FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium
FC Dallas began life as the Dallas Burn, a reference to Texas' burning oil fields as well as its climate, before changing the name in 2004 as the league embraced European naming conventions. They were an MLS charter club in 1996, and until 2003 the Burn were bankrolled by MLS. In some sly way, the financial arrangement fit with the image evoked by the team's nickname. Oilmen know plenty about prospecting with other people's money.
The centerpiece of the Burn era was striker Jason Kreis, a prolific scorer. In 1999, Kreis was the MLS leader with 51 points, recording 18 goals and 15 assists. He won league MVP honors, the first American-born player to do so.
In 2005, now under independent ownership, the freshly rebranded FC Dallas debuted in their new soccer-specific stadium in the city of Frisco. They would make the playoffs three years in row, falling each time in the Western Conference semifinals. In 2010, FC Dallas played in their first MLS Cup Final, losing to the rival Colorado Rapids in overtime, 2-1.
In 2016, FC Dallas went 17-8-9 and won their first Supporters' Shield, which is given to the team with the league's best regular-season record. They were bounced out of the conference semifinals by the Seattle Sounders, who went on to win the MLS Cup.
FC Dallas still plays in their stadium in Frisco, now called Toyota Stadium. It is also home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.