History of Houston Dynamo FC in Timeline
The Houston Dynamo FC is a professional soccer club in Houston, Texas, competing in Major League Soccer's Western Conference. Founded on December 15, 2005, the club originated from the relocation of the San Jose Earthquakes' players and staff. The Dynamo initially played at Robertson Stadium before moving to their current home, Shell Energy Stadium, in East Downtown Houston during the 2012 season.
November 16, 2005: MLS Grants Permission for Earthquakes Relocation
On November 16, 2005, MLS commissioner Don Garber revealed the league had granted permission to San Jose Earthquakes' owners Anschutz Entertainment Group to relocate the team for the 2006 season.
December 15, 2005: Houston Dynamo FC Established
On December 15, 2005, Houston Dynamo FC was established after the San Jose Earthquakes' players and staff were relocated to Houston following the 2005 season.
December 16, 2005: Franchise Arrival Announced
On December 16, 2005, a ceremony was held outside Houston City Hall to officially announce the franchise's arrival.
January 25, 2006: Team Name Announced as Houston 1836
On January 25, 2006, the team announced Houston 1836 as the team name, referring to the year Houston was founded. However, due to protests from Hispanic fans relating 1836 with the war for Texas independence, the name was later changed to the Dynamo.
March 6, 2006: Name "Dynamo" Announced
On March 6, 2006, Houston announced the name "Dynamo", referring to Houston's energy-based economy and a previous Houston soccer team. The name symbolizes Houston's energetic and hard-working nature. The team colors are orange, white, and "Space City" blue, representing the city of Houston flag.
2006: Establishment of Supporter Groups
In 2006, El Batallón and Texian Army were established as officially recognized supporter groups for Houston Dynamo FC.
2006: High Attendance at Games
In 2006, Houston Dynamo FC experienced high attendance, averaging 18,935 fans at regular-season home games and 17,440 to 23,107 at playoff games against Chivas USA and Colorado Rapids. Dynamo fans contributed to the sell-out crowd of 22,427 at the 2006 MLS Cup in Frisco.
2006: MLS Team Planned for Houston
In 2006, MLS announced plan to put a team in Houston.
2006: Houston Dynamo Win First MLS Cup
In 2006, the Houston Dynamo won their first MLS Cup.
2006: Earthquakes Relocation
In 2006, the San Jose Earthquakes relocated to Houston.
2006: Dynamo First Playoff
In 2010, the Dynamo finished the season 9–15–6 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season.
2006: Club Rebranded with New Logo
In 2020, the club rebranded as Houston Dynamo FC with a new logo. The new logo features a hexagonal shape to whose six sides represent the Dynamo's founding in 2006 and to reference the six wards that made up the original layout of the city. The crest also references Houston's bayou system with the channels within the interlocking monogram to represent Bayou City's waterways.
2006: MLS Cup Win
With the 2006 MLS Cup win, a sanctioned star was added above the shield in 2008, after wearing the scudetto in 2007.
April 3, 2007: Dynamo Diesel Unveiled
On April 3, 2007, Houston Dynamo unveiled their new mascot, Dynamo Diesel, an orange-haired fox designed by Eric Hulsey and Leslie Lopez, at the Houston Zoo. Dynamo Diesel began participating in marketing and community outreach programs.
November 21, 2007: AEG Negotiates Sale of Dynamo
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.
2007: Dynamo Qualify for 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup
By winning the 2006 MLS Cup, Houston qualified for the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
2007: Dynamo Trade Players
During the 2007 season, Houston traded Kevin Goldthwaite, Alejandro Moreno and Kelly Gray.
2007: Dynamo Clinch Berth to 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs
In 2007, Houston finished as the second seed in the regular season, clinching a berth to the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs and ultimately winning a conescutive MLS Cup.
2007: Earthquakes Suspend Operations
In 2007, the Earthquakes suspended operations.
2007: Creation of Houston Dynamo Academy
In 2007, the Houston Dynamo Academy was created, led by then-Director of Youth Development James Clarkson, to train young players.
2007: Houston Dynamo Win Second MLS Cup
In 2007, the Houston Dynamo won their second MLS Cup.
