Misplaced Pages

#160839

88-616: The Chicago Fire Juniors are part of the Chicago Fire Player Development Program and are an integral piece of the Player Development Pyramid. This "Pyramid" creates a progressive developmental structure providing players the opportunity to move from introductory play, competitive play and elite youth play into professional academy formats (Fire Academy U16, U18) and professional development programs ( Super-20 , PDL ) – finally, onto

176-456: A soccer-specific stadium located at 71st Street and Harlem Avenue in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois , about 12 miles southwest from downtown Chicago from 2006 until the end of the 2019 season. The Village of Bridgeview owns and operates SeatGeek Stadium, which opened as Toyota Park on June 11, 2006, and originally cost approximately $ 100 million. After the end of the 2018 season, It

264-534: A 3–0 victory at home. This was Chicago's first playoff advancement over the Revolution in four consecutive seasons. But triumph only lasted for a week, as they again missed the league final with their 2–1 Eastern Conference Final loss to eventual champion Columbus . The 2009 season saw few alterations to the previous year's roster. The story of the season was much the same, as continued poor home form offset excellent performances away from Toyota Park. This led to

352-586: A 49 percent stake of his ownership to Joe Mansueto , the founder of Morningstar, Inc. On September 13, 2019, Hauptman sold his majority share to Mansueto, who became the sole owner. As the 2019 MLS campaign concluded, the Chicago Fire organization began the ambitious process of reinventing the franchise during the course of a three-month offseason. The changes included securing a downtown Chicago venue, adding new front office positions, shifting organizational roles, making major roster changes, and rolling out

440-526: A brick facade and stone entry archway, and first rows placed fewer than three yards from the field. It includes 42 executive suites, six larger party suites, the Illinois Soccer Hall of Fame, and the Fire club offices, as well as a large stadium club/banquet room measuring over 9,000 square feet (840 m ). A practice facility with two fields (one natural grass; the other artificial turf) for

528-591: A deal was brokered for Rogers' rights in exchange for Chicago native Mike Magee from the Los Angeles Galaxy . On June 23, 2013, Friedrich, who had not played a 2012–13 game due to recurring injuries, announced his retirement. After starting the season 2–7–3, the additions of Soumare and Magee led to seven wins in the squad's last 10 games. The Fire were busy in the transfer window as well, adding veteran defensive midfielder Arévalo Ríos and forward Juan Luis Anangonó . The Chicago Fire also advanced to host

616-419: A logo adorned with a cobra . Team officials ignored Nike's work, and privately developed the Fire identity with the help of Adrenalin, Inc., a sports branding agency from Denver . The names "Chicago Blues" and "Chicago Wind" were also considered. The original Fire jerseys were chosen because of their resemblance to a Chicago fireman's coat, featuring broad horizontal stripes across the torso and sleeves. In

704-823: A member of the Eastern Conference , having moved to the conference in 2002. The franchise, named in memory of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, was founded as the Chicago Fire Soccer Club on October 8, 1997, the Great Fire's 126th anniversary. The team began play in 1998 as one of the league's first expansion teams. The Fire won the MLS Cup as well as the U.S. Open Cup (the "double" ) in their first season in 1998. They also won U.S. Open Cups in 2000, 2003, and 2006, in addition to

792-428: A new brand identity. Two days after the end of the season, October 8, the Fire officially announced they would return to Soldier Field to play the 2020 MLS season, that same day Bastian Schweinsteiger announced his retirement. Two days later, the Fire announced the signing of midfielder Álvaro Medrán , eight days later Designated Player and former Golden Boot winner Nemanja Nikolic announced he would be leaving

880-407: A perfect three matches to open the year, they won only one of their next eight, and Sarachan was dismissed. Following a brief search, Millonarios manager Juan Carlos Osorio was named the club's third head coach. More change came soon afterward. On September 6, 2007, Andell Holdings , a Los Angeles-based private investment firm controlled by chairman Andrew Hauptman , acquired AEG 's interest in

968-416: A position in the front office. He departed a year later to become manager of D.C. United . In this period new talent emerged, including Jamaican striker Damani Ralph . Still, stagnating performances and the building strength of the Eastern Conference made Chicago's league position ever more tenuous. In 2004, the team missed the league playoffs for the first time in their history. The 2005 season began with

