Originally founded in 1990 as an amateur team, the Minnesota Thunder had to wait until 1994 to join USL. The Thunder proved more than ready, dominating the league with an unbeaten 18-0 expansion season only to fall in the first of six USL finals. In the Pro League the following year, the Thunder lost only one game during the season and came up short in the final for a second straight time. The team moved up to the A-League in 1997 and after missing the postseason in their first year, became one of the dominant clubs in the league, squaring off against Rochester in three straight finals from 1998-2000, winning the 1999 A-League Championship. After a two-year absence from the final, the Thunder would return for a fourth time in 2003. Off the field, the club has been one of USL’s best as a continual leader in attendance and marketing.