Chicago witnessed several attempts for professional soccer to gain a toehold in the local scene before the Sting, founded in 1975 by wealthy commodities trader Lee Stern, achieved this with North American Soccer League championships in 1981 and 1984. These were the first titles won by a Chicago pro franchise in any sport since the Bears football crown in 1963. The Sting, coached by Willy Roy and fortified with a few top European players, was a perennial league contender. The 1981 campaign attracted major media attention and consistently drew crowds of 20,000 or more for the first time in Chicago soccer. The Sting stopped playing after the 1984 season when the league suspended operations in the wake of the financial collapse of several franchises.

Mike Conklin