Snapdragon Stadium is located in the northwest corner of SDSU Mission Valley, a 166-acre (67 ha) noncontiguous campus expansion. The stadium is accessible from the main campus via the San Diego Trolley at SDSU Transit Center. It was built adjacent to the former San Diego Stadium, the home of Aztecs football from 1967 to 2019.[8][9]
History
Following the announced departure of the NFL's Chargers from what was then SDCCU Stadium to the Greater Los Angeles area in January2017, focus began on building a new stadium for the Aztecs that was modern and the right size for the program. Over the course of the next nearly two years, the plan for what would become Snapdragon Stadium (known during its planning and early construction phases as Aztec Stadium) and the rest of the SDSU Mission Valley development (initially known as SDSU West) took shape. A competing redevelopment proposal surfaced, known as SoccerCity, which envisioned the SDCCU Stadium site being leased from the city and redeveloped with private funding if San Diego was awarded a Major League Soccer (MLS) team. Under this proposal, SDSU football would have the option of sharing the proposed smaller-capacity soccer stadium with the new MLS team. The SoccerCity proposal was placed on the November2018 ballot in competition with the SDSU Mission Valley proposal, where the SDSU Mission Valley plan emerged victorious.[10][11]
On December5,2019, the school announced that it had received a $15million gift from Dianne L. Bashor to help finance the new stadium, which led to its playing surface being named Bashor Field.[12]
On June 30, 2020, the city of San Diego approved the sale of the SDCCU Stadium site to San Diego State University and on August10,2020, the university officially took control of the property.[13] San Diego State bought the entire 135 acres (55ha), including the existing stadium, from the city for $88 million. Groundbreaking on the new stadium took place on August17, just one week after SDSU took control of the site.
Snapdragon Stadium under construction in November 2021
The entire $3.5billion SDSU Mission Valley project includes housing, office and retail space, hotels, and eighty acres (32ha) of parks and open space, including a 34-acre (14ha) river park along the San Diego River on adjacent city property, and will be developed in phases over 10–15 years.[14] The stadium will seat 35,000 fans and is being built to support college football, non-football NCAA championship games, professional soccer, rugby, lacrosse, and special events such as concerts.[15][16] The stadium was designed to be expandable to a capacity of 55,000 (complete with a plan and renderings for such an expansion) or more to accommodate a prospective NFL return to San Diego and/or future needs of the Aztecs football team.[17]
On December6,2021, San Diego State announced a naming rights agreement with San Diego–based telecommunications company Qualcomm, who also owned the naming rights to the original stadium from 1997 to 2017. The stadium became known as Snapdragon Stadium, named after Qualcomm's Snapdragon brand of systems on a chip (the original stadium had also been briefly renamed to Snapdragon Stadium in 2011).[18]
The stadium opened in 2022 for an Aztecs scrimmage on August 20. The Aztecs' first game was two weeks later on September 3, a 38–20 loss to the Arizona Wildcats.
