Quakes are affiliating with a PDL team starting up in Burlingame. Looks like they will not have the Turlock team anymore. http://www.smdailyjournal.com/artic...cer-swoops-into-burlingame/1776425134699.html
Burlingame is more convenient for the Earthquakes than Turlock. However, the Burlingame High School field is a narrow, artificial turf field with football lines. https://www.google.com/maps/place/B...2!3m1!1s0x808f9df2e05d6993:0x95ac832b0ff50c62
Founder of Zappo's and former CFO of facebook, the real story there is bringing more high tech investment into the franchise. That's just a drop from a well, but it's a start.
As some one who followed the Quakes PDL team last year closely and has a website about the academy (This is part of the academy) here's what I think after a few hours of research and initial head scratching. My first reaction was "Weirddd" I still think it's kind of weird but after seeing the website at least it's going to be run professionally. Here are the most important things. Pros: -Way closer to home for the players (This is all about developing the players, screw Dragon FC) -Right off the Caltrain station! -This is the biggest thing for me "The Earthquakes will supply the players, as well as the coaching and training staff, while Swinmurn and his team will be tasked with marketing, branding and creating the fan experience he remembered from his life in England." Again screw Dragon FC, we are Quakes fans and all we care about is supporting the Quakes players. So basically it's all Quakes, just with different owners and brand. But I'm happy. Would prefer our brand, but I'll live. Cons: -Apparently the field at Burlingame High is turf with football lines... Can someone confirm that? -The fact that it's not the Quakes brand.
I'd say it's more cost efficient. You get the exact same thing, without having to do the operations. The only thing they lose is the brand awareness aspect, but they save a ton of money. With Avaya Stadium costing more then projected ($40 million more..), they probably need to do this temporarily.
Falvo can correct me on this, but I belieVe Burlingame was the home of the Golden Gate Gales in 1980 in the last year of the American Soccer League.
Looks like the Gales played most of their games in Fremont. I do remember they sponsored Soccer Made in Germany on PBS. I look forward to seeing many matches but yes, Burlingame is a high school football field with pointy ball lines. Not a bad facility, however.
This move could also be a sign that they are conceding that part of the central valley to Sacramento when/if they come into MLS.
Not really. Turlock is too far from the Bay Area for college kids who are not getting paid. Driving 1 hour and 30 minutes each way is too much.
I live on the peninsula and want to support these guys but I'm worried half their games will conflict with quakes games. Will have to wait and see when the schedules come out.
Burlingame is a turf field. My Peninsula Soccer League men's team plays some home games there. The turf field was replaced a couple of seasons ago I believe, and is in good shape. They recently renovated the stands ( they were old and beat up ) and it is in a very nice setting and just a block from the Caltrain station. The upper peninsula is a hot bed for youth soccer, so with the proper marketing, this could be a good thing for the area and also for the Earthquakes as a whole. It isn't perfect, but it is a good way to raise the interest in the north peninsula. I think this is a good thing.
I will be telling my daughters club San Bruno Lowen about them. We already have a large group who are season ticket holders for the Quakes.
Good news. Next is a USL team! I've also been to see a game at Burlingame High. The turf with football lines was pretty new when I saw it but that was 7-8 years ago. I doubt the owners will replace it whether they are rich or not.
my buddy refed at Burlingame HS 3 years ago and said the field was a disaster. So if SSF Soccer says the turf was recently replaced, that's a good thing. Burlingame HS was the first field turf installation in the area. It was supposed to last 20 years, but it was shot by year 7 or so. When I played there about 7 years ago, every line had sunken in, and they were almost as dangerous as stepping in a gopher hole. The immediate area is a typical HS football stadium. Parking was pretty difficult. Doubt that has changed. No food immediately nearby. What I find strange is that, if the Quakes are really partnering with these guys, how come they don't even tell their fans about them until the day before the Dragons' launch party? the quakes just tweeted it today. Seems a bit half-arsed to me...
The turf field was replaced in 2011 and is much better than the original which was worn and beat up. This turf field seems a little more plush and cushions a fall much better. It has a better base. There are some places to eat on Burlingame Ave and surrounding area which is just a walk across the street and there is some parking on the next block over which is used by Caltrains passengers. Not ideal, but not as bad as you might think, and the stadium is decent especially after they re-did the stands recently. Should be a fun place to watch a match and if they can attract 1,000 to 1,500 initially, with some good advertisement, it will eventually become a great place for a PDL team. Now is the time to start talking about it and get the word out. There are some good local pubs in the area that can help promote the team, hopefully the owners are on it.
http://m.sjearthquakes.com/news/2014/12/quakes-introduce-new-pdl-affiliate-burlingame-dragons-fc This article is interesting...It says ownerships ultimate goal is to build a stadium in San Mateo and move to the USL level...