SECTION 10

#1732787329161

1056-404: A re-evaluation of the stadium lease in 2018, shortly after Joe Mansueto acquired his stake in the team. In early April 2019, several media reports emerged about a potential contract buyout that would allow the Fire to move back to Chicago, playing temporarily at Soldier Field once again. On May 8, 2019, Fire president Nelson Rodriguez confirmed that the team was negotiating a tentative deal with

1144-486: A reputation for importing international talent, from established veterans like Bastian Schweinsteiger , Pável Pardo , Piotr Nowak , Cuauhtémoc Blanco , Tomasz Frankowski , Luboš Kubík , Hristo Stoichkov and Jorge Campos ; in addition to younger players such as Patrick Nyarko , Marco Pappa , Damani Ralph , Bakary Soumaré and Nery Castillo . Chicago was once the home of the Chicago Sting who competed in

1232-450: A second place Eastern Conference finish behind Columbus. Despite this, Real Salt Lake managed to upset the Crew in the quarterfinals, meaning Chicago would host the semi-final for the first time in six years. Chicago's nearly flawless home playoff history meant little in the end, as they lost to Salt Lake, 5–3, on penalties after 120 scoreless minutes. Shortly thereafter, manager Denis Hamlett

1320-551: A team that could advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs , the team once again advanced to the semifinals of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup , but were routed 6–0 by eventual champions Seattle Sounders FC on August 13. The result was the worst competitive defeat in club history and saw Frank Yallop issue an apology to Chicago Fire supporters on the club's official website. As the Cup run had, the season ended in disappointment, with

1408-460: A variety of public subsidies for their stadiums. There is a noteworthy fan culture for the Fire, beginning with the original Fire SG Barn Burners, existing from the date the club was founded, and building on an enthusiasm throughout Chicago sports. At matches, supporters and ultras groups occupy a standing area directly behind the north goal, in the Harlem End of Toyota Park . This area

1496-555: Is Soldier Field which it shares with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League . Chicago Fire FC was founded as Chicago Fire Soccer Club on October 8, 1997. The club is named after the Great Chicago Fire of 1871; the official founding date of the team was the 126th anniversary of that event. The owner and chairman of the Fire is Joe Mansueto , who purchased the club in 2019. The club president

1584-559: Is Ishwara Glassman-Chrein; Georg Heitz was appointed sporting director in December 2019; The Fire were originally based at Soldier Field from 1997 to 2006. From 2006 to 2019, the club played at SeatGeek Stadium , a stadium originally built for the club, at 71st and Harlem Avenue in Bridgeview . In 2019, with the change of ownership to Joe Mansueto, the Fire returned to Soldier Field for the 2020 MLS season. The Fire are currently one of

1672-426: Is a registered 501(c)7 non-profit organization run by volunteers through an elected board of directors. Match atmosphere is known for organized displays of stadium-wide support, particularly for matches of prime competitive importance. Call-and-response cheering amongst the crowd is commonplace. Fans at SeatGeek Stadium for Fire matches periodically choreograph tifo presentations both to show their pride and inspire

1760-456: Is currently operated by Spectra . In July 2016, two large-scale murals were designed and painted by artist Tony Passero on the east and west walls of the stadium's stage suites. The murals measure 14 feet high by 27 feet in length, and are named "Offense" and "Defense". On November 27, 2010, SeatGeek Stadium was the venue for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification match between USA and Italy ; USA defeated Italy 1–0 and advanced to

1848-563: Is referred to as Section 8 , originating from the numbering of the corresponding section at Soldier Field and the American military designation of mentally unfit soldiers. Section 8 Chicago , the Independent Supporters' Association (ISA) for the Fire, oversees the activities of these numerous groups. While incorporating a worldwide variety of styles with a Chicago bent, groups as part of Section 8 generally fall under

SECTION 20

#1732787329161

1936-416: The 2000 U.S. Open Cup . Internationally experienced players such as Hristo Stoitchkov joined the Fire, while young American talents such as DaMarcus Beasley developed. The Fire quickly became cemented as one of the league's preeminent teams. With Soldier Field undergoing massive renovations, the Fire moved to the western Chicago suburb of Naperville in 2002. That same year, Bob Bradley abruptly departed

2024-823: The Chicago Red Stars of the National Women's Soccer League , Chicago Fire FC II of MLS Next Pro , and the Chicago Hounds of Major League Rugby . The stadium has also hosted the Chicago Fire of Major League Soccer , Chicago Machine of Major League Lacrosse , Chicago Bliss of the Legends Football League , Chicago State Cougars men's and women's soccer teams of the NCAA Division I , and Chicago House AC of

