SAN DIEGO, Calif. — It may be two years away but fans are starting a countdown until the arrival of Major League Soccer in America’s Finest City.
“It’s super exciting. I mean we saw what happens like with Padres fans, SDSU, like when teams do well, when owners spend money, people come out so I’m super excited,” said Alex Kirkwood, 29.
Kirkwood is a huge soccer fan and has traveled around the world to attend games and go to the World Cup.
He said he hopes San Diego will rally behind the new team, which is expected to come in 2025.
“I mean having the Loyal (team) here is cool but like having the top league, the MLS, it’s so exciting. I think the games are going to sell out pretty frequently.”
San Diego will be the 30th MLS team and play at the Snapdragon Stadium.
Business owners like Adam Cook who recently opened the Fairplay bar in North Park are ecstatic.
“I’ve been dreaming of this for a long time,” said the lifelong soccer fan and player.
Cook sees the 2017 loss of the Chargers NFL team as a benefit to San Diego giving fans a new team to rally behind.
Plus, he is thrilled at the opportunity to generate more revenue from fans.
The MLS team’s arrival is expected to generate hundreds of millions in economic activity, the league said in a news release Thursday.
“It is important to have a winning club to help support your neighborhood bars like this one,” Cook said.