San Diego Wave FC set a new NWSL attendance record when it debuted in the new stadium on September17,2022 against Angel City FC. By August28, about three weeks before the game, over 27,000 tickets had been sold.[20] This total was comparable to the then-current league record of 27,278, set on August29,2021 when OL Reign played Portland Thorns FC at Lumen Field in Seattle as part of a doubleheader that also featured an MLS match between rivals Seattle Sounders FC and the Portland Timbers.[21] The pre-sales for the Wave's stadium debut had already surpassed the record for a standalone game of 25,218, set on August11,2019 when Thorns FC hosted the North Carolina Courage at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon.[22] On September 1, the team announced the game had sold out, based on a soccer capacity of 32,000,[23] and the official attendance for the game was announced as that number.[24]
On May 18, 2023, MLS announced that San Diego had been awarded the league's 30th team (later named San Diego FC) and that the team would be playing at Snapdragon Stadium starting in 2025.[26] The club signed a 20-year lease with the stadium.[27] San Diego FC will play its first game at the stadium on March 1, 2025 against St. Louis City SC.[28]
On November 19, 2024, the San Diego Legion announced plans to leave Snapdragon Stadium for Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego. Playoff games may be hosted at Snapdragon Stadium depending on demand.[29]
Opening
Snapdragon Stadium opened for a SDSU scrimmage on August20,2022.[30] The first game in the stadium was played on September3,[31] ending with the Aztecs being defeated 38–20 by the Arizona Wildcats.[32] The game occurred during a heat wave, resulting in heat illnesses among attendees that required the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department to send five ambulances and three fire engines to treat around 200 people, 20 of whom were hospitalized.[33][34] By kickoff, the game started when the temperature reached 100°F (38°C), with attendees retreating from the seating area and into shade. On social media, the stadium design was called into question by fans because of the lack of shade.[35]
On September8, San Diego Fire-Rescue stated that the department did not receive a heat injury and illness plan from the university, having only received the medical plan two days before the game, and wrote that "it was evident that the sheer number of patients at the game quickly overwhelmed the EMS resources on site and required assistance from SDFD." Around 12:30pm PDT (UTC−7), SDFD and EMS deputy chiefs considered asking the university to cancel the game but decided that doing so would not resolve the situation.[36]
In January 2022, World Lacrosse announced that San Diego would host the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship, with Snapdragon Stadium to be the primary venue.[41] The opening ceremonies and opening game with Steve Aoki as the halftime performer, semifinals, bronze medal game, and gold medal game were held at Snapdragon. All other games were held at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego and three additional fields on the SDSU Sports Deck.
On June 2-4, 2023, the Re:SET Concert Series was held at Thrive Park, located outside of Snapdragon Stadium. The outdoor concert series was headlined by LCD Soundsystem, boygenius, and Steve Lacy. On July 13 and 14, 2024, Thrive Park hosted the Holo Holo Music Festival. It was headlined by J Boog and Maoli, respectively. EDM hometown artists ISOxo and Knock2 headlined ISOKnock, a two-day festival, on December 7 and 8, 2024 at Thrive Park, that featured support from Madeon, RL Grime, Peekaboo, Brutalismus 3000, and more.
San Diego State University (SDSU) is a public research university in San Diego, California, United States. Founded in 1897, it is the third-oldest university and southernmost in the 23-member California State University (CSU) system. SDSU is the oldest higher education institution in San Diego; its academic roots were established as a normal school in University Heights, then known as the San Diego Normal School. In the fall of 2024, the university enrolled over 38,000 students.
Dignity Health Sports Park is a multi-use sports complex located on the campus of California State University, Dominguez Hills in Carson, California. The complex consists of the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park soccer stadium, the Dignity Health Sports Park tennis stadium, a track-and-field facility, and the VELO Sports Center velodrome. It is approximately 14 miles (23 km) south of downtown Los Angeles, and its primary tenant is the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer (MLS). The main stadium was also home to the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020. The LA Galaxy II of MLS Next Pro play their home matches at the complex's track and field facility. For 2020 and 2021, the stadium served as the temporary home of the San Diego State Aztecs football team.
San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California. Opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium; it was renamed Jack Murphy Stadium for sportswriter Jack Murphy from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 to 2017, the stadium's naming rights were owned by Qualcomm; it was known as Qualcomm Stadium. The naming rights expired on June 14, 2017, and were purchased by San Diego County Credit Union, renaming the stadium to SDCCU Stadium on September 19, 2017; those naming rights expired in December 2020. Demolition of San Diego Stadium began in December 2020; its last freestanding section was felled on March 22, 2021.
Torero Stadium is an outdoor stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of the University of San Diego (USD). Opened in 1961, it is the home of the San Diego Toreros football and men's and women's soccer teams. The Toreros compete in NCAA Division I (FCS) as a member of the Pioneer Football League (PFL) for football and the West Coast Conference (WCC) for soccer. The stadium is also the home of the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby (MLR) and the California Redwoods of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).