2112-576: The NISA announced that they had selected SeatGeek Stadium as their home. Nevertheless, in 2022 , because of Soldier Field availability, the Fire played late-season matches at the stadium and may still play other matches there in future seasons while it solves its Chicago stadium situation. Moreover, its MLS Next Pro affiliate Chicago Fire FC II is based out of Bridgeview. Incorporating traditional stadium features from American and European facilities, SeatGeek Stadium includes predominantly covered seating,

2200-527: The National Football League (NFL)'s Chicago Bears . Beginning in 2002, the club moved to Cardinal Stadium (now Benedetti–Wehrli Stadium ) in Naperville for two seasons while Soldier Field was renovated, leading to calls for a soccer-specific venue . The Fire received several bids before announcing Bridgeview as the winner in 2003. Construction on the Bridgeview venue began on November 30, 2004, and

2288-556: The National Independent Soccer Association . Originally Toyota Park when it opened on June 11, 2006, the facility has a capacity of 20,000 and was developed at a cost of around $ 100 million. The naming rights agreement with SeatGeek went into effect following the Fire's 2018 season . The Chicago Fire entered Major League Soccer as an expansion team in 1998, playing its first four seasons at Soldier Field in Chicago, which they shared with

2376-723: The World Cup . SeatGeek Stadium was the venue for the 2006 MLS All-Star Game , in which the MLS side defeated Chelsea F.C. 1–0. The stadium also hosted the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 's final, in which the Chicago Fire defeated the LA Galaxy 3–1. SeatGeek Stadium hosts annual friendly matches between Chicago Fire and the popular European and Mexican clubs, which in the past included Tottenham Hotspur F.C. , A.C. Milan , Everton , C.D. Guadalajara , Club America , Santos Laguna , and others. SeatGeek Stadium hosted four matches during

2464-652: The 2003 MLS Supporters' Shield . Although finishing near the bottom of the league consistently, Chicago Fire is valued at over $ 500 million. The Fire maintains an extensive development system, consisting of the Chicago Fire Development Academy and the Chicago Fire Juniors youth organization. They also operate the Chicago Fire Foundation, the team's community-based charitable division. The Fire's home stadium

2552-604: The 2020 campaign with the signings of Argentinian duo Ignacio Aliseda from Defensa and Gaston Gimenez from Vélez Sarsfield, looking to bolster their squad after losing DP Nicolas Gaitan The Fire also announced the signing of Robert Beric from French outfit Saint-Étienne , who netted in his debut defeat against the Seattle Sounders FC (2–1). The club's official primary colors are red, flag blue, deep blue, and white. Secondary colors such as navy blue, sky blue, gold, and black have also been used throughout

2640-467: The 21 games he played in 2012, would later be named the Fire's MVP. Other signings included Brazilian midfielders Alex Monteiro de Lima from the Swiss side FC Wohlen , Alvaro Fernández from Seattle Sounders FC , forward Sherjill MacDonald from Beerschot AC of Belgium and veteran defender Arne Friedrich from VfL Wolfsburg . Although they would fall out of the U.S. Open tournament early that season,

2728-600: The Chicago Fire Soccer Club. Reports estimated the purchase price to be upwards of $ 35 million. The team has not won a major trophy since Hauptman bought the team. On the field, behind Blanco and Wilman Conde , Osorio's central defender at Millionarios, the Fire went on an extended unbeaten run to close the season, easily qualifying for the playoffs but were defeated at New England in the Eastern Conference Final. On December 10, 2007,

Chicago Fire Juniors - Misplaced Pages Continue

2816-567: The Chicago Fire would not be renewing the contract of their last-remaining DP, Nicolas Gaitan , as well as winger Aleksandar Katai was overshadowed by an even larger organizational unveiling one week later. On November 21, the long-anticipated rebrand of the Chicago Fire franchise was announced. Developed with the help of marketing agency Doubleday & Cartwright, the team revealed changes to its franchise colors, red and white to red, blue, and gold, its name from Chicago Fire Soccer Club to Chicago Fire FC and, most contentiously, its logo. While

2904-559: The Chicago flag. Before its unveiling, the rebranding was leaked onto social media and garnered an "overwhelmingly negative response" from fans. Comparisons were made between the "Fire Crown" and the existing logo of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC , which uses a similar set of mirrored triangles, and some fans worried that the "Fire Crown" was reminiscent of the logo of the Latin Kings street gang. The team responded to

