Tag: nfl

As a city, Kansas City has become the national leader for soccer development in the United States. So it seems rather fitting that the Soccer Capital of America – Kansas City – is also the city to which one of the forefathers in the formation of American soccer is forever linked…Lamar Hunt.

Inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982, Lamar Hunt was an early investor in the North American Soccer League. I.e.: the NASL. When the NASL incurred financial challenges in the early ‘80’s – shrinking from 17 teams to 5 teams – the Kansas City Chiefs patriarch remained committed to the future of the NASL. And to the future of soccer in the United States.

A then-NASL franchise owner himself, Lamar Hunt’s team was the Dallas Tornado. Hunt’s ownership of the Tornado goes back to the team’s inception in 1967. Hunt owned the Dallas Tornado until the team ultimately folded in 1981. Hunt’s Dallas Tornado won the NASL championship in 1971…one year after Hunt’s Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl IV.

Lamar Hunt’s Dallas Tornado started out as a team in the United Soccer Association. The United Soccer Association merged with the National Professional Soccer League…creating the NASL.

While the Hunt name is known, mostly, as a result of the family’s ownership of the NFL team that has won the Lamar Hunt trophy 5 out of the past 6 years as AFC Champions – the Kansas City Chiefs – early on, the NFL was no fan of Hunt’s commitment to soccer. In fact, the NFL took steps which were designed to disallow an NFL team owner – I.e.: Lamar Hunt – from owning a professional sports team in more than one sport. This was an NFL-led effort to force the Hunt family to divest from their interests in soccer. The NFL’s football-only rule ultimately failed. The Hunt family stayed in soccer.

In 1996, Kansas City Chiefs Chairman Clark Hunt, together with his father, Lamar Hunt, acquired two MLS teams – the Columbus Crew and the Kansas City Wizards (now Sporting KC).

Three years later, Lamar Hunt financed the construction of what was at that time the largest soccer-only stadium in the United States in Columbus, Ohio – Columbus Crew Stadium.

In 2003, Lamar Hunt purchased his third MLS team, the then-Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas). Hunt’s acquisition of the Dallas Burn was anchored through his commitment to finance a soccer-only stadium in Dallas as well…for the Burn. Lamar Hunt always believed that sound economics for professional soccer in North America had to be anchored by stadium ownership.

Today, the Dallas Burn are owned by Hunt Sports Group.

The Hunt family sold the Kansas City Wiz in 2006. The Kansas City Wiz went on to win the MLS Cup that same year. In 2006.

Like America’s earlier professional soccer league – the NASL – the MLS ran into their fair share of financial difficulties.

In the early 2000’s, there were only three MLS team owners who remained committed to funding ongoing MLS operations. At that time, the MLS was hemorrhaging cash – losing $250 million since its inaugural 1996 season. One of those three MLS owners, was Lamar Hunt.

Lamar Hunt’s commitment to soccer-only stadiums contributed to the financial turnaround for American soccer. And for the MLS.

Further linking the Hunt family to American soccer, U.S. soccer’s longest standing knockout competition – the U.S. Open Cup – was renamed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup by the United States Soccer Federation in 1999…that renaming, having been undertaken by the United States Soccer Federation to honor Lamar Hunt’s contributions to American futbol. While also recognizing Lamar Hunt’s contributions to two American professional soccer leagues…first, the NASL, then later, the MLS.  

The Hunt family’s FC Dallas won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup two times. In 1997 and 2016. 

Under the Hunt family’s leadership, Sporting KC also won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup two times. In 2004 and 2012.

Lamar Hunt’s Kansas City Wizards won the MLS Cup in 2000.