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San Diego MLS team
Temporary logo
FoundedMay 18, 2023 (2023-05-18)
StadiumSnapdragon Stadium
San Diego, California
Capacity35,000
Owner
LeagueMajor League Soccer
Websitehttps://sandiegofc.com/

The San Diego MLS team is a Major League Soccer expansion franchise that is scheduled to begin play in 2025. The team will play their home matches at Snapdragon Stadium, a multi-use venue in San Diego, California, United States. The franchise's ownership group is led by British-Egyptian businessman Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a federally recognized Indian tribe. They were awarded an expansion team on May 18, 2023; the team will be the 30th in Major League Soccer.

History

First-division soccer in San Diego

San Diego's earliest professional soccer team was the short-lived San Diego Toros, a North American Soccer League (NASL) team that relocated from Los Angeles in 1968 and played a single season. A second NASL team, the San Diego Jaws, was established in 1976 from the former Baltimore Comets and played one year before moving to Las Vegas; the franchise returned in 1978 and were renamed the Sockers, playing outdoor matches at Jack Murphy Stadium, which was shared with the National Football League's San Diego Chargers and Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres.[1][2] The Sockers had poor attendance but survived the folding of the NASL by moving to the Major Indoor Soccer League, where they won eight championships in nine seasons.[1] The team moved to the Continental Indoor Soccer League in 1993 and folded in 1997;[3] the name was later revived for a second indoor team from 2001 to 2004 and a third indoor team that began play in 2009.[4] Other outdoor teams, including the San Diego Flash and San Diego 1904 FC, had played short stints in the lower divisions of American soccer in the 2000s and 2010s before folding.[5]

Previous MLS bids

Aerial view of Qualcomm Stadium, which hosted the 1999 MLS All-Star Game and was a factor in several San Diego expansion bids

During the formation of MLS in the mid-1990s, San Diego was not among the U.S. cities to formally submit a bid for a team in the inaugural season, but expressed interest and held several meetings with the league.[6] MLS commissioner Doug Logan described San Diego as a "prime candidate" for an expansion team, but the city's lack of a suitable stadium to accommodate soccer was a "major hurdle"; at the time, Jack Murphy Stadium was shared with the Padres and had a larger capacity than the league's desired size.[7] The renovated Jack Murphy Stadium (renamed to Qualcomm Stadium) hosted several exhibition matches as well as the 1999 MLS All-Star Game, which drew an attendance of 23,277;[8][9] it was the only MLS All-Star Game to be played outside of an active or future MLS market.[10]

Following the approval of plans to build a downtown ballpark for the Padres, the MLS expansion committee voiced their support of a potential team playing at Qualcomm Stadium—either permanently or until a soccer-specific stadium was built.[11] The San Diego market was considered for Chivas USA, an MLS expansion team that would serve as a reserve team for C.D. Guadalajara of the Mexican Primera División.[12] The team instead chose to share its home venue with the LA Galaxy in Carson, California, and played for ten seasons before folding due to low attendance and ownership issues.[13][14] The league continued to list San Diego as a potential candidate for expansion and negotiated with several interested investor groups, but the lack of a suitable stadium prevented further consideration.[15][16] Balboa Stadium, the 1960s home of the Chargers and Jaws, was also mentioned as a potential site for a smaller stadium built for an MLS team.[17]

A new team across the Mexican border, Club Tijuana (nicknamed the Xolos), was founded in 2007 and promoted to Liga MX—Mexico's top-flight league—in 2011.[18] The team attracted support from fans in San Diego—about 20 miles (32 km) north of their home stadium—and played several exhibition matches in the area at various venues,[19] including Qualcomm Stadium and the Padres' Petco Park.[20][21] San Diego also remained one of the top U.S. viewing markets for television broadcasts of the FIFA World Cup, Premier League, and other overseas soccer competitions.[17] The area had also produced several prominent players for the United States men's and women's national teams.[22]

The San Diego Chargers announced plans to relocate to the Los Angeles area in 2015 while it also pursued a new downtown San Diego stadium, which required voter approval but was rejected.[23] The team's departure was made official in early 2017 and opened an opportunity for a new MLS expansion bid to be led by businessman Mike Stone with several other investors, including Padres owner Peter Seidler and former soccer player Landon Donovan.[24][25] A separate bid from former Padres owner John Moores—who had shown interest in an MLS team in the 1990s—and an unspecified Premier League team was withdrawn a year earlier.[26][27] The Stones bid proposed a redevelopment of the Qualcomm Stadium site named "SoccerCity" that would include mixed-use development and a park surrounding a stadium shared with San Diego State University (SDSU)'s athletic teams, known as the Aztecs.[25] The stadium would seat 20,000 to 32,000 spectators and cost $200 million to construct.[28] A separate proposal from SDSU, named SDSU West, was announced and placed on the same November 2018 ballot; SoccerCity was defeated with 30 percent of votes, while SDSU West earned 55 percent approval.[10][29]

