David Alioto was convinced professional soccer could thrive again in the Bay Area when he took over as Executive Vice President of the new San Jose Earthquakes in 2006.
Two years and two exhibitions later, Alioto hasn’t changed his opinion. The version 2.0 Earthquakes are yet to net their first goal but took a step toward building a promising fan base last week in their preseason opener against the two-time defending MLS Champion Houston Dynamo – the Earthquakes of yore.
The teams drew a near capacity crowd of 3,182 for Wednesday’s game at PAL Stadium – which Houston won 1-0 – and almost 1,000 more for Saturday’s scoreless draw at Kezar Stadium.
“That was the bigger surprise,” Alioto said over the telephone Monday. “We were expecting maybe 1,000 people this weekend, and about 4,000 showed up. They were really into it, too.”
Everybody loves a winner, and although San Jose came up short of victory Saturday, the Earthquakes’ merited applause with each near score.
And there were several.
Ramiro Corrales, a Salinas native whom the Earthquakes acquired Thursday, came close to sparking the first goal in the 49th minute when a Houston player inadvertently headed Corrales’ corner kick toward a scrum of players close to the net. Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad tapped the errant header over the crossbar.
San Jose got another close look in the 58th minute when Shea Salinas took a pass from Fabrice Noel near the sideline and fired a shot on net – saved by Onstad.
“They gave the fans plenty to cheer about,” Alioto added. “There are a lot of die-hard soccer fans in the area and they really came out Saturday.”
For a while, the scene sounded like, well, a soccer game. Chants in different languages – some seemingly improvised – reverberated through the stadium and were steady until the final minute when Houston almost netted the game-winner. Bobby Boswell got his head on a corner kick from Stuart Holden, but Earthquakes’ goalkeeper Joe Cannon deflected the ball away, clinching the defensive win.
“We’re making baby steps,” San Jose defenseman Nick Garcia told MLSnet.com. “I think everybody did well, from the backline to the forwards, things are solid. … I don’t think we’re regressing, we’re progressing.”
Evidence of this goes beyond the fans, Alioto said. The Earthquakes’ marketing also is making headway, backed by local sponsors.
“It’s important to have ties to the community,” Alioto added. “There’s a lot of support coming our way, including television contracts. As of now, every one of our games is going to be televised.”
Alioto knows a thing or two about advertising. He was the man responsible for the “Baseball: A’s Style” campaign that helped Oakland’s attendance spike surge from 1.1 to 2 million after 2000.
Alioto served with the Athletics for 15 years under co-owner Lew Wolff, whose ownership group purchased an option to bring back the Earthquakes in 2006.
“So far, the team is both coming together,” Alioto said. “It’s been a fantastic start. … What’s most exciting for us is seeing the area get excited for soccer again.”
San Jose kept the honeymoon alive with the hiring of coach Frank Yallop, a former Earthquakes coach who skippered San Jose to its second MLS title in 2003 after helping the team do the same in 2002 as an assistant.
Yallop was honored as MLS coach of the year in 2001 and has lived up to expectations thus far, Alioto said.
“He’s doing a great job,” Alioto added. “The players like what he’s doing.”
Alioto was quick to target the Earthquakes’ elephant in the room during question-and-answer sessions – their search for a full-time stadium. San Jose is set to play its home games at Santa Clara University on a temporary basis but has negotiations for a new venue in the works, Alioto said.
“It’s going well, but that’s about all I can say,” Alioto added. “It’s a big decision bringing soccer here just like it was a big decision for me to come here. I had to be sure soccer is a viable sport, and I’ve seen nothing but that.”
