Colorado Rapids facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colorado Rapids

Nickname(s)	Pids
Founded	June 6, 1995; 30 years ago (1995-06-06)
Stadium	Dick's Sporting Goods Park Commerce City, Colorado
Stadium capacity	18,062 (expandable to 19,680)
Owner	Kroenke Sports & Entertainment
Head coach	Chris Armas
League	Major League Soccer
2024	Western Conference: 7th Overall: 12th Playoffs: First round
Home colors Away colors

The Colorado Rapids are a professional soccer team from the Denver metropolitan area in the United States. They play in Major League Soccer (MLS) as part of the Western Conference. The club started in 1995 and was one of the first teams in MLS, playing their first season in 1996.

The Rapids are owned by Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. This company also owns other sports teams like the Denver Nuggets (NBA basketball) and the Colorado Avalanche (NHL hockey).

Colorado won the MLS Cup in 2010, which is their biggest championship. They had reached the final once before in 1997 but lost. They also made it to the final of the U.S. Open Cup in 1999. The Rapids play their home games at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City. They moved to this stadium in 2007.

History of the Colorado Rapids

Starting Years

The Rapids played at Mile High Stadium from 1996 to 2001.

The Colorado Rapids were one of the ten original teams when Major League Soccer began. Their first season in 1996 was tough. Even with experienced players like Marcelo Balboa, the team finished last. Balboa scored the first goal for the club.

In 1997, Glenn Myernick became the new coach. He brought in new players like Paul Bravo and Marcus Hahnemann. The team started slowly but improved and made it to the playoffs. They surprised everyone by reaching the 1997 MLS Cup final. Chris Henderson scored an amazing goal in the Western Conference final. However, they lost the MLS Cup final 2–1 to D.C. United.

The Rapids continued to have ups and downs. In 1999, they reached the U.S. Open Cup final but lost to the Rochester Raging Rhinos. The year 2000 had some memorable moments. Marcelo Balboa scored a famous bicycle kick goal. This goal won the MLS Goal of the Year Award. The team also made the playoffs in the very last game.

Chris Henderson playing for the Rapids in 2004.

In 2001, Tim Hankinson became the new head coach. He brought in good players like John Spencer and Carlos Valderrama. The team made the playoffs every year under Hankinson. During this time, the Rapids set an MLS record. They allowed very few goals at home. This showed how strong their defense was.

Moving to a New Home (2007–2013)

The Rapids (in pale blue) playing against Houston Dynamo in 2009.

In 2006, the club changed its colors to burgundy and blue. This was to match other teams owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises. They also planned to build a new stadium. Dick's Sporting Goods Park opened in March 2007. It became the team's new home.

The Rapids had a good first year at their new stadium. They hosted the 2007 MLS All-Star Game. On the field, they played well but just missed the playoffs. In 2008, Gary Smith took over as interim coach. The team started strong, beating the LA Galaxy 4–0. They almost made the playoffs but were eliminated in the last game.

In 2009, Gary Smith became the full-time head coach. The team signed important players like Pablo Mastroeni and Matt Pickens. The media thought the team needed more changes. But the main group of players stayed together.

Winning the MLS Cup in 2010

The 2010 season was very exciting. Many new players joined the team, including Jeff Larentowicz and Claudio Lopez. The club also built a special area for fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. During the season, the team made more player changes. They traded for Macoumba Kandji and Brian Mullan.

Colorado qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs. They defeated the Columbus Crew in the first round. On November 13, they beat the San Jose Earthquakes 1–0. This sent them to the MLS Cup final for the first time since 1997.

In the final, Colorado played against FC Dallas. The Rapids were losing 1–0 at halftime. But Conor Casey scored in the second half to tie the game. The game went into extra time. Macoumba Kandji helped set up the winning goal. Colorado won the 2010 MLS Cup 2–1! This was the club's first major championship.

The Colorado Rapids celebrating after winning the MLS Cup 2010.

After winning the MLS Cup, the Rapids qualified for the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League. In 2012, Oscar Pareja became the new head coach. The team made many player changes. They started the season well but then struggled. They missed the playoffs that year.

In 2013, the team changed a lot again. Many players from the 2010 championship team left. Coach Oscar Pareja wanted younger, faster players. The Rapids finished fifth in their conference and made the playoffs. But they were eliminated in the first round. After the season, Oscar Pareja left. Former Rapids player Pablo Mastroeni became the new coach.

