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Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew logo 2021.svg
Full name Columbus Crew
Nickname(s) The Crew
The Black and Gold
Founded June 15, 1994; 30 years ago (1994-06-15)
Stadium Lower.com Field
Columbus, Ohio
Stadium
capacity
20,371
Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam
JW and Whitney Johnson
Pete Edwards
General Manager Issa Tall
Head coach Wilfried Nancy
League Major League Soccer
2024 Eastern Conference: 2nd
Overall: 2nd
Playoffs: First round

The Columbus Crew is a professional soccer team from Columbus, Ohio, in the United States. They play in Major League Soccer (MLS), which is the top soccer league in North America. The team started playing in 1996 and was one of the first 10 clubs in the league. Today, the team is owned by the Haslam family and Pete Edwards.

The team was started in 1994. Their home stadium is Lower.com Field, which opened in 2021. Before that, from 1999 to 2021, the Crew played at Historic Crew Stadium. This was special because it was the first stadium built just for an MLS soccer team! From 1996 to 1998, they played at Ohio Stadium. In 2023, the Crew had their biggest crowds ever, with lots of sold-out games.

The Columbus Crew has won many important awards, called trophies. They won the MLS Cup three times (in 2008, 2020, and 2023). They also won the Supporters' Shield three times (in 2004, 2008, and 2009), which goes to the team with the best record in the regular season. They won the 2002 U.S. Open Cup and the Leagues Cup in 2024. The Crew has also played in the CONCACAF Champions Cup (a big tournament for teams in North and Central America) five times, reaching the quarter-finals each time. In 2021, they won their first international trophy, the Campeones Cup, and in 2024, they made it to the Champions' Cup final!

History

How it all began (1994–1998)

Skorry-ohiostadium 6048
The Crew played their first game on April 13, 1996, at Ohio Stadium.

On June 15, 1994, Major League Soccer announced that Columbus, Ohio, would be one of the first 10 teams in the new league. Columbus was chosen because they promised to build a special soccer stadium and had already sold many season tickets. The team was named "the Crew" after a public contest. This name was chosen to represent the hard work of people in the Midwest.

Lamar Hunt and his son Clark Hunt became the owners of the Columbus Crew in 1996. The first players for the Crew included Doctor Khumalo and Brian McBride. McBride was the very first player chosen in the MLS draft. Timo Liekoski was the team's first coach.

The Crew played their first game on April 13, 1996, at Ohio Stadium. They won 4–0 against D.C. United in front of a big crowd. The team had a tough start, but they finished the season strong. They lost in the playoffs that year.

In 1997 and 1998, the Crew kept improving but lost in the Conference Finals to D.C. United both times. In 1998, they reached the U.S. Open Cup Final, but lost a close game. Stern John was a star player, scoring many goals for the team.

A new home (1999–2003)

The 1999 season was exciting because the Columbus Crew opened Columbus Crew Stadium. This was the first stadium in the United States built just for soccer! The Crew won their first game there 2–0. They finished second in their conference but lost to D.C. United in the playoffs again.

In 2002, the Crew won their first championship ever: the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. They beat the LA Galaxy 1–0 in the final. This was a huge moment for the team! Because they won the U.S. Open Cup, they got to play in the 2003 CONCACAF Champions' Cup, a big tournament with teams from other countries. They did well but eventually lost to a Mexican team. Brian McBride played his last season with Columbus in 2003 before moving to play in England.

Changes and challenges (2004–2006)

After Brian McBride left, the Crew brought in new players like Robin Fraser. In 2004, the Crew had an amazing season. They won the Supporters' Shield for having the best record in the league, going 18 games without a loss! Even though they had a great regular season, they were knocked out of the MLS Cup playoffs early.

The next few years were tough for the team with many player injuries. In 2006, the team went 13 games without a win. At the end of 2006, the team's founder and owner, Lamar Hunt, passed away. Around this time, Crew fans started calling the club "Massive" to show their pride and support for the team, even when things were difficult.

The Guillermo Barros Schelotto era (2007–2010)

Schelotto
The Crew signed Guillermo Barros Schelotto in 2007, who helped them reach their first MLS Cup the next year.

