Earthquakes Update

The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that they have sold out of premier midfield seats for all of their 2008 home games at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara. Sure, there are only a total of 800 seats in those sections, but at $50 per game over 17 games, the total comes to $680,000.

"Some people said people won't pay for soccer," said executive vice president David Alioto. "It kind of eliminates that excuse. We have a long way to go by all means, but to get that number in there is kind of exciting."

Alioto went on to say that the club was coming up on 2,000 season-ticket holders for their inaugural season, which starts in less than four months. Their temporary home will be Buck Shaw Stadium, on the campus of Santa Clara University, and will hold roughly 11,000 seats once additional temporary stands are installed. The plan is to cap ticket sales at 8,000 if it comes to that, but it's a long ways off at this point.


There is more Earthquakes news to pass on tonight: Due to the unexpected success of the school's teams, stadium alterations on Buck Shaw had to be pushed back. As a result, San Jose will not be hosting the New York Red Bulls on March 29th, as had been previously reported. Instead, a mid-April home opening sounds more likely, so the revamped facilities can be spotlighted in completion.

"When we open, we want to put our best foot forward," Alioto said. An official announcement regarding the schedule change is expected next week.