Recent Seasons (2014–2020)

Under coach Mastroeni, the Rapids did not make the playoffs in 2014. The team had many injuries and didn't win their last fourteen games. In 2015, they finished last in their conference.

For the 2016 season, the Rapids made big changes. They brought in new players like Shkelzen Gashi, Jermaine Jones, and Tim Howard. The team had a very successful year. They had a 15-game unbeaten streak. They reached the Western Conference championship but lost to the Seattle Sounders.

In 2017, the team struggled again. Coach Pablo Mastroeni was fired. The Rapids finished 10th in their conference. For 2018, Anthony Hudson became the new coach. The team added players like Edgar Castillo and Jack Price. They were eliminated from the 2018 CONCACAF Champions League. The season ended with another 10th place finish.

In 2019, the Rapids brought in experienced MLS players like Kei Kamara and Diego Rubio. They also added young players. The team started the season without a win in their first 11 games. Coach Hudson left, and Conor Casey became the interim coach. Casey led the team to a better record. Later, Robin Fraser was named the permanent head coach. The team just missed the playoffs.

The 2020 season started well with two wins. But then MLS paused due to COVID-19. When the season restarted, the Rapids had some good games. They beat Real Salt Lake 5–0. However, some players and staff got sick, and games were canceled. The Rapids returned and clinched a playoff spot. They lost in the first round of the playoffs. Young players like Sam Vines and Cole Bassett had great seasons.

Team Colors and Badge

• 

  Colorado Rapids first logo (1996–2001)

• 

  Colorado Rapids second logo (2001–2006)

The Colorado Rapids' look has changed a lot over time. They have had two complete makeovers. At first, their main uniform color was green. Then, for the 2003 season, they changed to black and blue.

When the team moved to Dick's Sporting Goods Park in 2007, they changed their look again. Their colors became burgundy and blue. They also got a new shield-shaped logo. This new logo fit in with more traditional soccer team badges around the world. The current logo shows a mountain, representing the Rocky Mountains. It also has the number 96, which stands for the year the team started (1996).

The Rapids' first uniforms were mostly white with green. Later, black became a more important color with the green. For the 2003 season, the uniforms changed to black and blue vertical stripes. This was similar to the uniforms of the Italian team Inter Milan.

The final uniform change happened for the 2007 season. Now, the Rapids wear burgundy (Pantone 202) and sky blue (Pantone 278) as their main colors. They also have a white third uniform.

The yellow away kit was worn by the Rapids from 2015 to 2018.

The team's use of burgundy even inspired a song! A Scottish band called Little Eye wrote a song about the team called "Burgundy Sky." It is now the Rapids' official anthem.

For a long time, the Colorado Rapids were the only MLS team without a paid sponsor on the front of their jerseys. In 2014, they signed a deal with Ciao Telecom. But that deal ended quickly. In 2015, they partnered with Transamerica as their jersey sponsor. In 2022, the Rapids announced a new partnership with UCHealth. UCHealth will be their jersey sponsor until 2029.

Home Stadium

Dick's Sporting Goods Park during a game between the Colorado Rapids and Los Angeles Galaxy (November 2016).

The Rapids play their home games at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. It is located in Commerce City, which is near Denver. The stadium can hold 19,680 fans. It cost $131 million to build. It is a soccer-specific stadium, meaning it was built just for soccer.

The stadium opened on April 7, 2007. The complex also has youth soccer fields and shops. Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) owns and operates the stadium. KSE also owns other sports teams like the Colorado Avalanche. The team wanted their own soccer stadium since 1999. This was because they had less control when sharing stadiums.

The team's first home was Mile High Stadium. This was a large stadium shared with the Denver Broncos football team. The Rapids played there until 2001. They then moved to the Broncos' new stadium, Invesco Field at Mile High, until 2006.

The Rapids have a big difference between their home and away game results. They win about 65% of their games at home. But they only win about 29% of their games when playing away.

Club Culture

Rocky Mountain Cup

In 2005, Real Salt Lake joined Major League Soccer. They became the closest rival team to the Rapids. Fans of both clubs created a special competition. It's called the Rocky Mountain Cup. Each season, the team that wins more games against the other in league play wins the Cup.

