The San Jose Earthquakes are a professional soccer team based in San Jose, California. They compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The Earthquakes play their home games at PayPal Park, which opened in 2015 and has a capacity of over 18,000.
Quick Answers
The San Jose Earthquakes have played in San Jose since their founding in 1974. They originally played at Spartan Stadium before moving to their current stadium, PayPal Park, in 2015. The Earthquakes have won two MLS Cup championships in 2001 and 2003 and two Supporters’ Shields in 2005 and 2012.
History of the San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes were one of the founding teams of Major League Soccer when the league began in 1996. However, their origins go back much further.
The team first came into existence in 1974 as an expansion franchise in the North American Soccer League (NASL). They were originally known as the San Jose Earthquakes. The NASL Earthquakes played for 10 seasons from 1974 to 1984, making the playoffs eight times and winning two NASL championships in 1974 and 1984.
When the NASL folded in 1984, the Earthquakes went on hiatus for over a decade. They returned to professional soccer in 1996 as one of the ten founding teams of MLS. In their early MLS years, the team played at Spartan Stadium on the San Jose State University campus.
The MLS version of the Earthquakes found quick success, winning the 2001 MLS Cup championship in just their sixth season. Led by players like Ronald Cerritos, Landon Donovan, and Dwayne De Rosario, they defeated the LA Galaxy 2-1 in overtime to claim their first MLS title.
In 2005, the Earthquakes relocated to Houston due to stadium issues and became the Houston Dynamo. But the Earthquakes quickly returned, rejoining MLS as an expansion team in 2008. They played at Buck Shaw Stadium on the campus of Santa Clara University for several years.
Building Avaya Stadium
In 2015, the Earthquakes opened their new home, Avaya Stadium, located on Coleman Ave in San Jose near the San Jose International Airport. Avaya Stadium was the first cloud-enabled venue in MLS and featured modern amenities and a capacity of over 18,000.
The state-of-the-art stadium was part of the Earthquakes’ resurgence in MLS. It coincided with the signing of Designated Player Innocent Emeghara and returns to the playoffs in 2015. The new stadium has enabled the Quakes to draw consistent crowds of 20,000+ in recent seasons.
Championship History
As mentioned earlier, the San Jose Earthquakes have won two MLS Cup titles in their history, in 2001 and 2003. They have also won two Supporters’ Shields as winners of the MLS regular season in 2005 and 2012.
Here is a quick summary of their major championship seasons:
2001 MLS Cup
In 2001, the San Jose Earthquakes were led by players like Landon Donovan, Ronald Cerritos, and Dwayne De Rosario. After a 13-7-6 regular season, they won playoff games against Columbus, Miami, and Kansas City en route to the MLS Cup final against the LA Galaxy.
Playing at Columbus Crew Stadium, the Quakes dramatically won 2-1 in overtime on a golden goal from Dwayne De Rosario. It was their first MLS championship in club history.
2003 MLS Cup
Just two years later, the Earthquakes were back in the MLS Cup final against the Chicago Fire. With Landon Donovan assisting on both goals, the Quakes won the final 2-1 on goals from Ronnie Ekelund and Richard Mulrooney.
The 2003 championship made San Jose just the second MLS team to win multiple MLS Cup titles.
2005 Supporters’ Shield
In 2005, after relocating to Houston and rebranding as the Dynamo, the Earthquakes’ descendants won the Supporters’ Shield with an 18-4-10 record. It was the best regular season in MLS history at the time.
Dwayne De Rosario led the attack with 11 goals, while players like Brian Ching, Ricardo Clark, and Pat Onstad starred as the Dynamo dominated the Western Conference.
2012 Supporters’ Shield
After returning to San Jose in 2008, the rebranded Earthquakes won their second Supporters’ Shield in 2012 after a 19-6-9 regular season.
The attack was led by MLS MVP Chris Wondolowski, who tied an MLS record with 27 goals. Wondolowski, Steven Lenhart, Alan Gordon, and others led San Jose to the Shield before falling in the playoffs to LA.
Stadium and Facilities
The San Jose Earthquakes play at PayPal Park located at 1123 Coleman Ave, San Jose, CA 95110. The state-of-the-art stadium opened in 2015 and has a capacity of 18,000.
Key facts about PayPal Park:
- Opened on March 22, 2015
- Cost $100 million to build
- First cloud-enabled stadium in MLS
- 18,000 seating capacity
- Features largest outdoor bar in North America
- Has 34 luxury suites and a 7,000 sq ft club space
In addition to the stadium, the Earthquakes training facility is located at the same site. The facility includes four fields, locker rooms, fitness centers, and offices.
