SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Soccer fans in San Diego are expressing optimism that after years of waiting, the city may finally be on the verge of landing an MLS expansion franchise. That optimism reached greater heights after comments by MLS Commissioner Don Garber Thursday ahead of the MLS Cup.
“San Diego, we’ve always believed in the market and I would say we’re probably closer than ever before," Garber said.
He also confirmed they are in talks with a specific ownership group. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that group consists of Sycuan, teaming with a bilionaire from Egypt. While a playing site has not been made explicit, it's clear that all parties foresee the team playing at San Diego State University's new Snapdragon Stadium.
“I look at what the university has done and the development of Snapdragon and the success of the women’s team [San Diego Wave] and all of the energy and momentum behind professional soccer with Landon’s team [San Diego Loyal]. It’s fantastic," Garber said.
San Diego is competing with Las Vegas to become the 30th MLS franchise. As recently as last year, insiders felt Las Vegas had the inside track. However, difficulties getting a stadium approved in Las Vegas, combined with the quick success of the San Diego Wave at the newly opened Snapdragon Stadium may have moved San Diego into the lead.
Garber says the league anticipates making a decision on expansion by summer of 2023.
Soccer fans in San Diego have been disappointed by flirtations with MLS expansion in the past, most notably the failed stadium referendum in 2018 that led instead to SDSU taking over the Mission Valley site and building Snapdragon.
However, fans say recent signs are too positive to ignore.
Adam Cook, the owner of North Park's Bluefoot Bar & Lounge, which opens early for fans of European Soccer, says it's clear the San Diego market is ready to support MLS.
“The metropolitan area here is huge. From San Ysidro to Oceanside to Pine Valley and everything in between. It’s a lot of good fanbase to draw from. It’s going to be great. I have all the faith in the world,” Cook says.
Garber acknowledges that some people doubt whether San Diego is a strong sports market.
“I think there’s a view that San Diego — it’s too nice there, and people are out surfing and hanging out at the beach and I just don’t buy it. I think San Diego’s a great sports market.”
Soccer fan Dylan Wilson says anyone who believes that criticism does not understand San Diego, saying they should attend a Wave game or a Padres game to see what they're missing.
“Do that and then come back to me and try to question whether or not the city can support those teams. I get chills thinking about it sometimes. Some of the craziest, rockingest crowds I’ve ever been [with] have been here in San Diego,” Wilson says.
