History of Colorado Rapids in Timeline

The Colorado Rapids are a professional soccer club based in the Denver area, competing in Major League Soccer (MLS) as part of the Western Conference. Founded in 1995 and a founding member of MLS, the Rapids began play in 1996. Originally part of the Anschutz Corporation and later AEG, the club has been a consistent presence in the league since its inception.

1995: Club Founded

In 1995, the Colorado Rapids were founded as part of the Anschutz Corporation. The club later became a founding sports franchise of AEG.

1996: Inaugural Season

In 1996, the Colorado Rapids played their first season as a founding member of the MLS. Marcelo Balboa scored the first goal for the club and the first goal at Mile High Stadium in 1996.

1997: MLS Cup Appearance

In 1997, Colorado made their first MLS Cup appearance, losing to D.C. United.

1997: First Trip to MLS Cup

In 2010 Colorado qualifed for the MLS Cup playoffs and would make the team's first trip to the MLS Cup since 1997.

1999: U.S. Open Cup Final Appearance

In 1999, the Colorado Rapids made it to the U.S. Open Cup final, only to be upset 2–0 by the Rochester Raging Rhinos.

1999: U.S. Open Cup Runners-Up

In the 1999 U.S. Open Cup tournament, Colorado finished as runners-up after losing to the Rochester Raging Rhinos.

2000: Memorable Moments

The 2000 season included Marcelo Balboa's Goal of the Year bicycle kick and clinching a playoff spot against the Los Angeles Galaxy with a 97th-minute goal by Paul Bravo.

2001: Tim Hankinson Hired as Head Coach

In 2001, Tim Hankinson became the new head coach for the Colorado Rapids, and John Spencer joined the club. During Hankinson's tenure, the club traded away Marcelo Balboa.

January 2006: Jeff Plush Appointed Managing Director

In January 2006, Jeff Plush took over the business responsibilities of the Colorado Rapids as Managing Director.

March 2007: Dick's Sporting Goods Park Opened

In March 2007, Dick's Sporting Goods Park opened, accompanied by a change in club colors to burgundy and blue, aligning with other Kroenke Sports Enterprises clubs. Relationships with Arsenal and Pachuca were established.

2007: Inaugural Year at Dick's Sporting Goods Park

In 2007, the Colorado Rapids hosted numerous international events and won the rights to host the 2007 MLS All-Star Game at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Herculez Gomez scored the first goal in the new stadium. The team finished just shy of a playoff spot and won the MLS Reserve League for the second consecutive year.

2007: Move to Dick's Sporting Goods Park

In 2007, the Colorado Rapids moved to Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City after the stadium opened.

2008: Resurgent Rapids Side

In 2008, the Colorado Rapids started the season with a 4-0 win against the LA Galaxy. Coach Clavijo resigned mid-season, and Gary Smith took over on an interim basis. The Rapids fell short of the playoffs in the last game against Real Salt Lake.

2009: Gary Smith's First Full Season

In 2009, Gary Smith had his first full season as head coach. Steve Guppy was appointed as his assistant, and Pablo Mastroeni re-signed with the club. The Rapids acquired Matt Pickens and Iván Guerrero, with the media criticizing the team for not making more roster changes for the 2009 season.

2010: MLS Cup Win

In 2010, Colorado won the MLS Cup, marking their second appearance in the competition.

2010: Majority of 2010 Champions Team Gone

In 2013, with the majority of the 2010 MLS Champions team gone, the Colorado Rapids looked considerably different.

2011: Roster Changes and CONCACAF Champions League Qualification

In 2011, the Colorado Rapids signed several players, including Caleb Folan. As the 2010 MLS Cup winner, they qualified for the 2011–2012 CONCACAF Champions League. Miguel Comminges also joined the club.

2012: CONCACAF Champions League

In 2011-2012, the Colorado Rapids participated in the group stages of the CONCACAF Champions League.

2012: Changes and Playoff Elimination

In 2012, Oscar Pareja was appointed head coach, and several players were traded or loaned. Despite early promise, the season turned for the worse. The Rapids signed Hendry Thomas late in the season but were eliminated from playoff contention in late September.

2013: Massive Roster Changes

In 2013, the Colorado Rapids saw major roster changes, including the release of Conor Casey and the trade of Omar Cummings. The team finished the season with a 14–11–9 record but were eliminated in the knockout round of the playoffs. Oscar Pareja left to become the head coach of FC Dallas and Pablo Mastroeni was appointed as his successor.

2015: Lineup Changes

Following the 2015 season, the Colorado Rapids made major changes to their lineup, acquiring Shkelzen Gashi, Marco Pappa, Jermaine Jones, and Tim Howard.

2016: Western Conference Championship Appearance

In 2016, the Colorado Rapids had a successful season with a 15-game unbeaten streak and a trip to the Western Conference Championship, where they lost to Seattle Sounders.

2016: Qualified for 2018 CONCACAF Champions League

The Colorado Rapids qualified for the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League on the strength of the 2016 campaign.

2017: Struggles and Coaching Change

In 2017, the Colorado Rapids struggled, leading to the departure of Jermaine Jones and the firing of head coach Pablo Mastroeni by the end of the season.

2017: Leading Goalscorer

In the middle of the 2018 season, the Rapids traded Dominique Badji, 2017's leading goalscorer.

2018: Anthony Hudson Hired as Coach

For the 2018 season, Anthony Hudson was hired as the Rapids coach. The team made additions and switched to a 3–5–2 formation. The Rapids were eliminated from the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. Dominique Badji was traded to FC Dallas for Kellyn Acosta, and the season ended with a 10th place finish.