Previous Stadiums
Before PayPal Park, the Earthquakes played at Buck Shaw Stadium at Santa Clara University from 2008-2014 after returning to San Jose as an expansion team.
In their early MLS years, the team played at Spartan Stadium on the San Jose State campus from 1996-2005.
The original NASL version of the Quakes played at Spartan Stadium for their first seven seasons before moving to their own stadium, Earthquakes Stadium, in 1981. The stadium had an initial capacity of 18,000 and was located next to the San Jose International Airport.
Ownership and Management
The San Jose Earthquakes are owned by Earthquakes Soccer, LLC, an ownership group led by majority investor John Fisher. Fisher purchased the team in 2007 after its return to San Jose was announced.
Other investors in Earthquakes Soccer LLC include Pete Bridgwater, Glenn Myernick, Dave Ritchie, Rakesh Patel, Art Savage, and Drew Schoentrup.
The Earthquakes front office is led by President Jared Shawlee and General Manager Chris Leitch. Head coach Matías Almeyda leads the technical staff and coaches the team.
Notable former head coaches include Frank Yallop, who led the team to both their MLS Cup titles, Dominic Kinnear, and Gary St. Clair. Many former players have moved into coaching and management roles like Chris Leitch, Ramiro Corrales, and John Doyle.
Supporters Groups
The San Jose Earthquakes have two main independent supporters groups that help drive fan culture and energize the stadium atmosphere.
The Faultline
Formed in 1999, The Faultline stands and supports the team in the north end of the stadium. They aim to bring a European-style supporters section to PayPal Park.
The Faultline welcomes everyone to join their section to sing, chant, wave flags, play instruments, and celebrate San Jose goals.
Casbah
Casbah was formed in 2003 by members of The Faultline who wanted to support the team from a designated seating section. They occupy a section on the southwest corner of the stadium.
Casbah members also sing, chant, and bang drums and play other noisemakers throughout Quakes matches. They help energize the crowd and spur on the team.
Rivalries
As one of the ten original MLS teams, the San Jose Earthquakes have long-running rivalries with several fellow MLS clubs.
California Clásico
The chief rivalry is with the LA Galaxy in the California Clásico matchup. The Earthquakes and Galaxy have a long history dating back to the inaugural MLS season in 1996.
As the two biggest clubs in California, the rivalry features matches of great intensity and drama. Heroes have been made in playoff clashes between the clubs such as in the 2003 MLS Cup playoffs.
Heritage Cup
The Earthquakes also contest the Heritage Cup with the Seattle Sounders each season. Instituted in 2009, the cup goes to the winner of the season series between the Pacific Northwest and Northern California rivals.
Other rivalries exist with clubs like the Portland Timbers, Houston Dynamo, and Sporting Kansas City through shared history and playoff clashes.
Records and Statistics
Here are some key records and statistics about the performance of the San Jose Earthquakes in Major League Soccer:
- All-time regular season record: 228-253-114
- Playoff record: 17-15-4
- MLS Cup finals: 3-1 record
- Conference finals: 6 appearances
- Playoff appearances: 14
Some individual player records:
- All-time games played leader: Ramiro Corrales (250)
- All-time goals leader: Chris Wondolowski (161)
- All-time assists leader: Ronald Cerritos (61)
- Most goals in a season: Chris Wondolowski, 27 (2012)
- Most assists in a season: Dwayne De Rosario, 15 (2005)
Retired Numbers
The Earthquakes have retired one number in team history:
- #21: Walter Mondale, midfielder (1974-1984)
Mondale was one of the best players on the original NASL Earthquakes teams of the 1970s and early 1980s. The team retired his number 21 in 2002.
Community Engagement
The San Jose Earthquakes conduct a number of community programs and charity initiatives to benefit the local area:
- Street Soccer USA – Partnership to grow soccer in underserved communities
- Get Earthquakes Fit – Youth health and fitness program
- Special Olympics Unified Team – Partnership with Special Olympics Northern California
- School assembly program -delivers anti-bullying messages to 30,000 students annually
- Charity golf tournament – Raises funds for The Fresh Lifelines for Youth program
The Quakes organization focuses on using soccer to inspire youth and unite communities throughout Northern California.
Conclusion
For over 45 years, the San Jose Earthquakes have cultivated a passionate fanbase and carved out a meaningful legacy in the American soccer landscape. They’ve claimed titles, built state-of-the-art facilities, and engaged closely with their community.
While the name and league have changed, the heritage lives on today through new generations of players and fans. Old rivalries burn strong and new ones emerge as the Earthquakes look to add more silverware to their trophy case.
Whether at their original Spartan Stadium home or today’s modern PayPal Park, the San Jose Earthquakes remain a beloved Bay Area institution and valued member of the MLS family.