Minnesota Thunder

Prior to the Minnesota Thunder forming in 1990 Minnesota had two former professional soccer teams. After two seasons as the Denver Dynamos the franchise was purchased by Minnesota investors and became the Minnesota Kicks. The Minnesota Kicks played the state's first professional soccer game in May 1976 to a crowd of over twenty thousand at Metropolitan Stadium. The team survived for six seasons competing in the North American Soccer League before folding after the 1981 season.[1] After two years without a team the Fort Lauderdale Strikers were moved to Minnesota becoming the Minnesota Strikers in 1984. The team played one season in the NASL before transferring to the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team disbanded in 1988 after the 1987–1988 season.[2]

The team was founded as an all star team in 1990. The team was composed of top amateur and former professional players who were mostly in their late 20s or early 30s.[3][4] The team was coached by then Saint Paul Academy soccer coach Buzz Lagos. The team scheduled five exhibition games against teams in the A-League. At the time the goal was to eventually get a semipro soccer team for the Twin Cities.[5]

The Thunder operated on a budget of $35,000 dollars in their first year paying no salaries. The budget mainly supported stadium rental at the National Sports Center, office rental and promotions. In the first season the team played against the amateur Madison 56ers, professional San Francisco Bay Blackhawks and Winnipeg Fury and the indoor professional Chicago Power and Milwaukee Wave. Attendance averaged around 1,000 fans a game.[6]

In the first season the team lost around $12,000. The next year, 1991, with the help of corporate sponsors Rainbow Foods, Kemps, and Liberty State Bank, the team played an expanded schedule with a record of eight victories and three ties losing $10,000 in the process. The following year the team added four more corporate sponsors and expected to lose about $5,000 with a budget of $45,000 By their third season the team became a model for teams in Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and Canada due to their competitive schedule, reasonable budget and fan base.[7] As an amateur team, the Thunder was responsible for an opponent's hotel, food and lodging for each road trip. The team was undefeated through their first twenty games.[8]

On November 13, 1993 the Thunder announced its intention to join the U.S. Interregional Soccer League. The team joined the Midwest Region and retained their amateur status for the 1994 season.[9][10] The team finished the year 25–2 losing in a sudden-death shootout to the Greensboro Dynamo in the championship game.[11] The team became professional for the 1995 season.[12][13]

On July 15, 2004 coach Buzz Lagos earned his 300th victory. It was his 123rd since the Thunder joined the A-League in 1997.[14] Lagos improved his record to 300–127–31 all-time as coach of the Thunder.[15] Five days later Lagos led the Thunder to their first victory over a MLS team in a nonexhibtion game. The Thunder defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy in fourth round U.S. Open Cup game played to 5,505 fans at the Metrodome.[16][17] The 2004 season holds the highest average attendance with 4,400 over 14 home games.[18]

The 2005 season brought many changes to the Thunder. The Thunder's A-League and the lower Pro Soccer League were reorganized. The Thunder were placed in the twelve team First Division which previously had sixteen teams.[19][20] Additionally, the team was sold to an ownership led by majority owner Saeed Kadkhodaian. These changes led to Buzz Lagos announcing on August 1, 2005 that he would retire as coach after sixteen season. Lagos cited wanting to spend more time with his family as the main reason to retiring.[21][22][23] On October 12, 2005 Amos Magee became the second head coach in the history of the Thunder.[24] The Thunder also purchased a W-League team in 2005.[25] The team was eventually named the Minnesota Lightning in 2006 before their opening season.[26] 2005 was the only season the Thunder turned a profit, making $6,000 which was immediately paid in taxes to the state of Minnesota.[18]

The Thunder defeated four MLS teams over the course of the 2004 and 2005 U.S. Open Cup competitions.

Beginning in August 2007 the team spent $400,000 on a beer garden called the Thunder Lounge and started the Minnesota Thunder Academy. The team also founded the Rochester Thunder in the Premier Development League.[27]

In November 2009 the Thunder announced their intent to leave the USL First Division to become the co-founders of a new North American Soccer League.

Minnesota's participation in this new league was, however, not to be. In early November 2009 they released all players from their contracts,[28] partly in response to heavy debts and unpaid bills, including wages. The organization was operating with a skeleton staff of 3 people as they tried to reorganize in their final days.

In January 2010, the National Sports Center announced the formation of a new club, the NSC Minnesota Stars that functioned as a replacement for the Thunder.[29]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  USA Matt Van Oekel 2 MF  LBR Melvin Tarley 3 DF  CAN Andres Arango 4 DF  USA Andrew Peterson 6 MF  USA Kevin Friedland 7 MF  USA Dale Weiler 8 MF  FRA Youssouf Kanté 9 FW  NZL Nathan Knox 11 DF  USA Rich Costanzo 12 GK  USA Nicolas Platter 13 MF  KEN Lawrence Olum 14 DF  USA Chris Clements

No. Pos. Nation Player 15 MF  RUS Rod Dyachenko 16 DF  USA Marcus Watson 17 FW  HAI Leonel Saint-Preux 18 FW  USA Dan O'Brien 19 DF  USA Brian Kallman 20 MF  USA Brian Cvilikas 21 FW  LBR Geoffrey Myers 22 MF  USA Jeremiah Bass (captain) 23 FW  CAN Marco Terminesi 25 MF  BLR Andrei Gotsmanov 28 DF  RSA Jonathan Greenfield

• See also: All-time Minnesota Thunder roster

The following people have been inducted into the Minnesota Thunder Hall of Fame:

• Tony Pesznecker Inducted 1996
• Tony Sanneh Inducted 1996
• Manuel Lagos Inducted 1996
• John Swallen Inducted 2002
• Gerard Lagos Inducted 2002
• Tom Engstrom Inducted 2003
• Don Gramenz Inducted 2004
• Buzz Lagos Inducted 2005
• Amos Magee Inducted 2005
• Bill George Inducted 2006