2007: Dynamo Qualify to Participate in the Tournament
The Houston Dynamo qualified to participate in the tournament via their in MLS Cup 2007
2007: Wore the Scudetto
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 crest in 2009 for their win at MLS Cup 2007.
February 26, 2008: Ownership of Houston Dynamo
On February 26, 2008, Oliver Luck revealed that the Houston Dynamo would be managed in majority by original owners Anschutz Entertainment Group along with Gabriel Brener and Oscar De La Hoya. De La Hoya had been wearing Dynamo colors on his boxing uniform with a small Houston Dynamo logo on his right leg in a fight against boxer Steve Forbes.
2008: Participation in Inaugural Tournaments
During the 2008 season, the Dynamo participated in the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship and the inaugural CONCACAF Champions League.
2008: Houston Dynamo are Supporters' Shield Runners-Up
In 2008, Houston Dynamo were Supporters' Shield runners-up.
2008: Dynamo Exit CONCACAF Champions League
In 2008, the Dynamo had a quick exit from the 2008–09 CONCACAF Champions League with a loss to Atlante in the quarterfinals.
2008: San Jose Earthquakes Return
In 2008, the San Jose Earthquakes would take the field again.
2008: Star Added Above Shield
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.
February 27, 2009: Tyler Deric Signed
On February 27, 2009, Tyler Deric became the first homegrown player in Houston Dynamo history after being signed to the team.
2009: Star Added to Crest
Consequently, a sanctioned star was added to the crest in 2009 for their win at MLS Cup 2007.
2009: Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden Depart Dynamo
During the 2009–10 offseason, Ricardo Clark departed to Eintracht Frankfurt and Stuart Holden to Bolton Wanderers.
2009: Dynamo Reach Semifinals of U.S. Open Cup
In 2009, The Dynamo reached the semifinals of the 2009 U.S. Open Cup before losing to the expansion Seattle Sounders FC.
April 17, 2010: Navas Cobo's First MLS Game
On April 17, 2010, Francisco Navas Cobo became the first academy alum to appear in an MLS game for the Dynamo.
December 2, 2010: Agreement Reached for New Stadium
On December 2, 2010, Harris County and the Houston Sports Authority reached an agreement for a new 20,000–22,000-seat soccer-specific stadium in Downtown Houston.
2010: Dynamo Compete in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
In 2010, The Dynamo competed in the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and the 2010 North American SuperLiga, exiting in the Quarterfinals and after a loss to Morelia respectively.
2010: Dynamo Miss Playoffs
In 2010, the Dynamo finished the season 9–15–6 and missed the playoffs for the first time since the 2006 season.
February 5, 2011: Groundbreaking of New Stadium
On February 5, 2011, Houston Dynamo players and owners, along with city officials, participated in the groundbreaking of the Dynamo's new stadium.
August 20, 2011: Alex Dixon Scores First Goal
On August 20, 2011, Alex Dixon became the first academy alum to score a goal for the Dynamo, with his stoppage-time winner against Real Salt Lake.
2011: Houston Dynamo are MLS Cup Runners-Up
In 2011, Houston Dynamo were MLS Cup runners-up.
2011: Dynamo Reach MLS Final
In 2011, the Dynamo earned their ticket to the MLS Final and a chance to face the Los Angeles Galaxy, but lost the final.
2011: Dynamo Switch to Eastern Conference
In 2011, the Dynamo switched to the Eastern Conference.
2011: Move to Houston Sports Park
In 2011, the Houston Dynamo Academy began training and playing their games at Houston Sports Park after using multiple fields around the city.
2011: Houston Sports Park Opened
In 2011, the training facility for the Dynamo, Houston Dash and academy teams opened at the Houston Sports Park (HSP).
2011: Onstad Returns as General Manager
In 2021, one of Ted Segal's first changes was bringing Dynamo legend Pat Onstad back as the General Manager. Onstad returned to Houston after serving as an assistant coach, chief scout and technical director for three MLS teams since 2011.
2012: Undefeated at Home
During the 2012 season, the Houston Dynamo were undefeated at home, contributing to a 36-match unbeaten streak across all competitions. Will Bruin became the leading goal-scorer in his second season. The team also topped their group in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League and qualified for the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League as MLS Cup runners-up.
