The Rapids business-wise enjoyed a fantastic inaugural year at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, hosting numerous international exhibitions, tournaments on the stadium's 24-field complex, and the 2007 MLS All-Star Game ; on the pitch though the team's performance was less than ideal.

*** The first game in 2009, which took place after the season, employed a format similar to that of recent MLS All-Star Games, with a team of WPS all-stars taking on a visiting foreign club team ( specifically Umeå IK of Sweden ).

The matchup between divisions, as first pioneered by Major League Baseball's All-Star Game, would only be used for six seasons as MLS tried experimenting with different formats.

The 1998 All-Star Game placed a team of American MLS players against MLS players from abroad.

* Dallas, Kansas City, New England, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and Montreal are the only current MLS cities that have not yet hosted an MLS All-Star Game.

de: MLS All-Star Game

fr: MLS All-Star Game

it: MLS All-Star Game

pt: MLS All-Star

fi: MLS All-Star Game

Reliant Stadium also hosted the 2010 MLS All-Star Game as Manchester United won 5 – 2.

In addition the network, along with TSN2 will broadcast a package of other regular season games, the MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs and the MLS Cup.

He was selected to the MLS All-Star team twice, once as a commissioner's choice and once as the coach's.

In 2001, he became the youngest player to win the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award, recording four shutouts and a league-leading 146 saves, and was named to the MLS All-Star Team.

Arena was also the 1997 and 1998 MLS All-Star head coach.

It was the site of the 2001 MLS Cup championship and was the host stadium for the Major League Soccer All-Star Game in 2000 and 2005.

* August 3, 2002 – In the MLS All-Star Game, a team of MLS players defeat the U. S. Men's National Team 3 – 2.

It hosted the 2003 MLS All-Star Game and the MLS Cup in 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2011.

* Sean Franklin, MLS player, 2008 MLS Rookie of the Year

* Troy Perkins, DC United goalkeeper and 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year.

In 2008, England's Darren Huckerby, the MLS Newcomer of the Year and Ireland's Ronnie O ' Brien, who made 28 appearances for the Earthquakes, helped anchor the offense, combining for 10 goals and 10 assists.

Despite winning the MLS Coach of the Year Award in 2004, Andrulis was replaced on an interim basis by Robert Warzycha midway through the 2005 season.

For their efforts, Chad Marshall won MLS Defender of the Year award, and Sigi Schmid won Coach of the Year.

Chad Marshall won his second consecutive MLS Defender of the Year award.

General Manager Dan Counce was named MLS Executive of the Year and 4 other Rapids front office staff were named as the best at their positions in MLS that year.

* Clint Dempsey-Professional soccer player for English team Tottenham Hotspur of the Premier League, 2004 MLS Rookie of the Year and member of the United States men's national soccer team, only US player to score a goal in the 2006 World Cup, scored first American goal in 2010 World Cup in South Africa in 1-1 match versus England, first American player to record a hat-trick in the Premier League

* Ricardo Clark-Professional soccer player for Eintracht Frankfurt, 2003 MLS Rookie of the Year runner-up, member of the United States men's national soccer team

He also received the MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award.

Arena's success led to his selection as the 1997 MLS Coach of the Year.

The Galaxy went to the playoffs and Arena was selected as the MLS Coach of the Year Award.

Eskandarian scored again in a 3-1 win at New York on July 16, a goal which was nominated for MLS Goal of the Year.

Former Greyhounds include the 2009 Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year, Zach Thornton as well as many others who have played in the MLS and other professional leagues.

He was the 1995 A-League Defender of the Year and the 1996 MLS Defender of the Year.

He also won the 1996 U. S. Open Cup and was the 2001 MLS Defender of the Year.

Agoos was named MLS Defender of the Year in 2001 and earned a place in the MLS Best XI three times ( 1997, 1999, and 2001 ).

* MLS Supporters ' Shield: 1996

The Kansas City Wizards was a charter member of MLS in 1996 and became the Wizards from 1997 onwards.

In 1996, Seattle was considered for one of the 10 original MLS teams ; however, the region lacked an adequate outdoor stadium.

It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league since its inception, in 1996.

Bruce Arena, the club's first coach, led the team to the first " double " in modern U. S. soccer history in 1996, beating the Los Angeles Galaxy to take the first MLS Cup and the USL First Division club the Rochester Raging Rhinos to win the U. S. Open Cup.

It has also provided lessons for its successor Major League Soccer, which has taken precautions against such problems, particularly a philosophy of financial restraint ( mainstream US sport, by the time of MLS ' startup in 1996, had adopted financial restraint rules, which MLS adopted ).

The team is one of the ten charter members of MLS which competed in the league's first season in 1996 ( originally as the San Jose Clash ) and took part in the first game in MLS history, defeating D. C. United 1 – 0.

Although the Clash made the postseason in the inaugural 1996 MLS season, and Doyle earned recognition as the best MLS defender, the team floundered in 1997.

While functionally being the 14th franchise to join MLS, the team retained all records, logos, colors and titles of the 1996 – 2005 franchise and is a continuation of that franchise.

Their original jersey, used in the inaugural 1996 MLS season, featured black-and-teal halves, black sleeves with gold and red accents, black shorts and black socks.

MLS investor Lamar Hunt, and his son Clark became the owners of both the Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards in 1996.

Fitzgerald, who had coached 161 of the Crew's first 183 MLS matches over parts of six seasons between 1996 and 2001, was replaced by Greg Andrulis.

The Crew was the first MLS team to land a local television network, when they did so in March 1996.

They initially played in Tampa Stadium and were immediately successful, winning the first MLS Supporters ' Shield behind MLS MVP Carlos Valderrama and high-scoring forward Roy Lassiter, whose 27 goals in 1996 is still the MLS single-season record.

Since MLS ' debut in 1996, MLS clubs have won the cup in all but one of those years.

D. C. United were the first MLS team to win in 1996.

* 1996: Nicola Caricola, whose own goal started the " Curse of Caricola " for the MetroStars of the MLS.

In addition to the MLS Title, Arena also took United to the 1996 U. S. Open Cup championship.