2992-805: The Fire MLS team. The Chicago Fire Juniors, in association with the Chicago Red Eleven of the women's W-League , replicate the Player Development Pyramid for females by providing young ladies the opportunity to play at the highest levels presently available in the United States. The Chicago Fire Juniors have demonstrated results in the top state leagues, regional leagues and national leagues (NISL Premiership, MRL, US Club, Super Y, USYS National League, USSF Academy), as well as overseas. The players are recognized on Olympic Developmental Program, Regional and National Teams. The teams participate in

3080-618: The Fire announced Osorio's resignation. He was named manager of the New York Red Bulls eight days later. Hauptman filed tampering charges with the league in protest, and the Fire were compensated by the Red Bulls with cash and draft picks. Changes came quickly in Osorio's wake. On January 17, 2008, former Fire star Frank Klopas was named Technical Director in charge of player personnel, and longtime Fire assistant Denis Hamlett

3168-565: The Fire are looking to purchase a parcel of land for a new stadium at one of two developments in the city, with The 78 site in South Loop and the Lincoln Yards development between Lincoln Park and Bucktown the two likely finalists. Mansueto has indicated interest in building a soccer-specific stadium within city limits, and said the stadium would be privately financed, a departure from the Chicago Bears and Chicago White Sox seeking

3256-572: The Fire club and its youth programs lies next to the stadium. The stadium's design allows expansion of 50% more seating at negligible expense. Its 120-by-75-yard (110 by 69 m) natural grass field's $ 1.7 million turf management system comprises full heating, drainage, and aeration capabilities. A permanent stage allows the stadium to host concerts and quickly change configurations. A typical conversion from soccer to stage takes no more than 18 hours. The field accommodates 8,000 additional chairback seats for concerts and other stage events. SeatGeek Stadium

3344-607: The Fire ending the season with a 6–18–10 record, with 18 draws, also setting a record for most draws in an MLS season in the process. The club began 2015 with renewed hope, bringing three new Designated Player signings in David Accam , Shaun Maloney and Kennedy Igboananike to bolster an anemic attack. The club also signed products Michael Stephens and Eric Gehrig as well as Trinindad & Tobago international Joevin Jones . With so many new pieces needing to adjust, 2015 marked

3432-667: The Fire eventually compiled a 17–11–6 record, their best since 2000, and ranked as high as second in the Eastern Conference before ending the year in fourth place. On October 31, 2012, in their first playoff appearance since 2009, the Fire lost their first-round MLS Cup playoff match-up at home against the Houston Dynamo , 2–1. In the 2012–2013 offseason, the franchise made some moves to improve on 2012's success. The team acquired Joel Lindpere and Jeff Larentowicz and also traded Dominic Oduro for Dilly Duka and

3520-500: The Fire fell 1–0 at the same hurdle for the third straight season. Less than two weeks later, Maloney, who was the club's center piece offseason signing, was transferred back to England with Hull City citing personal reasons. Despite no hope for a Cup final, widespread fan protests and dim likelihood of a playoff berth, the club didn't part ways with Frank Yallop until September 20, 2015, one day after another listless 1–0 home defeat to Orlando City SC . Along with Yallop's departure,

3608-735: The Fire organization made their second player acquisition of the offseason in early December, homegrown player Nicholas Slonina, a relatively quiet few weeks had some followers of the team concerned about their organizational progress. However the Fire were busy again in late December with Nelson Rodríguez relinquishing his on-field decision making responsibilities to new Sporting Director Georg Hietz, who swiftly named former US Soccer Youth National Coach Raphael Wicky as head coach and Sebastian Pelzer as Technical Director. Heitz has previously worked with Wicky at Swiss club FC Basel and "worked closely" with Pelzer at his management consultancy business Heusler Werthmüller Heitz ("HWH"). The Fire opened

Chicago Fire Juniors - Misplaced Pages Continue

3696-472: The Fire to join Sporting Kansas City as Director of Player Personnel, completing the total overhaul of the technical staff. On March 21, 2017 Manchester United allowed Bastian Schweinsteiger to join Chicago Fire, subject to a medical and a visa being secured. The move from Manchester United was completed on March 29, 2017. On July 11, 2018, the club announced that Hauptman had sold

3784-476: The Fire's continued success. Under the club's first head coach, Bob Bradley —and against all expectation—the team completed the double in its first competitive year, beating D.C. United in the 1998 MLS Cup Final , and defeating the Columbus Crew in Chicago to win the 1998 U.S. Open Cup a week later. The team's momentum continued, reaching the 2000 MLS Cup final (losing to Kansas City) and winning

