Once the Columbus Crew players and coaches walked off the field following the fireworks performance, and the last supporters strolled from the stands, the lights were shut off for the final time for the Black & Gold at Historic Crew Stadium.
On a night destined to be a ceremonious occasion, the Crew delivered a memorable performance in a dominating 2-0 win over long-time rival Chicago Fire FC. The final fireworks were the perfect accompaniment for the reigning MLS Cup champions, who rattled off their third-consecutive win.
But now that the Crew has played its last match at Historic Crew Stadium, it’s worth looking back at what millions of fans have witnessed in the country’s first soccer-specific stadium.
Here’s a look at Historic Crew Stadium by the numbers for Crew and MLS-related events:
348 – The Crew played 348 matches inside the venue since 1999. When the stadium opened, it marked the start of the Crew’s fourth season, after the Club played its first three years at Ohio Stadium.
While the 348 matches hosted is clearly a large number, it’s worth noting this total doesn’t include the countless national team matches, MLS events and other occasions.
182 – Of those 348 games, the Black & Gold won 182 of them, finishing with a 52.3% winning percentage when playing matches at home. This total includes everything from the Crew’s first match at the stadium on May 15, 1999, to the dos a cero over the Fire on Saturday night.
561 – The Columbus Crew scored 561 goals in the stadium, outscoring their opponents, 561-376. The team averaged 1.6 goals per home match, while opponents were held to just over a goal a game (1.08).
32 – Gyasi Zardes became the club’s all-time leader scorer at Historic Crew Stadium on Saturday night when he produced his 10th multi-goal game for the Black & Gold.
Jeff Cunningham, who scored the first goal in the venue in 1999, held the record at 31 entering the final match at the game. Maybe it was destiny for Zardes to top that total, as he provided goals in the 17th and 34th minutes to break the record while also securing three points.
3 – The first soccer-specific stadium was the place for American soccer, serving as the spiritual home for the sport in this country. Historic Crew Stadium hosted the MLS Cup final on three occasions, beginning in 2001. Landon Donovan and the San Jose Earthquakes stole the show in an exciting 2-1 win over his future club, the LA Galaxy.
The Crew would eventually host the MLS Cup final on two more occasions: 2015 and 2020.
Despite a defeat to the Portland Timbers in the former match, the Black & Gold won the last MLS Cup in the stadium last December, when they throttled Seattle Sounders FC, 3-0, to claim the Club’s second-ever MLS Cup title.
2 – The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was hosted twice in Historic Crew stadium, with the Crew winning their lone U.S. Open Cup title in 2002 inside the venue.
An Open Cup final was also played in the stadium during its inaugural season in 1999, when the Richmond Kickers, now a USL League One team, hoisted the trophy.
2 – The MLS All-Star Game was hosted twice in the stadium in 2000 and 2005. The highlight for Crew fans in 2005 was undoubtedly Jeff Cunningham subbing into the match and quickly scoring twice in a 4-1 MLS All-Stars win over English Premier League side Fulham FC.
