MLS
What will new San Diego franchise be called in the MLS?
It’s going to be the 30th franchise in Major League Soccer and team CEO Tom Penn has shared news on its name.
Major League Soccer, the top flight of the Beautiful Game in the United States, continues to grow and on Thursday we received confirmation that San Diego has been awarded the 30th franchise. The team owned by Billionaire Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe will join the league for the 2025 season.
Back in February, league commissioner Don Garber spoke about what was in motion:
“That 30th team will come at some point soon. Hopefully for media people … we would like to get that announced by the end of the year. Never thought we’d be at 28, never thought we’d be at 29, we say we’re going to stop at 30 but the other major leagues are larger than that. I don’t ever say never. In Major League Soccer, there are many other markets that are opportunities for us.”
And now we are finally here
The San Diego...?
The franchise from ‘America’s Finest City’ becomes the first professional soccer team with Native American ownership and there’s even a place for MLB’s Manny Machado in the group. But given all the excitement around the new team and those involved in making it happen, one question is on the lips of every fan: what will the team be called?
Well, team CEO Tom Penn spoke with CBS 8 following the announcement and seems to have narrowed it down to a couple of options.
“We feel like we want to be either San Diego Football Club, so San Diego FC,” Penn said, “Or should we put the football first, should it be Football Club of San Diego, like FC San Diego?
“So, we had to pick one to start, and we’ll see which way it goes, but that’s the fundamental question right out of the block ... and we’re going to listen to everybody on that. And then we’ll come up with our crest and our colors.”
And when can we expect to have this information confirmed?
“I would say sometime summer, early fall will be another big announcement to show our real brand. You heard it here first,” concluded the CEO to the delight of the local journalists. Any fans hoping for a more inventive name along the lines of Galaxy or Sounders may be a little disappointed.
Where will the San Diego team play home games?
With 15 teams now set to be in each conference, with the addition of the San Diego franchise, we await final confirmation on the name, badge and the associated branding. What we do know, however, is that the team will play at San Diego State’s Snapdragon Stadium, which only opened last year.
The stadium is currently home to the San Diego Wave and the university’s football team.