A second-division team, San Diego Loyal SC, was established by Warren Smith and Landon Donovan in 2019 and began play the following year in the USL Championship at Torero Stadium. The team also showed interest in launching an MLS expansion with other partners, but were not part of any later bids.[1][30] The SDSU West stadium, named Snapdragon Stadium, opened in 2022 and became the home of San Diego Wave FC, a National Women's Soccer League expansion team that moved from Torero Stadium.[10] The team set several U.S. women's soccer attendance records in their first season and drew 32,000 fans at their new stadium.[31] Several investor groups also approached SDSU to launch a MLS expansion team that would play at Snapdragon Stadium with financial concessions requested by the league.[10] A separate proposal to build a mixed-use residential and hotel district in the suburb of Chula Vista with a soccer-specific stadium was announced in April 2023 by Petra Development Group and outside investors.[32]

Mansour–Sycuan bid

Mohamed Mansour joined the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation to bid for an MLS expansion team in 2022

The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, a federally recognized Indian tribe and operators of local entertainment venues, began looking for opportunities to invest in sports ownership in December 2020. They partnered with developer Brad Termini to bid for an MLS expansion team the following year and searched for a major financial partner with help from the league.[1][33] The Sycuan Tribe contacted the Mansour Group, led by businessman Mohamed Mansour, who joined the bid in late 2022. In October 2022, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the proposed team would require an agreement with SDSU to use Snapdragon Stadium.[34] The San Diego competed with proposals from Las Vegas, who had previously been described as the "favorite" to become the 30th MLS team;[35] the primary Las Vegas bid, led by Wes Edens and Nassef Sawiris, who co-owned Aston Villa F.C. in the Premier League, included a conceptual indoor stadium.[36][37]

On May 18, 2023, at a Snapdragon Stadium event, MLS announced that the expansion team had been awarded to San Diego and would be owned by Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe. The ownership group paid a $500 million expansion fee according to media reports.[22][38] Within a day, a total of 5,000 season ticket deposits had been sold.[33] The team is scheduled to begin play in 2025, giving the state of California four clubs in the league.[39]

Club identity

The team's working name is San Diego Football Club (San Diego FC), which was described as a placeholder at the launch event in May 2023.[22] A permanent name, along with colors and a logo, are expected to be unveiled later in the year following community input.[33]

Stadium

Main article: Snapdragon Stadium
Aerial view of Snapdragon Stadium, the team's future home venue

The San Diego team will play home matches at Snapdragon Stadium, a 35,000-seat outdoor venue that opened in 2022 at the former site of Qualcomm Stadium. The stadium is adjacent to the SDSU Mission Valley campus and is used by the university for their college football and soccer games. It is also home to San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League and the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby. A series of international friendlies, as well as a 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal, are scheduled to be played at the stadium in mid-2023.[40][41] Snapdragon Stadium was built to soccer specifications with various fixtures that meet MLS standards; the stadium's seating capacity is larger than most soccer-specific stadiums, but lacks a roof or other weather protection.[1][10]