Supporters

Omar Cummings greeting the fans at the Supporters Terrace.

The Rapids have a strong fan base. In 2002, they had the most fans per game in the league. For some international games, like the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, special fan areas were closed. This is because soccer rules require all fans to have seats.

In 2013, the three main fan groups of the Rapids decided to join together. These groups were Class VI, the Pid Army, and the Bulldog Supporters Group. They combined to form one big group called Centennial 38.

Broadcasting Games

Rapids games are shown on several TV channels. One of these is Altitude Television. This channel is owned by Kroenke Sports Entertainment, who also owns the Rapids. Since 2007, Major League Soccer requires every game to be shown on TV.

For many years, Richard Fleming was the main play-by-play announcer. He used to work for the BBC. He was joined by U.S. soccer legend Marcelo Balboa as the color analyst.

Since 2023, all Rapids matches can be watched on MLS Season Pass. This is available on the Apple TV app.

Players and Staff

Current Roster

No. Position Player 2 DF Keegan Rosenberry 3 DF Sam Vines 4 DF Reggie Cannon 5 DF Andreas Maxsø 6 DF Lalas Abubakar 7 FW Jonathan Lewis 9 FW Rafael Navarro 10 MF Djordje Mihailovic 11 MF Omir Fernandez 14 FW Calvin Harris 18 MF Oliver Larraz 20 MF Connor Ronan 21 DF Jasper Löffelsend

No. Position Player 22 DF Sebastian Anderson 23 MF Cole Bassett 24 MF Wayne Frederick 27 FW Kimani Stewart-Baynes 31 GK Adam Beaudry 34 DF Michael Edwards 41 GK Ethan Bandré 42 MF Daniel Chacón 56 DF Nate Jones 77 FW Darren Yapi 91 FW Kévin Cabral 95 GK Zack Steffen 99 DF Jackson Travis

Players on Loan

No. Position Player MF Rémi Cabral (on loan to Phoenix Rising) DF Miguel Navarro (on loan to Talleres)

Team Management

Head Coaches Over Time

As of November 17th, 2023

Name	Nationality	Years Coached	MLS Record (W-L-D)	Winning %	Games Coached
Bob Houghton	England	February 1, 1996 – September 10, 1996	9–16–6	42.86%	31
Roy Wegerle (interim)	United States	September 13, 1996 – November 19, 1996	0–1–0	N/A	1
Glenn Myernick	United States	November 19, 1996 – December 19, 2000	53–53–22	41.41%	128
Tim Hankinson	United States	December 20, 2000 – December 15, 2004	39–45–30	34.21%	114
Fernando Clavijo	United States	December 22, 2004 – August 20, 2008	44–53–27	35.48%	124
Gary Smith	England	November 11, 2008 – November 7, 2011	34–27–33	36.17%	94
Óscar Pareja	Colombia	January 6, 2012 – January 4, 2014	25–30–13	36.77%	68
Pablo Mastroeni	United States	January 4, 2014 – August 15, 2017	38–50–35	30.89%	123
Steve Cooke (interim)	England	August 15, 2017 – November 29, 2017	3–7–2	N/A	12
Anthony Hudson	England	November 29, 2017 – May 1, 2019	8–26–9	18.61%	43
Conor Casey (interim)	United States	May 1, 2019 – August 25, 2019	7–7–4	N/A	18
Robin Fraser	United States	August 25, 2019 – September 5, 2023	46–45–34	36.80%	125
Chris Little (interim)	Scotland	September 5, 2023 – November 17, 2023	2–3–3	25.00%	8
Chris Armas	United States	November 17, 2023 – present	3–3–2	37.50%	0

General Managers and Sporting Directors

Name	Nationality	Years in Role
Dan Counce	United States	1997–2005
Paul Bravo	United States	2009–2014
Pádraig Smith	Ireland	2014–present

Gallery of Honor

The Rapids created the Gallery of Honor in 2003. It celebrates the club's best players of all time. Their names and jersey numbers are displayed at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The first two players honored were Marcelo Balboa and Paul Bravo in 2003.

