FC Dallas
FC Dallas is a soccer team currently playing in MLS. The team was formerly known as the Dallas Burn and was one of the inaugural franchises when MLS began operations in 1996. On August 12, 2004, then-owner Lamar Hunt explained that he would like to see his club take on a name more synonymous with the sport (the acronym, standing for "Football Club", is used by many European clubs) and the Dallas-Fort Worth area.[1]
The team plays in Frisco, Texas, a large suburb north of Dallas.
Though it has never won the league title, it has been a leader in growing the sport both stateside and worldwide. Taking advantage of MLS rules which allow "homegrown players" (those who have developed through a club's academy, similar to how many European clubs operate) to sign directly with the club (as opposed to being subject to the draft system), FC Dallas has signed nearly 50 such players, the most of any MLS club. Several academy graduates (such as Chris Richards, Weston McKennie, and Ricardo Pepi) have made appearances for the US National Team. Its academy (both boys and girls) is considered in the top five (and often ranked first or second) among MLS franchises.