3872-577: The Fire's secondary shirts have changed much over the years from white with black, to white with navy, to white with red, to all-white style and the all-blue currently used. Third shirts have often been yellow (originally to honor the Chicago Sting, later for the expired partnership with Morelia ). In 2005, and again from 2014 through 2016, the club wore third shirts with designs based on the Flag of Chicago . The club and their fans make frequent use of

3960-495: The Fire, leaving Apollon Limassol after only six months away. Despite these reinforcements, the Fire failed to qualify for the playoffs for only the second time in club history. Former U.S. international Brian McBride and club original C.J. Brown retired at season's end, followed closely by the departures of Wilman Conde , Ljungberg, and Castillo. 2011 began much in the way of 2010, with foundering performances both home and away. After nine winless matches, Carlos de los Cobos

4048-636: The Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This style was chosen by the original general manager, Peter Wilt, to establish a timeless image evocative of both classic American sports (as in the logos of the NHL Original Six ) and the traditions of European soccer. Nike , the Fire's original equipment supplier, intended for the team to be named the Chicago Rhythm. The Rhythm identity featured a turquoise, black and green color scheme, and

4136-540: The Naperville Lightning, a successful club in Naperville . On December 30, 2011, after numerous attempts to resolve issues, Chicago Fire has terminated its affiliation with and sued the Chicago Fire Juniors "claiming it failed to pay more than $ 35,000 for use of team trademarks, violating a licensing agreement." Chicago Fire subsequently sent a cease and desist letter to Chicago Fire Juniors demanding it stop unauthorized use of Fire trademarks. According to

4224-657: The anniversary of the Great Fire , the Fire immediately tapped into the diverse ethnic makeup of the city. The team brought in Polish players Piotr Nowak, Jerzy Podbrożny , and Roman Kosecki ; the Mexican Jorge Campos ; and the Czech Luboš Kubík . While all showed their talent while playing for Chicago that first year, American players ( Zach Thornton , Chris Armas , C.J. Brown ) proved most integral to

4312-452: The club announced it had named long-time MLS executive Nelson Rodríguez as the club's new general manager, with his first job being to commence a search for a new head coach. Technical director Brian Bliss was given the interim head coaching job, with former player and current club vice president Logan Pause assisting for the remaining five matches. The club has finished the 2015 season with an overall record of 8 wins, 20 losses and 6 ties. For

4400-583: The club in negotiations with Bridgeview to buy out the remainder of its lease at SeatGeek Stadium and return to Soldier Field . In July 2019, Chicago Fire reached a deal to leave SeatGeek Stadium for a payment of $ 65.5 million and move back to Soldier Field starting in 2020. The return to Soldier Field was finalized with an agreement with the Chicago Park District in September 2019. According to Crain’s Chicago, team owner Joe Mansueto and

4488-474: The club's long-time Director of First Team Operations Ron Stern, Equipment Manager Charles Raycroft and Assistant Equipment Manager Allan Araujo. On November 24, 2015, the club announced that Veljko Paunovic , former coach of the Serbian U-20 side that won the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup , had been named the new head coach of the Chicago Fire. On January 5, 2016, technical director Brian Bliss also departed

SECTION 50

#1732787329161

4576-416: The club's main rival is. The earliest Fire supporters would list Brimstone Cup rival FC Dallas as the Fire's nemesis, or Los Angeles Galaxy following heated playoff and cup matches with Dallas and L.A. in the league's early years. SeatGeek Stadium SeatGeek Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois , about 12 miles southwest of downtown Chicago . It is the home stadium of

4664-413: The club's successes and promise for the future. The anxiety to win another league title continued to grow, however. Sarachan entered 2007 (his fifth season in charge) under intense pressure from fans and the administration to produce a league championship. Tension mounted further on April 3, 2007, when the Fire signed Mexico and América star Cuauhtémoc Blanco to a Designated Player contract. After

4752-429: The decidedly negative reaction by saying "[new] brands take time and repetition to build meaning. They will be judged in years, not days", insisting that there are no plans to revive the old logo. The club ultimately unveiled a new crest in the middle of the 2021 season, with a full embrace of it beginning in 2022. This new logo was designed by Matthew Wolff . Chicago played its home games at SeatGeek Stadium ,