• #17 Marcelo Balboa (inducted 2003)
• #9 Paul Bravo (inducted 2003)
• #19 Chris Henderson (inducted 2007)
• #7 John Spencer (inducted 2009)
• #25 Pablo Mastroeni (inducted 2014)
• #9 Conor Casey (inducted 2017)
• #3 Drew Moor (inducted 2023)

Team Achievements

• MLS Cup
  • Champions (1): 2010

Reserve and Friendly Competitions

• MLS Reserve Division
  • Champions (2): 2006, 2007
• Rocky Mountain Cup
  • Winners (6): 2005, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2020, 2024

Team Records

Year-by-Year Results

Here are the results for the last five seasons of the Rapids. For all seasons, see List of Colorado Rapids seasons.

Season	League									Position		Playoffs	USOC	Continental		Average Attendance	Top Goalscorer(s)
	Pld	W	L	D	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Conf.	Overall			CCL	LC		Name(s)	Goals
2018	34	8	19	7	36	63	−27	31	0.91	11th	21st	DNQ	R4	Ro16	NH	15,333	Dominique Badji	7
2019	34	12	16	6	58	63	−5	42	1.24	9th	16th	DNQ	R4	DNQ	DNQ	14,284	Kei Kamara	14
2020	18	8	6	4	32	28	+4	28	1.56	5th	10th	R1	NH			13,062	Cole Bassett Jonathan Lewis	5
2021	34	17	7	10	51	35	+16	61	1.79	1st	2nd	QF	NH			12,014	Michael Barrios	8
2022	34	11	13	10	46	57	–11	43	1.26	10th	18th	DNQ	Ro32	Ro16		14,473	Diego Rubio	16
2023	34	5	17	12	26	54	–28	27	0.79	14th	28th	DNQ	Ro16	DNQ	DNQ	15,409	Cole Bassett	6

1. Avg. attendance includes statistics from league matches only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.

International Tournaments

Player Records

Most Appearances

As of September 24th, 2024

Rank	Player	Years	MLS Games	Playoff Games	US Open Cup Games	Continental Games (includes Leagues Cup)	Total Games
1	Mastroeni, PabloPablo Mastroeni	2002–2013	&&&&&&&&&&&&0225.&&&&&0225	&&&&&&&&&&&&&019.&&&&&019	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	245
2	Moor, DrewDrew Moor	2009–2015 2019–2023	&&&&&&&&&&&&0210.&&&&&0210	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	223
3	Henderson, ChrisChris Henderson	1996–1999 2001–2006	&&&&&&&&&&&&0178.&&&&&0178	&&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	197
4	Rosenberry, KeeganKeegan Rosenberry	2018–Present	&&&&&&&&&&&&0168.&&&&&0168	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011	179
5	Balboa, MarceloMarcelo Balboa	1996–2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&0151.&&&&&0151	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	168
6	Cummings, OmarOmar Cummings	2007–2013	&&&&&&&&&&&&0147.&&&&&0147	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	159
7	Beckerman, KyleKyle Beckerman	2002–2007	&&&&&&&&&&&&0145.&&&&&0145	&&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	155
8	Wynne, MarvellMarvell Wynne	2010–2014	&&&&&&&&&&&&0140.&&&&&0140	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&03.&&&&&03	153
9	Bravo, PaulPaul Bravo	1996–2002	&&&&&&&&&&&&0135.&&&&&0135	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&00.&&&&&00	151
10	Wilson, DannyDanny Wilson	2018–2023	&&&&&&&&&&&&0136.&&&&&0136	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	147

Top Goalscorers

As of September 24th, 2024

Rank	Player	Years	MLS Goals	Playoff Goals	US Open Cup Goals	Continental Goals (includes Leagues Cup)	Total Goals
1	Conor Casey	2007–2012	50	2	1	0	53
2	Paul Bravo	1997–2001	39	5	1	1	46
3	John Spencer	2001–2004	37	2	4	0	43
4	Omar Cummings	2007–2012	39	1	1	1	42
5	Diego Rubio	2019–2023	38	0	1	1	40
6	Chris Henderson	1996–1998 2002–2005	31	2	4	0	37
7	Dominique Badji	2015–2018 2021	28	0	3	0	31
8	Jonathan Lewis	2019–Present	26	0	3	1	30
9	Wolde Harris	1997–1999 2005	27	1	0	0	28
10	Mark Chung	2002–2005	26	1	0	0	27

Images for kids

• 

  Colorado Rapids first logo (1996–2001)

• 

  Colorado Rapids second logo (2001–2006)

See also

In Spanish: Colorado Rapids para niños