2012: Dynamo compete in MLS Cup
In 2012, Dynamo competed in MLS Cup losing against LA Galaxy.
2012: Dynamo Move to Shell Energy Stadium
In 2012, Houston Dynamo FC moved to Shell Energy Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium in East Downtown Houston.
2012: Houston Dynamo are MLS Cup Runners-Up
In 2012, Houston Dynamo were MLS Cup runners-up.
March 5, 2013: CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16
On March 5, 2013, the Houston Dynamo were scheduled to face Santos Laguna in the round of 16 of the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League.
2013: Playoff Run Ends
In 2013, the Dynamo were eliminated from the playoffs by Sporting Kansas City, the eventual champions, after losing the return leg 2–1 in Kansas. Despite this, 2013 was considered a successful year with core players signed to long-term contracts.
2013: CONCACAF Champions League Appearance
In 2019, the Houston Dynamo participated in the CONCACAF Champions League, their first appearance since 2013. However, the team failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs, leading to calls for new ownership.
July 1, 2014: Jersey Sponsorship Announced
On July 1, 2014, the Houston Dynamo announced a multi-year jersey sponsorship with BHP Billiton. At this time, Dominic Kinnear was the head coach and Brad Davis was the team captain.
July 23, 2014: DeMarcus Beasley Signed
On July 23, 2014, the Houston Dynamo signed DeMarcus Beasley from Puebla. The team would finish 8th in the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs.
2014: Affiliation with Charleston Battery
In 2014, Charleston Battery (USL-Pro team) became an affiliate of the Dynamo, allowing Houston to send players there on loan until 2015.
2014: Discussions for USL Team Creation
In late 2014, the Dynamo began discussing the creation of a USL team with USL officials.
2015: Affiliation with Charleston Battery
In 2015, Charleston Battery remained an affiliate of the Dynamo, allowing Houston to send players there on loan, a relationship which started in 2014.
2015: Return to Western Conference
In 2015, the Houston Dynamo returned to the Western Conference, with Owen Coyle as the new head coach and Brad Davis continuing as captain. The team finished eighth in the Western Conference and failed to make the playoffs. At the end of the 2015 season, Brener bought out AEG's remaining stake, becoming the majority owner.
May 25, 2016: Parting Ways with Owen Coyle
On May 25, 2016, the Houston Dynamo announced they were parting ways with head coach Owen Coyle by mutual agreement.
October 28, 2016: Wilmer Cabrera Named New Head Coach
On October 28, 2016, Wilmer Cabrera was named the new head coach of the Houston Dynamo, replacing Wade Barrett, who served as interim head coach. The Dynamo finished last in the West with an average attendance of approximately 20,000.
2016: Affiliation with Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
In 2016, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros replaced Charleston as the Dynamo's USL affiliate. The Dynamo managed all soccer operations, sending academy players and first-team players for training and games.
2018: U.S. Open Cup Title
In 2018, the Houston Dynamo won their first U.S. Open Cup title by defeating the Philadelphia Union 3–0 in the final, which qualified the team for the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League.
2018: Houston Dynamo Win First U.S. Open Cup
In 2018, the Houston Dynamo won their first U.S. Open Cup.
June 13, 2019: BBVA Compass Stadium Renamed BBVA Stadium
On June 13, 2019, BBVA Compass Stadium was renamed BBVA Stadium following the sponsor's rebrand.
December 19, 2019: MLS Regular Season Update
As of December 19, 2019, the record reflects MLS regular season data only.
2019: CONCACAF Champions League Appearance
In 2019, the Houston Dynamo participated in the CONCACAF Champions League, their first appearance since 2013. However, the team failed to qualify for the MLS playoffs, leading to calls for new ownership.
2019: Season and Coaching Change
The 2019 season saw the Houston Dynamo competing in the CONCACAF Champions League and the inaugural Leagues Cup. After a poor run, head coach Wilmer Cabrera was fired. The team missed the MLS playoffs for the second consecutive year.
December 2020: Restructuring of RGVFC Relationship
In December 2020, RGVFC (Rio Grande Valley FC Toros) and the Dynamo restructured their relationship, granting the Toros control over all soccer operations.
