Less than a week ago, San Diego Loyal FC announced that it would be ceasing operations at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a video posted to the Loyal’s social media pages, chairman Andrew Vassiliadi announced that the team would be folding after not being able to come up with any other viable alternatives for the franchise.
The impact of the news wasn’t limited to just the city of San Diego and its devoted fans. The repercussions extended to leagues across the United States, which were subsequently influenced by the team’s forced departure from the city.
“Obviously, I feel the same way I believe a lot of people in the USL feel,” Juan Guerra said. “This was a very good rivalry. It was an atmosphere that felt great to go play our away games.”
With a MLS franchise’s looming arrival in 2025, the second division soccer club ultimately came to the decision they would not be able to compete with San Diego’s Snap Dragon Stadium which boasts a seating capacity of 35,000.
San Diego has been infamous for failed professional soccer clubs, tallying more than ten failed clubs since the 1960’s.
“At the end of the day, this is also the reality of where we are and how things are run over here,” Guerra said. “We just have to try to support them as much as we can. Let’s just see what happens moving forward/”
After just four seasons and two playoff appearances with a third on the horizon, the team aims to end on a high note, holding a current record of 11-7-7.
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Taylyn Hadley is a sports and general assignment reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow her on X via @TAYLYNH11.
