as opposed to renting -- stadiums, Hunt gave life to the concept of soccer-specific facilities.
In 1999, Hunt's vision became reality as 22,555-seat Columbus Crew Stadium opened on May 15. The metal and concrete stadium was built in the image of "America's Hardest Working Team" and was completed in just over nine months. In its first year of operation, Columbus -- the smallest market in MLS -- led the league in attendance.
The opening of Crew Stadium was the first domino to fall in a stadium construction boom that has seen the completion of The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.; Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas; and Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.; and BMO Field in Toronto will open next spring, and plans for stadiums in Harrison, N.J.; Sandy, Utah; Washington, D.C.; and Johnson County, Kan., are in various stages of completion.
"I think you need to give all the credit to Lamar Hunt for kicking this off and taking the risk, first in recognizing that the situation at Ohio State's football stadium was not going to be viable long-term and working with the various authorities and businesses in the community to create a model that allowed Columbus Crew Stadium to be built," said Real Salt Lake general manager Steve Pastorino in a story published in the MLS Cup 2006 gameday program. "It showed anybody else that it can be done."
Through the first 11 seasons of the league, only Anschutz Entertainment Group has rivaled the commitment to MLS that Hunt and HSG have shown. As AEG did in taking over the operations of D.C. United, the MetroStars and the San Jose Earthquakes, HSG in 2003 stepped in to take over the then-Dallas Burn, which had struggled as a league-run team up to that point. Since then, the team has rebounded and is now a perennial MLS Cup contender.
In August 2006, Hunt sold the Wizards to OnGoal, LLC, a six-person group of Kansas City-based investors. Hunt cited his need to focus on his NFL team, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the decision to put the Wizards up for sale, all the while stating his desire to find a strong, Kansas City-based investor for the club.
In 2004, MLS honored Hunt with the Commissioner's Award, given to those who have made a significant positive impact on MLS and the sport of soccer in the United States. In presenting Hunt with the award, Garber cited Hunt's unique drive.
"It's not often in life that we get to rub shoulders with someone who has been a part of creating history, to live and work alongside someone who had the vision to see what others could not and who believed when others did not," Garber said at the time. "That singular perseverance and that commitment is what legends are made of."
Hunt has been honored many times over for his contributions to U.S. soccer, including his time as and investor in the North American Soccer League's Dallas Tornado from 1967-81. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1982 and received the Hall's Medal of Honor in 1999.
Also in 1999, the U.S. Open Cup tournament, the oldest team sports tournament in the United States, was renamed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in his honor. Hunt's teams have won the competition twice -- the Crew in 2002 and the Wizards in 2004. The Wizards won Hunt his second soccer championship in 2000 when they won MLS Cup. The Tornado had won the NASL title in 1971.
Hunt first burst onto the sports scene in the USA in 1960, teaming with seven others to form the American Football League a year after being rebuffed in his application for an NFL expansion franchise.
In its early years, the AFL steadily grew in stature, competing with the NFL for the best college players and providing innovation in the sport's marketing and strategy. Hunt and the AFL's bold moves forced a merger between the leagues in 1970.
Hunt's team, the Dallas Texans, was one of the league's best, winning the AFL crown in 1962. Competition from the NFL's Cowboys, though, forced the team to move to Kansas City and become the Chiefs. The Chiefs in 1966 advanced to the AFL-NFL Championship Game, which came to be known as the Super Bowl. Though they lost in that initial game, they returned to Super Bowl IV after the 1969 season and won, claiming Hunt's first sports championship.
The NFL honored Hunt for his contributions to football by naming the AFC trophy after him. He was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.
Hunt is also credited with coining the term "Super Bowl," the naming originating with his daughter's toy "Super Ball." Former NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle also credited Hunt with suggesting the use of Roman numerals in the game designations of the Super Bowl.
Hunt's sports influence also extends to the sports of tennis and basketball. He co-founded the World Championship Tennis circuit in 1967 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1993. He was also one of the founding investors of the NBA's Chicago Bulls, who started play in 1966. Until his death, he was the last remaining original Bulls investor.
Hunt graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.S. in geology in 1956. While at SMU, he was a four-year participant on the football team.
Jason Halpin is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
