.
  15. ↑ "Dynamo Diesel: About Diesel". Major League Soccer. Retrieved October 21, 2007.
  16. ↑ Dart, Tom. "Rivalry between Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City brings out the best in both teams". houstondynamo.com. Houston Dynamo. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  17. 1 2 Sports Business Journal, MLS club presidents on the season ahead, March 4, 2013, http://m.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2013/03/04/In-Depth/Presidents.aspx
  18. ↑ Barr, Greg (August 24, 2007). "Dynamo sports soccer sombrero as Amigo Energy sponsors team". Houston Business Journal.
  19. ↑ New Houston shirt deal worth $12.7 million by Ridge Mahoney, December 7, 2010
  20. ↑ "Dynamo cut ties to jersey sponsor Greenstar - Houston Chronicle". Chron.com. March 4, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Houston Dynamo enter partnership with BHP Billiton". houstondynamo.com. July 1, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Dynamo picks BHP Billiton for jersey sponsorship deal". Houston Chronicle. June 30, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Channel Guide". Houston Dynamo. March 30, 2015.
  24. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (March 3, 2016). "ROOT SPORTS to Broadcast 20 Houston Dynamo Matches in 2016". HoustonDynamo.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  25. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (April 13, 2016). "KUBE TV, Channel 57, to televise two Dynamo matches in 2016". HoustonDynamo.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  26. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (April 22, 2016). "Houston Dynamo to Offer April 30 Match via Live Stream". HoustonDynamo.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  27. 1 2 Houston Dynamo Communications (March 4, 2016). "Houston Dynamo, UniMás Partner on Spanish-Language Broadcasts". HoustonDynamo.com. Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  28. ↑ Barron, David (March 2, 2015). "Root Sports to air 22 Dynamo games this season". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  29. ↑ Tolar, Alicia (September 17, 2014). "DirecTV to cancel Houston Dynamo deal, retain Houston Dash". Dynamo Theory. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  30. 1 2 Houston Dynamo Communications (March 9, 2015). "Telemundo Houston returns as the official Spanish-language broadcast partner of the Dynamo". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  31. ↑ "Houston Dynamo 2009". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  32. ↑ KHOU Staff (April 23, 2010). "KHOU Channel 11, Houston Dynamo renew agreement for 2010 season". KHOU.com. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  33. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (March 11, 2011). "Dynamo set local English TV deals for 2011". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  34. ↑ Goldsmith, Barrett (March 17, 2011). "Azteca TV to carry Spanish Dynamo telecasts". Houston Business Journal. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  35. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (January 6, 2012). "Dynamo, KPRC-TV reach historic agreement to broadcast games for 2012 season". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  36. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (February 2, 2012). "Dynamo, Fox Sports Houston announce TV deal for 2012 season". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  37. ↑ "Dynamo, MultiMedios Houston announce TV deal for 2012 season" (Press release). Houston Dynamo. February 8, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  38. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (February 13, 2013). "Houston Dynamo unveil local TV broadcast schedule for 2013". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  39. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (January 30, 2013). "Comcast SportsNet Houston becomes new TV home of the Dynamo". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  40. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (February 6, 2013). "Mega TV becomes new Spanish TV home of the Dynamo". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  41. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (February 28, 2014). "Houston Dynamo unveil 2014 English TV broadcast schedule". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  42. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (March 7, 2014). "KTMD TV Telemundo Houston becomes new Spanish TV home of the Dynamo". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  43. ↑ Houston Dynamo Communications (March 2, 2015). "ROOT SPORTS becomes new TV home of the Dynamo". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved March 30, 2015.
  44. 1 2 3 "Houston Dynamo and SportsRadio 610/CBS Sports Radio 650 sign broadcast partnership" (Press release). Houston Dynamo. February 18, 2016. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
  45. ↑ "Houston Dynamo, Gow Media enter multiyear radio partnership" (Press release). Houston Dynamo. January 11, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
  46. ↑ "Players". Houston Dynamo. Retrieved June 7, 2012.
  47. ↑ "Houston All-Time Leaders". Retrieved February 9, 2016.
  48. ↑ Brian Ching, MLS Soccer. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  49. ↑ Tally Hall, MLS Soccer. Retrieved August 16, 2014.
  50. ↑ "Rio Grande Valley FC, Houston Dynamo's USL affiliate, announce Toros as nickname, unveil logo". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. November 12, 2015.

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