SAN DIEGO (CNS) - San Diego Loyal SC and Ground Floor Murals will Friday reveal three murals of Loyal players in select neighborhoods wearing the 2023 season's CHARLY Fútbol home, away and goalkeeper kits ahead of the season opener March 11.
The life-sized works of street art featuring three players will be unveiled sequentially in three San Diego County neighborhoods:
- 3 p.m., midfielder Collin Martin in Mural Alley in the Hillcrest neighborhood
- 4 p.m., midfielder Alejandro Guido at Third Avenue and E Street in Chula Vista
- 5 p.m., goalkeeper Duran Ferree at SD Loyal HQ in Mission Valley
The three players will be the first to see the final art, featuring life-sized, in-game action tributes to them and the communities they represent. After the unveiling, a final touch will be added to each respective installation -- their signature.
"Community representation -- on and off the field -- has been our North Star since day one," said SD Loyal President Ricardo Campos. "Via this project with Ground Floor Murals, we continue to amplify this connection and celebrate our community at large.
"We're excited to unveil our 2023 CHARLY Fútbol kits in a meaningful way for our fans, players, partners and all of San Diego to enjoy."
Each neighborhood was selected for its impact in the player's life, a statement from the team reads.
For Martin, "who made national headlines in 2018 as the only active athlete from the five major men's U.S. professional leagues to come out as gay, his continued support of the LGBTQ community has made him a hero for many." The Hillcrest neighborhood has long been a bastion of LGBTQ rights and culture. San Diego Pride, a community-focused LGBTQ organization, has partnered with Martin and SD Loyal on several initiatives including Pride Night, the San Diego Pride Parade and numerous fundraising efforts.
For Guido, Chula Vista was the "obvious choice" given the attacking midfielders' origins and connection with Tijuana, the statement reads. Born and raised in Chula Vista, Guido is a Mater Dei Catholic High School alum, taking home the CIF State title as a freshman in 2009.
Finally for Ferree, the mural at the San Diego Loyal front offices and The Shop @ SD Loyal in Mission Valley "represents the full circle of the club's mission of growing soccer in the region," according to the statement. Ferree was the first Loyal Select player to sign a professional contract with the first team and has spent his entire life in San Diego.
Ground Floor Murals was commissioned by SD Loyal to take on the task of bringing Guido, Martin and Ferree to life. Co-founded by artists Paul Jimenez and Signe Ditona, Ground Floor Murals has been creating Southern California street art since 2020.
The public are invited to attend all three mural unveilings. From the time that each mural is unveiled until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, fans who post a selfie on social media from any of the three locations using the hashtag #StayLoyal will automatically be entered to win a set of all three 2023 kits, plus 2023 season tickets to the BluPeak Lounge at Torero Stadium.
The Loyal begin their season March 11 at Torero Stadium, hosting Detroit City FC at 7 p.m.
