Is America’s Finest City Ready for USL Expansion?
While San Diego is home to the Championship indoor soccer team — the San Diego Sockers and America’s finest city is one of the fastest growing hubs of youth soccer — the country’s southern most city has yet to make its presence in the MLS soccer scene.
With the Tijuana Xolos just a short drive away across the border in Mexico, San Diego could become a thriving capital on the pro soccer scene — but will it?
Soccer News: San Diego is one of the hottest markets fit for a professional soccer team with a significant Hispanic population in the region and an affluent base of soccer fans.
San Diego is also one of, if not the fastest growing city for elite youth soccer with a very high percentage of player development programs producing high caliber players.
With Tijuana just a short drive South to cross the USA/Mexico border, the Xolos see many fans travel to watch the closest professional club compete in Liga MX.
It is a real wonder as to why America’s Finest City has yet to welcome its own Major League Soccer (MLS) soccer team. Why has San Diego been ignored by MLS? What will it take to bring pro soccer to a city filled with gorgeous beaches? Or is that the problem. Skeptics have long shouted concerns that San Diego is a poor choice to support a professional soccer team as fans are notoriously far from loyal and the city’s great weather provides endless free entertainment options.
Maybe this is all about to change.
According to multiple sources, the United Soccer League (USL) is negotiating to put an expansion franchise in San Diego that could possibly start play as early as April of 2017.
“San Diego is a thriving market with a millennial population and considerable interest in soccer,” said John Griffin, Vice President of Communications for the USL. “The USL’s recent success is built on three core tenets: strong local ownership, an attractive market and plans for a soccer-specific stadium. Those three tenets will position our teams and the league for long-term success.”
Youth club teams inhabit San Diego making the city one of America’s hot spots for youth soccer in the United States. San Diego Surf, Albion SC and Nomads Soccer Club provide youth players with a professional atmosphere to grow along with top quality coaching staff throughout the club.
Many players receive call-ups for the U.S. Youth National Teams as well as continuing to play at the college level.
Soccer has an immense economic impact to the city — Surf Cup Sports generated $139 million in overall economic impact for America’s 8th largest city through its youth soccer events. With a population of over 1.35 million people, San Diego is a thriving capital of soccer.
Soccer’s success in San Diego has been visible this year as the Albion Pros and North County Battalion entered the pitch for the 2016 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season. The Pros are in partnership with youth club Albion SC and NC Battalion’s head coach is a top coach at rival youth club Surf SC.
These two NPSL teams are flourishing with often 2,000 fans in the stadium and have created a strong rivalry with a recent match ending in a 0-0 draw.
The atmosphere at the acclaimed San Diego Derby was a sight to witness as supporters were in full swing to help propel their side to victory during the first two matches between the clubs. Albion consists of forward Matt Clare and defender Jeff Hughes who also play for Major Arena Soccer League side –San Diego Sockers. The San Diego Sockers are another glimpse as to what the San Diego soccer scene has to offer with the club holding the record as the most winning team in indoor soccer history.
The USL has discussed University of San Diego as a potential home stadium for at least the inaugural season. Torero Stadium has hosted the College Cup and the U.S. Women’s National Team, but the league ultimately has its sights on what happens in the November, 2016 election and the potential vote on a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers in Downtown.
The USL would like for the potential San Diego team to have a soccer-specific stadium to move in to, which is currently on hold due to the possibility of the Chargers moving out of Mission Valley.
Former Padres owner John Moores and his JMI Realty have offered a plan for renovation of the Qualcomm Stadium site that would include a smaller stadium with the possibility to host a professional soccer team as well as the San Diego State Aztecs football team.
With the addition of a USL team in San Diego, the possibility of a MLS team would likely follow in the near future. The success Orlando City has had transitioning to a MLS club would be the model San Diego would look to construct itself after in order to make the step onto the big stage. Orlando didn’t wait for soccer to be successful, Orlando City made itself successful in a market similar to San Diego. Will the West Coast rise up and achieve what the East Coast did? Time will tell.