4840-536: The first Fire player to win the MLS MVP Award —beating out Los Angeles Galaxy 's Robbie Keane and Montreal Impact 's Marco Di Vaio for the honor. Meanwhile, Yallop was busy recruiting a new coaching staff which included "Ring of Fire" member and Chicago Fire veteran C. J. Brown and former U.S. International striker Clint Mathis as the team's assistant coaches, adding Columbus Crew's Brian Bliss as Technical Director. Former Fire forward Brian McBride

4928-471: The first time in club history the side began the season with an 0–3–0 record, but they showed signs of recovery by winning their next three matches. Unfortunately, April was the last time the club would be anywhere near equal on wins and losses, but the side did still advance to another Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Playing in front of a sparse crowd at the Philadelphia Union 's PPL Park ,

5016-410: The first time in the club's history Fire finished the season with zero road wins (0–12–5). Twenty losses in a season became the highest in the club's history. On November 18, 2015, Rodriguez made his first moves as GM, firing most of Yallop's remaining technical staff, including goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde, fitness coach Adrian Lamb and Director of Scouting Trevor James. Rodriguez also parted ways with

5104-407: The first year, the home jersey was red and white with a silver "FIRE" on the stripe; while the away shirts were white and black in the same style. The jersey maintained the same format of an all-red shirt with a white horizontal chest stripe through changes in equipment sponsor (from Nike , to Puma , and currently Adidas ), until 2012 when the white stripe was exchanged for a blue stripe. Conversely,

5192-549: The group stage of the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship . SeatGeek Stadium hosted its first international rugby match in 2007, with the United States Eagles losing 6–10 to provincial side Munster . In June 2008 the stadium hosted three matches of the Churchill Cup , including United States vs Canada , England Saxons vs Scotland A , and Ireland Wolfhounds vs Argentina Jaguares . On June 6, 2009,

5280-517: The history of the Fire. The original logo of the Chicago Fire, used from 1997 to 2019, was derived from the Cross of Saint Florian , a common symbol for fire departments in the United States. A stylized "C" sat in the center, representing the city, similar to the logos of the Bears and Cubs . The six points in a ring around the center alluded to the stars in the Flag of Chicago , one of which commemorates

5368-683: The most prestigious of tournaments including the Dallas Cup , Disney Soccer Showcase, Orange Classic, Raleigh Invite and Final Four Showcases. Many Chicago Fire Juniors alumni graduate to college soccer. Established in 2004, the Juniors formed by the combination of two existing youth clubs in Wheaton to form their initial Chicago youth soccer flagship as a program of the Wheaton Illinois Park District. They then absorbed

SECTION 60

#1732787329161

5456-514: The most successful clubs in the U.S. Open Cup , winning championships in 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006. Many notable players have worn the Fire shirt, including U.S. internationals Chris Armas , Carlos Bocanegra , Frank Klopas , DaMarcus Beasley , Brian McBride , Tony Sanneh , Cory Gibbs , Ante Razov , Josh Wolff , Eric Wynalda and Jon Busch . Some of the club's other notable American professional players include C.J. Brown , Jesse Marsch , Chris Rolfe , and Zach Thornton . The Fire also have

5544-528: The outskirts of the Chicago metropolitan area; the stadium was temporarily expanded to 15,000 seats to accommodate the team. Attempts to play at other venues, including Comiskey Park and the Arlington Park racecourse, were rejected by their respective owners. They returned to Soldier Field toward the end of 2003, remaining there through the end of 2005 while their soccer-specific stadium was under construction. In April 2019, multiple sources reported

5632-472: The players on the field. SeatGeek Stadium remains one of the few American environments to conduct such fan-driven presentations on a large scale. Their official mascot is Sparky, an anthropomorphic Dalmatian dog. Sparky is usually shown wearing the club's jersey but also arrives wearing firefighter attire. While the Fire have heated rivalries with a number of different MLS teams, Fire supporters of different ages will likely give different responses as to who

5720-602: The rights to Robbie Rogers . The beginning of the season saw the team struggling to score goals, resulting in a record of 2–5–1 through April. After two successive losses to the Union in May, and with veteran Arne Friedrich still on injured reserve, the Fire acquired their former centerback Bakary Soumaré from Philadelphia. Also in May, Robbie Rogers expressed an interest to play in Southern California, at which point

5808-407: The season's conclusion, Klopas was given the permanent manager job on November 3, 2011. Although expectations were modest for 2012 , Klopas' first full season as coach, the year saw a change in fortune for the Fire. The spring and summer months saw several new acquisitions for the club, starting with the reacquiring of Chris Rolfe from Aalborg BK . Rolfe, who scored eight goals and 12 assists in

