Whether on the field, on the sidelines or behind-the-scenes, Columbus Crew Circle of Honor inductees have played an integral role in the Black & Gold’s eventful history, with the late Sigi Schmid set to be the next Crew SC great to be etched into the upper fascia of MAPFRE Stadium come Saturday, June 29 against Orlando City SC.
Created in 2011 in conjunction with the induction of Brian McBride, the Circle of Honor serves as the club’s highest honor and pays homage solely to its most iconic performers and personalities, and as of now, only McBride and 2008 MLS Cup champion Frankie Hejduk.
In order to be eligible as a player:
- An individual must have been retired as a player for at least one (1) year
- Played at least four (4) seasons for the Crew
- Exception: Requirement to previous entry may be reduced to two years for a player who is named MLS Best XI, wins an MLS Individual Award or captains the Crew to the MLS Cup title in that time
- Appeared in at least 50 or more League matches for the club
- Win Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield or CONCACAF Champions League title
In order to be eligible as a Head Coach:
- An individual must have served as a Head Coach for at least five years, or less with a total of at least 10 years on the coaching staff
- Exception: Requirement to previous entry may be reduced to three years as Head Coach, if individual led the Crew to the MLS Cup title in that time
- Guided the team to at least one major trophy as Head Coach: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield or CONCACAF Champions League title
- An individual must have been retired for at least one (1) year or has not coached for at least three (3) years
Schmid's posthumous induction will take place at halftime of the June 29 match and will feature members of the Schmid family, as well as Schmid’s name becoming a permanent fixture upon the upper fascia at MAPFRE Stadium alongside the names of previous inductees Brian McBride and Frankie Hejduk.
Schmid served as the Head Coach of the Columbus Crew from 2006-2008, leading the Club to its first MLS Cup in 2008 as part of a domestic double that also saw the Black & Gold win the Supporters’ Shield that year. That same season, Schmid was named the recipient of the MLS Coach of the Year Award, a League award that is now named after him. To this date, Crew SC’s 2008 season under Schmid remains the Club’s best season in terms of total points (57) and silverware won. During his three seasons in charge of the Crew, Schmid led the club to a winning 34-33-25 regular-season record.
