Minnesota Thunder is an American professional soccer team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1990, the team plays in the USL First Division (USL-1), the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid. The team plays its home games at the National Sports Center in nearby Blaine, Minnesota, where they have played since 2003. The team's colors are navy blue, light blue, silver and white. Their current head coach is Don Gramenz, who took over in mid-2008 from long-time manager Amos Magee. The team has a development team, Rochester Thunder, which plays in the USL Premier Development League, and a sister organization, the Minnesota Lightning, who play in the women's USL W-League.

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History

Before the 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 season 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 dispanded in 1988 after the 1987-1988 season. ^[2]

Independent era (1990–1993)

The team was founded as an all star team in 1990. The team was comprised 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 American Pro Soccer 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 the 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 finished 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 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]

Buzz Lagos era (1994–2005)

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 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. ^{[18] [19]} Additionally, the team was sold to an ownership led by majority owner Saeed Kadkhodaian. These changes led to Buzz Lagos 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. ^{[20] [21] [22]} On October 12, 2005 Amos Magee became the second head coach in the history of the Thunder. ^[23] The Thunder also purchased a W-Leauge team in 2005. ^[24] The team was eventually named the Minnesota Lightning in 2006 before their opening season. ^[25]

The Thunder have defeated four MLS teams in 2004 and 2005.

Present era (2005–present)

Since August 2007 the team has 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. ^[26]

Colors and badge

A new logo using the colors of navy blue, light blue, and silver was unveiled for the 2008 season.

The previous Thunder badge incorporated the logo of a capital 'T' and an active soccer ball on a shield reading "Minnesota Thunder". When on the team uniform, it also is adorned atop by a gold star commemorating the 1999 championship season. The initial Thunder crest was a soccer ball with a thunderbolt crossing it followed by the text "Minnesota Thunder."

When the team became a professional organization, a new logo was created, consisting of an image of the state of Minnesota background with a soccer ball and thunderbolt imposed upon it.

In 2002, the Thunder undertook a marketing re-branding endeavor, where a new logo was created consisting of a soccer ball with movement lines and a T below the words of team's name.

In 2006, a new navy and gold "shield" logo was adopted.

The official mascot of the Minnesota Thunder is Thor. ^[27]

Stadia

• National Sports Center; Blaine, Minnesota (1990-2003, 2006-present)
• James Griffin Stadium; St. Paul, Minnesota (2004-2007)
• Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome; Minneapolis, Minnesota 2 games (2004-2005)
• Macalester Stadium at Macalester College; St. Paul, Minnesota 1 game (2004)
• Stadium at Stillwater High School; Oak Park Heights, Minnesota 1 game (2004)

The Thunder's first home field was the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota where they played until 2003. In 2003 the Thunder wanted to reduce the number of home games played at the National Sports Center to seven. The Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission which owns the National Sports Center was not comfortable with the idea so the Thunder decided to look elsewhere. Their three year lease expired in 2003 leaving them open to search for other facilities for 2004. At the time revenue from the Thunder accounted for less than one percent of the National Sports Center's total revenue. Barclay Kruse, the associate director of the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission described the situation as, "The best way to describe it is that we're disappointed." In 2004 the Thunder played home matches at James Griffin Stadium, also known as "The Jimmy", in St Paul. The move to this stadium in central Saint Paul was made in an attempt to reduce overhead costs and market to a more urban and ethnic crowd. According to then president and general manager Jim Froslid some of the deciding were being on a bus line (mass transit does not go to Blaine) and being accessible to the ethnic community. ^[28] Fan surveys indicated that they would attend more games if the Thunder played in a more central location. ^[29]

As of May 12, 2008, they have returned to the National Sports Center with a lease until 2011. At the time the Thunder was the only team in the USL to not play in a soccer specific stadium and the only team that played on with painted American football lines. ^[30]

The Metrodome is occasionally used as a home field. Macalester Stadium at Macalester College in St. Paul has also been used for games in the past. While playing at the National Sports Center the Thunder traditionally played several games a year in other locations notably Macalester College or Eastview High School in Apple Valley. ^[31]

Supporters

There is a group of active fans loosely grouped under the name The Dark Clouds. The supporters will typically tailgate before the game and during halftime, sit behind the opposing bench during games, stand and chant throughout the game, and occasionally travel with the team on road games. For the 2009 season an additional supporters section was added in the North End of the stadium adjacent to the new beergarden. This section has been dubbed, "Stand Du Nord" and is home to additional supporters groups including, The Dale Weiler Fan Club, and The Damagers.

Players

Current roster

as of June 14, 2009

No. Position Player

No. Position Player

Notable former players

Mark Abboud Chugger Adair Chato Alvarado Kevin Anderson Kalin Bankov Constantin Stanici Todd Dusosky Alfredo Esteves Marco Ferruzzi Tim Foster Mike Gentile

Sasha Gotsmanov Sergey Gotsmanov Don Gramenz Matt Holmes Gerard Lagos Manuel Lagos Amos Magee Thiago Martins John Menk Johnny Menyongar Stoian Mladenov

Pierre Morice Joshua Okoampa Nick Pasquarello Tony Pesznecker Tom Presthus Tony Sanneh John Swallen John Sylvester Johnny Torres Ansu Toure Morgan Zeba

• See also: All-time Minnesota Thunder roster

Hall of Fame

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

Year-by-year

Year	Division	League	Reg. Season	Playoffs	Open Cup	Avg. Attendance
1994	2	USISL	1st, Midwest	Final	Did not enter
1995	2	USISL Pro League	1st, Midwest East	Final	Did not qualify
1996	3	USISL Select League	2nd, Central	Semifinals	Did not qualify
1997	2	USISL A-League	5th, Central	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
1998	2	USISL A-League	2nd, Central	Final	Did not qualify
1999	2	USL A-League	1st, Central	Champion	2nd Round
2000	2	USL A-League	1st, Central	Final	3rd Round
2001	2	USL A-League	6th, Western	Did not qualify	Did not qualify
2002	2	USL A-League	2nd, Central	Conference Semifinals	3rd Round
2003	2	USL A-League	2nd, Central	Final	3rd Round
2004	2	USL A-League	3rd, Western	Quarterfinals	Quarterfinals
2005	2	USL First Division	10th	Did not qualify	Semifinals
2006	2	USL First Division	12th	Did not qualify	2nd Round
2007	2	USL First Division	11th	Did not qualify	2nd Round
2008	2	USL First Division	7th	Quarterfinals	2nd Round
2009	2	USL First Division	in progress		3rd Round

Honors

• USL A-League
• * Winners (1): 1999
• * Runners-up (3): 1998, 2000, 2003
• * Midwest Division Champions (1): 1994*
• * Midwest East Division Champions (1): 1995*
• * Central Division Champions (2): 1999, 2000
• U.S. Open Cup
• * Semifinals (1): 2005
• * Quarterfinals (1): 2004
• USISL Sizzling Nine Championship
• *Runners-up (2): 1994, 1995

Head coaches

• Buzz Lagos (1990-2005)
• Amos Magee (2006-2008)
• Don Gramenz (2008-present)