In 2007, the Crew signed a famous player from Argentina, Guillermo Barros Schelotto. He quickly became a key player. In 2008, the Crew had an incredible season! They won their first Eastern Conference title and then their first ever MLS Cup. Barros Schelotto was named the league's Most Valuable Player. The team also won their second Supporters' Shield. They beat the New York Red Bulls 3–1 in the final. Their coach, Sigi Schmid, won Coach of the Year.

After this amazing season, Sigi Schmid left to coach another team. Robert Warzycha, a former Crew player and assistant coach, became the new head coach. In 2009, the Crew won their second Supporters' Shield in a row! They also played in the CONCACAF Champions League in 2010 but lost in the quarterfinals.

Rebuilding and new coaches (2011–2013)

In 2011, the Crew signed their first "homegrown player," Aaron Horton, meaning he came from their own youth academy. The team struggled in the U.S. Open Cup, losing to lower-division teams. In 2012, a sad event happened off the field when a young player, Kirk Urso, passed away. The team missed the playoffs that year.

In 2013, coach Robert Warzycha left the team. Gregg Berhalter then became the new head coach and also the first "sporting director" for the club.

The Precourt era (2013–2018)

In 2013, Anthony Precourt became the new owner of the Columbus Crew. He worked to improve the stadium and connect the team more with the city of Columbus. In 2014, the Crew made it back to the playoffs! Some of their players even played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The team also broke attendance records at their stadium.

In 2014, the team's name was changed slightly to "Columbus Crew SC" and they got a new logo. In 2015, the Crew made it all the way to the MLS Cup Final again, but they lost to the Portland Timbers.

Saving the Crew

Save the Crew Tifo Columbus Crew SC vs Chicago Fire May 12 2018
A "Save the Crew" tifo before a game against the Chicago Fire in 2018

In 2017, the owner, Anthony Precourt, announced he wanted to move the team to Austin, Texas. This news made many fans very upset. They started a huge movement called "#SaveTheCrew" to keep the team in Columbus. Fans showed up at city meetings and organized protests.

The Ohio Attorney General and Columbus city attorney even filed a lawsuit to try and stop the move. This was based on a state law that said sports teams that used public facilities couldn't just leave without trying to sell the team to local owners first.

Haslam era and two MLS Cups (2018–present)

On October 12, 2018, good news arrived! Jimmy Haslam, who owns the Cleveland Browns football team, announced he was buying the Crew with other local groups. This meant the team would stay in Columbus! As part of the deal, the lawsuit was dropped.

On January 1, 2019, the Haslam family and Dr. Pete Edwards officially took over the team. They quickly announced plans to build a brand new stadium in downtown Columbus. They also hired new leaders and a new coach, Caleb Porter.

The 2020 season was amazing for the Crew. They signed new star players like Lucas Zelarayán and Darlington Nagbe. The team played very well and made it to the playoffs. On December 12, 2020, the Crew won their second MLS Cup by beating the Seattle Sounders 3–0 at their home stadium!

In 2021, the team tried to change its name to "Columbus SC" and introduced a new logo. However, fans strongly disliked this change. They protested, and the team listened! On May 17, 2021, the team announced that its official name would go back to "Columbus Crew," and the logo would be updated.

The Crew played their first game at the new Lower.com Field on July 17, 2021. After the 2022 season, the team hired a new coach, Wilfried Nancy. In Nancy's first year (2023), the Crew had another fantastic season. They won the MLS Cup for the third time, beating Los Angeles FC 2–1 at Lower.com Field!

In 2024, the Columbus Crew made history in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They beat a strong Mexican team, Tigres UANL, in a penalty shootout, which was the first time an American club had eliminated a Mexican club away from home in this tournament. They then beat another Mexican team, Monterrey, to reach their first-ever continental final! In the final, they played against C.F. Pachuca in Mexico and lost 3–0. The high altitude and some players feeling sick might have made it harder for the Crew.

Colors and badge

The official colors of the Columbus Crew are black and gold. Their main jersey is usually bright yellow with black details. Fans sometimes call it the "banana kit." For many years, the team also had a black alternate uniform.

The first team logo, used from 1996 to 2014, showed three people wearing construction hats. This was meant to represent hard-working people, like the image of Columbus as a "blue-collar" city.

In 2014, the team got a new circular logo. It kept the black and gold colors and included a smaller version of the original logo with "96" (for 1996, the year the team started). It also had a checkerboard pattern, which is seen on flags waved by fans. The new logo also had an "O" shape like the Ohio state flag, showing that Columbus is the state capital. The word "Columbus" was added to the logo, along with "SC" for "Soccer Club."