2020: Tab Ramos Hired as Head Coach
In 2020, Tab Ramos was hired as head coach, and the Dynamo acquired Darwin Quintero and Marko Maric. However, the team missed the playoffs and finished at the bottom of the Western Conference in the COVID-19 shortened season.
2020: Club Rebranded with New Logo
In 2020, the club rebranded as Houston Dynamo FC with a new logo. The new logo features a hexagonal shape to whose six sides represent the Dynamo's founding in 2006 and to reference the six wards that made up the original layout of the city. The crest also references Houston's bayou system with the channels within the interlocking monogram to represent Bayou City's waterways.
2020: Onstad Returns as General Manager
In 2021, one of Ted Segal's first changes was bringing Dynamo legend Pat Onstad back as the General Manager. Before returning to Houston, Onstad was the technical director and vice president of soccer operations for the Columbus Crew where he helped build the roster that won the 2020 MLS Cup and the 2021 Campeones Cup.
June 2021: BBVA Stadium Rebranded as PNC Stadium
During the second half of the 2021 season, BBVA Stadium was rebranded as PNC Stadium following PNC Financial Services' acquisition of BBVA USA in June 2021.
June 22, 2021: Acquisition by Ted Segal Completed
On June 22, 2021, Ted Segal completed the acquisition of the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash in a deal reportedly worth $400 million, and has since invested significantly in the club and Shell Energy Stadium.
December 6, 2021: Announcement of Houston Dynamo 2
On December 6, 2021, the Dynamo announced the formation of Houston Dynamo 2, which would compete in the inaugural season of MLS Next Pro in 2022.
2021: Tab Ramos's Contract Not Extended
After the 2021 season, the Houston Dynamo chose not to extend Tab Ramos's expiring contract after finishing at the bottom of the Western Conference for a consecutive season.
2021: End of Agreement with Rio Grande Valley FC
Following the 2021 season, the agreement between Houston Dynamo and Rio Grande Valley FC ended, leading Rio Grande Valley FC to become an independent club.
2021: Onstad Returns as General Manager
In 2021, one of Ted Segal's first changes was bringing Dynamo legend Pat Onstad back as the General Manager.
January 3, 2022: Paulo Nagamura Appointed Head Coach
On January 3, 2022, Paulo Nagamura was appointed as the head coach ahead of the 2022 season.
March 2, 2022: Héctor Herrera Signs
On March 2, 2022, Houston Dynamo FC made their biggest signing in club history when Héctor Herrera joined on a pre-contract agreement through the 2024 MLS season as a designated player.
August 2022: Ted Segal Gains Full Ownership
In August 2022, Ted Segal fully controlled ownership of the Houston Dynamo after buying out his remaining minority partners.
2022: Inaugural Season of Houston Dynamo 2
In 2022, Houston Dynamo 2 played their inaugural season in MLS Next Pro, with games held at SaberCats Stadium within Houston Sports Park.
January 17, 2023: PNC Stadium Renamed Shell Energy Stadium
On January 17, 2023, PNC Stadium became Shell Energy Stadium following a naming rights deal with Shell Energy reportedly worth $40 million over 8 years. Shell Energy Stadium has a capacity of 20,656.
2023: Ben Olsen Hired as Manager
In 2023, Ben Olsen was hired as the manager for the Houston Dynamo. He led the team to a 14-11-9 record in league play, an MLS Cup Playoffs appearance, won the 2023 U.S. Open Cup, and advanced to the knockout phase of the Leagues Cup.
2023: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV
In 2023, all Dynamo matches became available via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, marking a transition to all-streaming after previously being aired on various TV stations and linear MLS TV partners.
2023: Houston Dynamo Win Second U.S. Open Cup
In 2023, the Houston Dynamo won their second U.S. Open Cup.
July 16, 2024: Tim Howard Joins Ownership Group
On July 16, 2024, the Houston Dynamo announced the addition of U.S. Men's National Team legend Tim Howard to its ownership group.
2024: Héctor Herrera Signs
On March 2, 2022, Houston Dynamo FC made their biggest signing in club history when Héctor Herrera joined on a pre-contract agreement through the 2024 MLS season as a designated player.
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