Soccer doubleheader expected to draw 60,000 fans to Candlestick Park
By: Will Reisman
June 28, 2009
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| International soccer: FC Barcelona, left, is set to face off against Chivas in one of two matches scheduled to take place in The City. (AP file photo) |
SAN FRANCISCO — A professional sports doubleheader scheduled for Aug. 8 at Candlestick Park will be a boon not only for fans of international soccer, but also for The City’s cash-strapped parks department.
Nearly 60,000 fans are expected to attend the Saturday matchups, which feature European powerhouse FC Barcelona squaring off against Mexican club giant Chivas, and local Major League Soccer squad San Jose Earthquakes taking on the Columbus Crew.
All four teams claim past championships in their various leagues and FC Barcelona, coming off a European professional soccer title, is considered one of the best squads in the world, according to David Alioto, executive vice president of the Earthquakes.
“We really wanted to market our team and our sport to an international crowd,” Alioto said. “And there is no place better than San Francisco, which is a truly international city.”
Interest in the doubleheader has benefitted from FC Barcelona’s triumph in Europe and the recent success of the USA men’s soccer team in international competition, Alioto said. Tickets for the event went on sale June 22, and already 20,000 have been bought.
Based on how many people attend, the matches could generate as much as $150,000 for the Recreation and Park Department, the city agency that oversees operations at Candlestick Point, according to spokeswoman Lisa Seitz-Gruwell.
“We’re extraordinarily excited to host this event,” Seitz-Gruwell said. “It’s a fun thing for San Franciscans, and it’s great for the department. This is definitely a very big win for the summer.”
Due to The City’s financial woes, the Recreation and Park Department faces an $11 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. To bridge the shortfall, the department recently laid off park directors, leased out four community clubhouses, and raised or enacted numerous fees.
August should be a good month for the beleaguered department, however. Along with the funding from the soccer matches, the agency could rake in as much as $1.2 million from the Outside Lands Festival held in Golden Gate Park.
Depending on how the August matchups fare, Alioto said there could be more international soccer matches in the future at Candlestick Park, home of the 49ers.
“This will definitely be a good model to see if more events can be held at Candlestick down the road,” he said.
Candlestick soccer
These international soccer matchups may be the first of many.
When: Aug. 8, 5:30 p.m.
Where: Candlestick Park
What: Two soccer matches — FC Barcelona vs. Chivas;
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew
Cost: Tickets start at $30