5896-560: The season, the Fire narrowly missed the playoffs for the third time in the last four years—losing out to the Montreal Impact on goal difference. On October 30, 2013, the club announced that the president of soccer operations Javier Leon and head coach Frank Klopas had stepped down, but the Fire front office had a replacement one day later. On October 31, 2013, Chicago Fire named Frank Yallop as its new head coach and director of soccer. On December 5, 2013, Fire MVP Mike Magee became

5984-407: The semifinal of the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup , but fell 2–0 to eventual champions D.C. United . Alleged fan actions in the stadium that night led to a famous editorial piece, "What it means to be a part of the Fire family", being penned by the club's Director of Communications, which was seen as an odd attack on the fan base and widely panned by local and national media. After a 12–6–6 finish to

6072-456: The stadium hosted a 2009 mid-year rugby test series match between United States and Wales in a warmup match for the US in its campaign to qualify for the 2011 Rugby World Cup . SeatGeek Stadium served as the home site for Roosevelt University men's and women's soccer matches from 2010 until 2019, when the team moved their matches to Illinois Institute of Technology 's on-campus stadium. It

6160-526: The stadium. From 2006 to 2015, SeatGeek Stadium has been the host venue for Chicago radio station B96 's annual summer concert, The B96 Pepsi Summer Bash . The Crossroads Guitar Festival was held on July 28, 2007, and again on June 26, 2010. Pace operates the #387 SeatGeek Stadium Express nonstop from the Midway Orange Line Station for Chicago Fire matches and special events. A $ 2.475 million transit center operated by Pace

6248-535: The suit "the youth league didn’t amend its bylaws to specify that at least one board position be a designee of the Fire, and didn’t develop a plan to coordinate functions, operations and ownership as required in the agreement." Chicago Fire Soccer Club Chicago Fire Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in Chicago . The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as

6336-501: The surprising 4–0 away defeat of D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals. 2006 arrived, and the Fire moved from Soldier Field into its new stadium in Bridgeview, a southwest suburb of Chicago: Toyota Park , located at the corner of 71st Street and Harlem Avenue. In its first season, it played host to an unspectacular league campaign; but victory in the 2006 U.S. Open Cup marked a continuation of

6424-475: The symbols of Chicago, as a show of civic pride. Most prominent are the six-pointed Chicago stars, but the light blue color associated with the city, the municipal device, and the city skyline appear regularly on materials produced by the club and its fans. The Flag of Chicago is also favored by fans and often seen at the stadium. On November 21, 2019, the club unveiled its first major rebranding ahead of their move back to Soldier Field in Chicago. The club's name

6512-650: The team to lead the MetroStars , from his home state of New Jersey . The Fire then selected the U.S. men's national team's top assistant, Dave Sarachan , to assume the vacant post. Chicago qualified for the league final while also capturing the Supporters' Shield and 2003 U.S. Open Cup along the way. The team returned to Chicago and the renovated Soldier Field midway through the 2003 season. After that season, longtime captain Piotr Nowak retired to take

6600-487: The team. The first full month of the off-season saw the Fire continue their overhaul. On November 4, the team traded captain Dax McCarty to expansion side Nashville SC . Ten days later Homegrown Player Grant Lillard was dealt to MLS's other expansion team Inter Miami CF . That same day, November 14, Chicago Fire President and general manager Nelson Rodríguez fired head coach Veljko Paunovic and his staff. News that

6688-661: The top-level North American Soccer League (NASL) from 1975 to 1984. They spread their home games at Soldier Field , Wrigley Field , and Comiskey Park . The Sting won the Soccer Bowl twice: 1981 and 1984 . They were the only club other than the New York Cosmos to win multiple titles in the NASL. Some of the club's notable players were Argentine striker Pato Margetic and German forwards Karl-Heinz Granitza and Arno Steffenhagen . Founded in 1997 at Navy Pier , on

6776-787: The ultras designation. Additionally, an associated spinoff group called "Sector Latino" which originally congregated in the corner-kick Section 101 at the stadium's southwest end until season long discussions between the ISA and the Chicago Fire Front Office eventually saw the group moved to Section 137, directly behind the south goal. There are also several other affiliated ultras and supporters groups, including The Arsonists, Banter Buddies, Blitzer Mob, Husaria, Fire Ultras 98, Partisans, Red Scare, Second City North, The Western Front, Ultras Red-Side, Mike Ditka Street Crew (MDSC), and Whiskey Brothers Aught-Five. The Section 8 Chicago ISA