In 2021, the team changed its logo and name again, but fans were not happy. After listening to the fans, the team decided to keep "Columbus Crew" as its official name and updated the new logo. The current logo has the shape of the Ohio flag, with a "C" for Crew and Columbus, and "96" to show when the club began.

The team's nickname, "the Crew," now means a group of people who come together to share their love for the club and soccer. It's about family and friendship among the club, fans, and community.

Uniform history
1996–97
1998
1999–01
2002–03
2005–06
2006–07
2008–09
2010–11
2012–13
2014
2015–16
2016-17
2017–18
2019–20
2021
2022–2023

Stadiums

Columbus crew stadium mls allstars 2005
Historic Crew Stadium, the Crew's home from 1999 to 2021, is MLS' first soccer-specific stadium.
Lower.com Field Southwestern Gate July 3 2021
Lower.com Field, the current home of the Crew.

On May 15, 1999, the Crew opened Columbus Crew Stadium. This was a very important moment because it was the first stadium in Major League Soccer built just for soccer games! It became a model for other stadiums in the league. In 2015, it was renamed Mapfre Stadium.

Before 1999, the Columbus Crew played their home games at Ohio Stadium. This is a huge stadium on the campus of Ohio State University.

As part of the new ownership in 2018, the club planned to build a brand new stadium in downtown Columbus. This new stadium, called Lower.com Field, cost $230 million and can hold 20,000 fans. It opened in mid-2021. The old stadium, now called Historic Crew Stadium, is still used as a training facility for the team.

Sponsorships

The Columbus Crew has had different companies sponsor their jerseys over the years. Their first jersey sponsor was Snickers chocolate bar from 1996 to 2000. Later, Pepsi sponsored the team from 2002 to 2004. From 2008 to 2010, Glidden paints was the sponsor.

In 2012, Barbasol, a shaving cream brand, became the jersey sponsor. Then, from 2017 to 2019, Acura cars sponsored the team. Since 2020, Nationwide, a big insurance company based in Columbus, has been the main jersey sponsor.

Period Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Sleeve sponsor Shorts sponsor
1996–2000 Adidas Snickers
2002–2004 Pepsi
2008–2010 Glidden
2012 Barbasol U.S. Soccer Development Academy
2013–2016
2017–2019 Acura
2020 Nationwide Children's Hospital Scotts OhioHealth
2021 Nationwide Insurance
2022–present Tipico

There was no jersey sponsor in 2001, 2005–2007 and 2011.

Club culture

Supporters and Nordecke

Nordecke 2023 MLS Cup 12092023
The Nordecke, the Columbus Crew's supporter section, displaying a tifo before MLS Cup 2023 at Lower.com Field

The Columbus Crew has very passionate fans! Before 2008, different groups of fans sat in different parts of the stadium. But then, they all came together in the north corner of the stadium. They formed one big group called the Nordecke, which means "north corner" in German. This name celebrates Columbus's German heritage.

The Nordecke is known for being very loud and supportive. Many fans from the Nordecke also travel together to support the Crew at away games. They even have a special name for this: "NorOnTour."

Mascots

The Columbus Crew's first mascot was "Crew Cat," who was with the team for almost 20 years. In 2015, a new mascot named "S.C." was introduced, who is supposed to be Crew Cat's son. When the new owners took over in 2019, the original "Crew Cat" returned and now attends games alongside S.C.

Rivalries

Columbus Crew v. Chicago Fire June 2013 08
The Nordecke celebrating after Columbus scored a goal against the Chicago Fire in 2013 at Crew Stadium, now Historic Crew Stadium

The Crew has a strong rivalry with the Chicago Fire. Since the cities are not too far apart, many fans from both teams travel to watch these games. They have played against each other in important matches, including the 2008 Eastern Conference Championship and the 1998 U.S. Open Cup Final.

The Crew also plays for two special rivalry cups each season:

  • The Trillium Cup is played against Toronto FC because their cities are close.
  • The Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup is played against FC Dallas. This trophy was created because Lamar Hunt used to own both teams.

Another big rivalry for the Crew is with FC Cincinnati. This rivalry is known as the "Hell is Real Derby." It's named after a billboard on the highway between Columbus and Cincinnati. These games are always very exciting and intense!

