San Diego Wave present plans for 16k stadium project amid “fourth-class citizens” criticism

San Diego Wave have presented a proposal for a new 12,000 to 16,000-seat stadium project amid criticism of being treated as “fourth-class citizens” at their current home.

The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise moved into the Snapdragon Stadium following its opening in September 2022, but the club are now seeking to construct a new mixed-use development due to concerns about their treatment at the San Diego State University owned venue.

The Wave have made their pitch to the board of the 22nd District Agricultural Association for the development to take place on land surrounding Del Mar Fairgrounds, which houses Del Mar Racetrack.

San Diego Wave pitch mixed-use development

San Diego Wave have proposed plans for a new 12,000 to 16,000-seat stadium, along with a multi-level parking garage for 1,300 cars, 350,000 square feet of retail stars and restaurants, a 125,000-square-foot convention centre, a 300-room hotel and a tram connecting the new facilities to a nearby rail line.

The Wave made the pitch to the board of 22nd District Agricultural Association, which owns and operates the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

San Diego Wave Alternate Governor said: “We believe the Wave to be the No.1 recognised women's soccer team in the world.

“What we hope to do is have a home for women and support women's sports as we have done for a number of years as a family.”

The decision to propose the new development has come due to a concern surrounding the club's treatment at current home Snapdragon Stadium, with Leichtman-Levine saying: “What we learned along the way as owners of this team, as well as kind of what we've experienced through a number of philanthropic processes that we've been involved in related to women's academics and sports, is that women tend to be considered second-, third- or sometimes even fourth-class citizens.

“What we found at Snapdragon is something resembling a fourth-class citizen. We are fourth on the list of selecting dates for the games.”

The intention to build a smaller capacity stadium than their current 35,000-seat home comes after the Wave have seen attendances fall significantly in recent seasons, with Leichtman-Levine explaining “the 12,000- to 16,000-seat capacity stadium is probably the sweet spot. It gives you enough of a felling of a real sports event without becoming gigantic.”

The Wave's Alternate Governor has requested a two-year exclusive negotiating window, with the hope that the DAA will approve this at its upcoming meeting on November 10.

The DAA would provide the land, with the club's owners and partner's set to fund the mixed-use development project.

If an agreement is reached, the club are envisioning the three-phase project to be completed in time for the stadium, parking structure and tram to be open in 2031, which coincides with the Wave's current six-year lease deal being up for renewal at Snapdragon Stadium.

FGG Says: Brilliant news for San Diego Wave

San Diego Wave are one of the most recognisable teams in women's football, and the news that the club could have their own purpose-built stadium is fantastic, both for the club and the sport as a whole.