Despite winning Major League Soccer titles in 2001 and 2003, the San Jose Earthquakes have failed to capture the level of popularity of other Bay Area professional sports teams.
"Championships clearly aren't cutting it," defenseman Craig Waibel said with some sarcasm.
Now, with time passing and attendance stagnant, the Earthquakes' future in San Jose hangs in the balance.
Anschutz Entertainment Group, the company that operates the Earthquakes, has begun seeking a new stadium in the Bay Area. But AEG isn't ruling out a move out of the Bay Area, with Houston and San Diego being mentioned in news reports as cities willing to finance a new facility.
Last year, the Earthquakes averaged 10,036 fans in 15 home games at San Jose State's Spartan Stadium, which placed them second-to-last in the league. In six home games this year, the average has increased marginally to 10,956 fans.
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| Stagnant attendance could drive the Earthquakes out of San Jose. Photo by Konina Biswas. |
That figure got a boost when 17,667 fans flocked to see 14-year-old phenom Freddy Adu make his first appearance in San Jose with D.C. United on May 1. Despite this slight uptick, the Earthquakes remain stuck.
"Soccer is a sport that is still trying to gain its foothold in this country," said Seth Burton, the Earthquakes' media relations coordinator. "But I think we're pretty good at promoting attendance."
At the home game between the Earthquakes and the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday, several faithful fans expressed concern over the Earthquakes' uncertain future.
"The U.S. isn't very soccer-oriented," said Zoya Ashfar, 16, whose family has been season-ticket holders since 2000. "There are so many other sports that overshadow it. People don't see what a great product we have locally."
Joel Scoles, 17, of Bay Point, said he believes any possible move boils down to an old cliché: "In the end, it's all about money."
Players and fans alike suggested several ways to increase attendance, including better marketing and a more lucrative television contract.
One solution players and fans agree would help attendance woes would be a new soccer-specific stadium. The Earthquakes have been playing at Spartan Stadium for their entire nine-year existence. Columbus and Los Angeles have recently built new soccer-only stadiums, and similar facilities are in the works for Chicago, Dallas and New Jersey. AEG has committed $15 million towards a new stadium and is asking cities where the team might relocate to commit $50 million.
Burton points to the stadiums where the San Francisco Giants and Oakland A's play to demonstrate how a new facility can make a difference.
"If you look at SBC Park and Network Associates from a physical standpoint, it's obvious why the Giants outdraw the A's," said Burton.
Spartan Stadium "is a very old facility, and in this day and age, you need to be able to keep up and maintain a brand new facility," he added.
Waibel and other players have dealt with questions about the stadium and attendance for several years, but he said that it shouldn't affect how they play.
"As an athlete, you accept that you could be traded, waived or released. Moving is the same way; it could happen," said Waibel.
Star forward Landon Donovan said he believes things are heading in the right direction.
"For the most part, things are going well," said Donovan. "But it's not easy pushing soccer in America."
Still, Donovan tried to look on the bright side: "The only way is up. We have to hope."