Broadcasting

You can watch or listen to Columbus Crew games in different ways. In the past, games were shown on local TV channels like TWC Sports Channel and The CW.

Since 2019, most games have been shown on Fox Sports Ohio (now called Bally Sports Ohio). You can also listen to games on the radio. English-language broadcasts are on 97.1 WBNS-FM, and there are also Spanish-language broadcasts. In 2020, Jordan Angeli became the first woman broadcaster for the club.

Starting in 2023, almost all MLS games, including the Crew's, are available on MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV service.

Players and staff

Current roster

No. Position Player
1 Guatemala GK Nicholas Hagen
2 Argentina DF Andrés Herrera (on loan River Plate)
4 France DF Rudy Camacho
5 United States MF Derrick Jones
6 United States MF Darlington Nagbe (captain; DP)
7 France MF Dylan Chambost
9 Colombia FW Cucho Hernández (DP)
10 Uruguay FW Diego Rossi (DP)
12 United States DF DeJuan Jones
13 United States MF Aziel Jackson
14 Ghana MF Yaw Yeboah
16 United States FW Taha Habroune (HG)
No. Position Player
17 United States FW Christian Ramirez
18 Denmark DF Malte Amundsen
19 Canada FW Jacen Russell-Rowe (HG)
20 Romania MF Alexandru Mățan
21 Ukraine DF Yevhen Cheberko
22 Mexico GK Abraham Romero
23 Algeria DF Mohamed Farsi
24 United States GK Evan Bush
25 United States MF Sean Zawadzki (HG)
27 United States FW Maximilian Arfsten
28 United States GK Patrick Schulte
31 Cape Verde DF Steven Moreira

Players on loan

No. Position Player
11 Colombia MF Marino Hinestroza (on loan to Atlético Nacional)
29 United States MF Cole Mrowka (HG; on loan to Colorado Springs Switchbacks)
United States DF Keegan Hughes (HG; on loan to Loudoun United)

Team leaders

Front office
Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam
JW and Whitney Johnson
Dr. Pete Edwards
General Manager Issa Tall
Coaching staff
Head coach Wilfried Nancy
Assistant coach Kwame Ampadu
Assistant coach Yoann Damet
Goalkeeping coach Phil Boerger
Fitness coach Jules Gueguen
Video performance coach Maxime Chalier
Technical director Marc Nicholls
Crew Academy
Director of player development Dan Lock
Academy head coaches Kelvin Jones
Gus Teren
Shahad Farahani
Bryan Rodrigues

Last updated: 01:30, August 17, 2024 (UTC)
Source: [1]

Head coaches through the years

The Crew has had nine different head coaches since 1996. Timo Liekoski was the first coach, followed by Tom Fitzgerald. Sigi Schmid led the team for three seasons, including their first MLS Cup win. Robert Warzycha coached the team twice. More recently, Gregg Berhalter and Caleb Porter were head coaches. The current head coach is Wilfried Nancy, who joined in 2022.

Name Nationality Time as coach
Timo Liekoski  Finland December 5, 1995 – August 2, 1996
Tom Fitzgerald  United States August 2, 1996 – May 17, 2001
Greg Andrulis  United States May 17, 2001 – July 16, 2005
Robert Warzycha (interim)  Poland July 16, 2005 – October 20, 2005
Sigi Schmid  Germany October 20, 2005 – December 16, 2008
Robert Warzycha  Poland December 23, 2008 – September 2, 2013
Brian Bliss (interim)  United States September 2, 2013 – November 6, 2013
Gregg Berhalter  United States November 6, 2013 – December 2, 2018
Caleb Porter  United States January 4, 2019 – October 10, 2022
Wilfried Nancy  France December 6, 2022 – present

General Managers and Sporting Directors

Name Nationality Time in role
Jamey Rootes  United States 1995–2000
Jim Smith  United States 2000–2004
Mark McCullers  United States 2004–2013
Gregg Berhalter  United States 2013–2018
Tim Bezbatchenko  United States 2019–2024
Issa Tall  France 2024–present

Player development

Columbus Crew 2

In 2021, Major League Soccer created a new league for younger players and developing talent called MLS Next Pro. The Crew has a team in this league called Columbus Crew 2. They play their home games at Historic Crew Stadium. Fans sometimes call them the "Capybaras."

