Houston Dash

The Houston Dash is a professional women's soccer team based in Houston, Texas. They joined the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) in the 2014 season. It is affiliated with the MLS team Houston Dynamo.

History

Establishment

On November 19, 2013, the Houston Dynamo began talks in the initial stages with the intention of bringing a top flight women's professional soccer franchise to Houston. Just a week later, the effort was bolstered when the Dynamo began accepting refundable deposits for a potential NWSL expansion team. On December 11, 2013, the National Women's Soccer League awarded the Houston Dynamo and the city of Houston an expansion franchise.

Team name, crest, and colors

During a press conference on December 12, 2013, Houston Dynamo president Chris Canetti announced that the club would be named the Houston Dash and would share similar colors to the Dynamo: orange, black, and sky blue. The crest features a soccer ball along with the words "Houston Dash" with sky blue lines in the background. The name Dash refers to the fast running speed of a horse, which was a historical mode of transportation for Texans in the 1800s.

Stadium

The Dash play their games at PNC Stadium, formerly known as BBVA Stadium, which opened in May 2012, and features a 22,039-seat capacity. For the team's inaugural season, 7,000 seats in the lower seating bowl are available for home games. When the stadium opened in 2012, it became the first soccer-specific stadium in Major League Soccer located in a city's downtown district.