Ownership and management

The team is owned by Mohamed Mansour, a British-Egyptian businessman and politician,[42] and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation.[38] The Mansour Group also owns Danish club FC Nordsjælland and the Right to Dream Academy, which has facilities in Ghana, Egypt, and Denmark.[43] A branch of the Right to Dream Academy is planned to be opened in the San Diego area with residential facilities for 120 to 160 players, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.[44] The Sycuan Band are the first Native American tribe to own part of a professional soccer team in the United States and the second to have an ownership stake in any professional sports team after the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut.[33][38] The ownership group also includes Padres player Manny Machado, developer Brad Termini, and several Right to Dream executives.[38] Tom Penn was named the club's chief executive officer on May 18, 2023; he was previously president of Los Angeles FC.[38][45]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Maurer, Pablo (May 18, 2023). "MLS expansion into San Diego: What you need to know about team name, owner and local history". The Athletic. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  2. ^ Brents, Phillip (October 15, 2020). "End of an era, and start of a new one, for Mission Valley stadium". The Star-News. Chula Vista, California. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  3. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 21, 1997). "San Diego remains a soccer city". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D3.
  4. ^ Salazar, Jo-Ryan (July 25, 2010). "The San Diego Sockers: A Legacy Renewed". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  5. ^ Zeigler, Mark (June 19, 2019). "Second-division USL soccer team coming to San Diego". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  6. ^ Zeigler, Mark (November 17, 1994). "Best-laid plans for U.S. soccer on hold till '96". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D1.
  7. ^ Zeigler, Mark (August 17, 1996). "S.D. next on MLS' growing wish list?". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D4.
  8. ^ Zeigler, Mark (December 23, 1998). "Top-level soccer set for Qualcomm". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D3.
  9. ^ Zeigler, Mark (July 18, 1999). "Preki powers West to first All-Star win". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. C1.
  10. ^ a b c d e Zeigler, Mark (May 15, 2022). "Major League Soccer continues to eye San Diego as attractive expansion candidate". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  11. ^ Zeigler, Mark (July 17, 1999). "MLS eyes San Diego, but expansion delayed". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D1.
  12. ^ Zeigler, Mark (October 9, 2003). "San Diego on short list for MLS expansion in 2005". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D3.
  13. ^ Gutierrez, Paul (August 3, 2004). "On Paper, Chivas Seems Ready to Go". Los Angeles Times. p. D3. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  14. ^ Maurer, Pablo; Stejskal, Sam (October 27, 2020). "The short life and long death of Chivas USA". The Athletic. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  15. ^ Zeigler, Mark (April 25, 2007). "MLS seems to want San Diego to have a team, but there's no suitable venue". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D2.
  16. ^ Zeigler, Mark (August 4, 2010). "San Diego tries to solve puzzle of MLS expansion". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D2. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Elder, Adam (August 12, 2014). "The San Diego mystery: America's soccer-crazy city seeks top-flight team". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  18. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 13, 2011). "Tijuana rehabilitates image with soccer team". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  19. ^ Zeigler, Mark (September 26, 2012). "Number of Xolos backers north of the border growing". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D2. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  20. ^ Carlisle, Jeff (January 31, 2017). "Proposed San Diego MLS franchise hopes to coexist with Liga MX's Tijuana". ESPN. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  21. ^ Zeigler, Mark (July 3, 2013). "Cultures collide: Soccer in SD football, baseball stadiums". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D1. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  22. ^ a b c Elder, Adam (May 19, 2023). "San Diego FC: Tory treasurers, tribal leaders and a $500m California dream". The Guardian. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  23. ^ Farmer, Sam; Fenno, Nathan (January 12, 2017). "Double-teamed: Chargers make move to Los Angeles official". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  24. ^ Showley, Roger (January 29, 2017). "San Diego's new white knight? Mike Stone and pro soccer". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  25. ^ a b Straus, Brian (April 5, 2017). "San Diego's MLS expansion bid opts to put stadium deal proposal to public vote". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  26. ^ Zeigler, Mark (February 27, 2016). "John Moores thwarted in bid to buy Everton". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  27. ^ Jenkins, Chris (February 15, 1997). "Padres owners eye big-league soccer team". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. A25.
  28. ^ Straus, Brian (February 16, 2017). "MLS expansion city profile: San Diego". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  29. ^ Van Grove, Jennifer (November 7, 2018). "SDSU West bests SoccerCity as voters embrace a new vision for Mission Valley stadium site". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  30. ^ Krasovic, Tom (August 13, 2021). "Column: SD Loyal owner dishes on MLS, eyes growth for own franchise". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  31. ^ Keatts, Andrew (September 18, 2022). "How San Diego smashed the NWSL attendance record with 32,000 fans". The Guardian. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  32. ^ Van Grove, Jennifer (April 6, 2023). "Group pitches $2.5-billion MLS stadium and sports complex on Chula Vista Bayfront in San Diego County". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  33. ^ a b c d Zeigler, Mark (May 18, 2023). "San Diego becomes Major League Soccer's 30th franchise in landmark moment for sport's hotbed". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  34. ^ Zeigler, Mark (October 28, 2022). "Investment group expected to submit bid for Major League Soccer expansion in San Diego". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. A1. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  35. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 6, 2023). "San Diego could be weeks away from getting a Major League Soccer expansion franchise". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  36. ^ Zeigler, Mark (November 4, 2022). "MLS chief indicates San Diego has hope". The San Diego Union-Tribune. p. D1. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  37. ^ Carlisle, Jeff (April 26, 2023). "MLS expansion: San Diego has the momentum to clear a path to becoming league's 30th team". ESPN. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  38. ^ a b c d e Hernandez, Cesar (May 18, 2023). "San Diego awarded 30th MLS team, will debut in 2025". ESPN. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  39. ^ Reineking, Jim (May 18, 2023). "San Diego will be home to MLS expansion team, pushing league to 30 clubs". USA Today. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  40. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 6, 2023). "San Diego could be weeks away from getting a Major League Soccer expansion franchise". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  41. ^ Mendoza, Alexandra (April 19, 2023). "San Diego to host CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal match this summer". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  42. ^ Ziegler, Martyn (May 15, 2023). "Tory treasurer Mohamed Mansour to buy £400m MLS franchise in San Diego". The Times. London. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  43. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 16, 2023). "Major League Soccer expected to announce San Diego expansion team Thursday". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  44. ^ Zeigler, Mark (May 17, 2023). "San Diego's new MLS team will be defined by its unique approach to youth development". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  45. ^ "Major League Soccer awards expansion team to San Diego" (Press release). Major League Soccer. May 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
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