6864-442: The unexpected dismissal of popular club president Peter Wilt by then-owners AEG , a move decried by fans, many players, and club staff. This came as a shock, given his brokering of a $ 100m deal to build the Fire a stadium in the collar suburb of Bridgeview . He was immediately replaced by MetroStars executive John Guppy . Competitively, the season was most notable for the blockbuster visit of Milan from Italy's Serie A , and

6952-408: The village to terminate their lease, which was slated to run through 2036, at an estimated cost of $ 65 million. The terms of the deal were confirmed on July 9, 2019. In consideration for releasing the Fire and MLS from the lease, the Fire will put money toward a "multisport recreation and entertainment center" at the site. The Red Stars have no plans to move. On January 27, 2021, Chicago House AC of

7040-634: Was added as an assistant coach in May 2014 for a short-term assignment. The shake-up extended to the roster, as Yallop moved team veterans and starters and brought in youth prospects—reforming the team while freeing up cap space. Major exits in early 2014 included Chris Rolfe , Austin Berry , Jalil Anibaba , Daniel Paladini , and Paolo Tornaghi . Filling that void was a handful of youth prospects including Harrison Shipp ( homegrown player ), Benji Joya (via MLS "weighted lottery"), and Grant Ward on loan from Tottenham Hotspur . Despite rarely looking like

7128-620: Was announced in December 2019 that the Chicago Blitz of the Extreme Football League would play their inaugural season at SeatGeek Stadium. The first college football game at the stadium took place on September 7, 2013, between DIII schools John Carroll and Saint Norbert, a game which John Carroll won 41–0. For their 2021 season, the Chicago State Cougars men's and women's soccer teams played at

7216-465: Was appointed manager. While the Fire struggled at home in 2008 the team found unusual success on the road, gathering 22 out of a possible 45 away points. Momentum grew with the long-anticipated signing of Chicago native Brian McBride on a free transfer in July 2008. After disposing of the Red Bulls 5–2 in the season's final game, they decisively conquered New England in the first round of the playoffs with

7304-406: Was changed to Chicago Fire Football Club (Chicago Fire FC) and the original logo was replaced with an ovular crest marked with mirrored sets of three triangles called the "Fire Crown" to reference the revitalization of Chicago following the Great Fire. The crest used dark blue, red, and gold as its main colors. Secondary design colors are to be ivory and "flag blue", a light blue color derived from

7392-463: Was completed on June 11, 2006. In 2006, Toyota entered into a ten-year naming rights agreement and renamed the new stadium Toyota Park. In 2016, it was reported that Toyota had opted against renewing their naming rights. Despite this, the stadium continued to be known as Toyota Park through the 2018 season. Afterwards, new sponsor SeatGeek assumed stadium naming rights starting with the 2019 Fire season. The naming rights agreement signed in 2018

7480-533: Was dismissed. Leading up to 2010 , Chicago hired Carlos de los Cobos as head coach, previously manager of El Salvador . Cuauhtémoc Blanco , Chris Rolfe and Gonzalo Segares all departed. More changes came in the summer transfer window with the trade of Justin Mapp to Philadelphia , the acquisition of Mexican international striker Nery Castillo , and the trade for former Swedish international midfielder Freddie Ljungberg . Defender Gonzalo Segares returned to

7568-463: Was let go on May 30, 2011. Technical Director Frank Klopas was named interim head coach. Behind summer reinforcements Pável Pardo and Sebastián Grazzini , as well as forward Dominic Oduro 's 12 goals after being acquired in a trade from Houston and Dan Gargan's defensive addition, the Fire qualified for the U.S. Open Cup Final (lost at Seattle ) and narrowly missed making the playoffs after gaining 24 points in their last 12 league matches. After

7656-498: Was renamed from Toyota Park to SeatGeek Stadium, with an estimated naming rights fee between $ 2.5 million to $ 4 million per year. For its first years in the league the Fire played at Soldier Field, the 61,500-capacity home of the Chicago Bears of the NFL and one of the main venues of the 1994 FIFA World Cup . While that stadium was undergoing a $ 632 million renovation, the Fire played at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, Illinois , on

7744-408: Was the first such agreement SeatGeek entered into. It was reported that as part of the deal, SeatGeek would also serve as the venue's primary ticketing service starting in 2019. The company reportedly promised that they would work to "bring more live programming, including premier concerts, music festivals and international sporting events" to the stadium. The Fire and Bridgeview began negotiating

#160839