The San Diego State Aztecs are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent San Diego State University (SDSU). The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I (FBS) as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW); they will become a member of the Pac-12 Conference in 2026. The Aztec nickname was chosen by students in 1925; team colors are scarlet (red) and black. The university currently fields 17 varsity teams.
The San Diego State Aztecs football team is the college football program that represents San Diego State University (SDSU). The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I (FBS) as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW). The team plays its home games at Snapdragon Stadium.
Emily Louise van Egmond is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a midfielder for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the Australia national team. She previously played for German side 1. FFC Frankfurt and VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, Danish side Fortuna Hjørring in the Elitedivisionen, Chicago Red Stars and Orlando Pride in the NWSL, West Ham United in the FA Women's Super League, as well as Canberra United, Western Sydney Wanderers, Newcastle Jets and Melbourne City in Australia's W-League.
Competitive men's professional soccer has been played in the United States since 1912 and since 2001 for women's. Numerous leagues have existed over the years with some recognized by the United States Soccer Federation and some not. The lists below are the single game attendance records for men's outdoor (60,000+), women's outdoor (20,000+), and men's indoor (18,000+) matches in American club soccer.
Sports in San Diego and its surrounding metropolitan area includes major professional league teams, other highest-level professional league teams, minor league teams, and college athletics. San Diego hosts two teams of the major professional leagues, the San Diego Padres of Major League Baseball (MLB) and San Diego FC of Major League Soccer (MLS). The city is home to several universities whose teams compete in various NCAA Division I sports, most notably the San Diego State Aztecs. The Farmers Insurance Open, a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, is played annually at Torrey Pines Golf Course.
The SDSU Sports Deck is an outdoor multi-purpose stadium in San Diego, California, located on the campus of San Diego State University (SDSU). Opened in 2000, it is the home of the San Diego State Aztecs men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's track & field teams. The Aztecs compete in NCAA Division I as a member of the Mountain West Conference (MW) for women's soccer and women's track & field, and the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) for men's soccer.
The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is the top-tier professional women's soccer league in the United States. It has the highest average attendance of any professional women's sports league in the United States, surpassing the Women's National Basketball Association and Professional Women's Hockey League. During the 2024 season, the NWSL reached a total attendance of over 2 million spectators for the first time in the league's history. The single-match attendance record of 35,038 spectators was set by the Chicago Red Stars and Bay FC on June 8, 2024, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
Kristen Claire McNabb is an American professional soccer player who plays as a defender for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). McNabb has represented the United States on the under-18 and under-23 national teams. She played college soccer at the University of Virginia.
Kyra Taylor Carusa is a professional soccer player who plays as a forward for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States, she is a member of the Republic of Ireland national team.
San Diego Wave Fútbol Club is an American professional women's soccer team based in San Diego, California, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). The team plays its home games at Snapdragon Stadium. The Wave began play in the 2022 season as an expansion team.
The 2022 San Diego Wave FC season was the inaugural season for San Diego Wave FC, a professional women's soccer team based in San Diego, California, that competes in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL).
The 2022 San Diego State Aztecs football team represented the San Diego State University as a member of the Mountain West Conference during the 2022 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by head coach Brady Hoke, who was coaching his fourth season with the team. The Aztecs played their home games at the new Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
San Diego Football Club is an American professional soccer club based in San Diego. The club will compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference; it is joining the league as an expansion team in 2025. The team will play its home matches at Snapdragon Stadium, a multi-use venue built in 2022.
The 2024 San Diego Wave FC season is the team's third as a professional women's soccer team. The Wave compete in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), the top tier of women's soccer in the United States.
Kennedy Megan Wesley is an American professional soccer player who plays as a center back for San Diego Wave FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She played college soccer for the Stanford Cardinal and was drafted by the Wave in the first round of the 2024 NWSL Draft.
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