Academy

The Columbus Crew also has an Academy program with teams for different age groups (U13/14, U15, U17, and U19). This academy helps young soccer players grow their skills. Many players from the Crew Academy have gone on to play for the main Columbus Crew team in MLS. For example, Wil Trapp was the first player in MLS history to be a captain who came from a team's own academy.

The Crew also has a program called The Crew Network, which helps promote soccer across Ohio. It gives young players, coaches, and parents special chances to connect with the Crew and learn more about the sport.

Honors

Columbus Crew at the White House 2009-07-13 10
U.S. President Barack Obama welcomes the 2008 MLS Cup Champions the Columbus Crew to the White House on July 13, 2009
National Awards
Competitions Titles Seasons Won
MLS Cup 3 2008, 2020, 2023
Supporters' Shield 3 2004, 2008, 2009
U.S. Open Cup 1 2002
Regional Awards
Competitions Titles Seasons Won
Leagues Cup 1 2024
Campeones Cup 1 2021

Other Awards

Team Record

Year-by-year results

Here are the results for the Columbus Crew over the last five seasons:

Season League Position Playoffs USOC Continental / Other Average
attendance
Top goalscorer(s)
Div League Pld W L D GF GA GD Pts PPG Conf. Overall Name(s) Goals
2019 1 MLS 34 10 16 8 39 47 −8 38 1.12 10th 20th Did not qualify Round of 16 Did not qualify 14,856 United States Gyasi Zardes 13
2020 MLS 23 12 6 5 36 21 +15 41 1.78 3rd 4th Won Not held MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16 3,761 United States Gyasi Zardes 15
2021 MLS 34 13 13 8 46 45 +1 47 1.38 9th 17th Did not qualify Not held CONCACAF Champions League
Campeones Cup
Quarterfinals
Won
18,990 Armenia Lucas Zelarayán 13
2022 MLS 34 10 8 16 46 41 +5 46 1.35 8th 16th Did not qualify Not held Did not qualify 19,237 Armenia Lucas Zelarayán 10
2023 MLS 34 16 9 9 67 46 +21 57 1.68 3rd 3rd Won Round of 16 Leagues Cup Round of 32 20,286 Colombia Cucho Hernández 24

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

List of Columbus Crew records and statistics

The Columbus Crew has a good record in international friendly games, winning 13, losing 6, and drawing 3.

Player records

Appearances

List of Columbus Crew records and statistics

Goals

List of Columbus Crew records and statistics

Assists

List of Columbus Crew records and statistics

Shutouts

List of Columbus Crew records and statistics

Team Captains

Name Years
South Africa Doctor Khumalo 1996
Argentina Marcelo Carrera 1997
United States Thomas Dooley 1998
United States Thomas Dooley
United States Brian McBride
United States Mike Lapper
1999
United States Mike Lapper 2000
United States Mike Clark 2001
United States Brian McBride
United States Brian Maisonneuve
United States Tom Presthus
2002
United States Mike Clark 2003
United States Robin Fraser 2004–2006
United States Frankie Hejduk 2006–2010
United States Chad Marshall 2011–2012
Argentina Federico Higuaín 2013
United States Michael Parkhurst 2014–2016
United States Wil Trapp 2017–2019
Ghana Jonathan Mensah 2020–2022
United States Darlington Nagbe 2023–

Average attendance

Sources:

Season Regular season Playoffs
1996 18,950 20,807
1997 15,043 11,304
1998 12,275 12,094
1999 17,696 10,983
2000 15,451 missed playoffs
2001 17,551 20,883
2002 17,429 11,624
2003 16,250 missed playoffs
2004 16,872 15,224
2005 12,916 missed playoffs
2006 13,294 missed playoffs
2007 15,230 missed playoffs
2008 14,622 17,613
2009 14,175 10,109
2010 14,642 10,322
2011 12,185 no home games in playoffs
2012 14,397 missed playoffs
2013 16,080 missed playoffs
2014 16,881 9,040
2015 16,985 20,797
2016 17,125 missed playoffs
2017 15,439 17,853
2018 12,447 12,892
2019 14,856 missed playoffs
2020 4,138* 1,500**
2021 16,583 missed playoffs
2022 19,237 missed playoffs
2023 20,314 20,387
All-time 15,323 13,965
Key
Attendance affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
* Attendance was 17,473 Pre-COVID and 1,471 Post-COVID
** Attendance was capped at 1,500 due to COVID restrictions

Images for kids

See also

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