New 5,000 Seat Home Opens in Irvine’s Great Park
Orange County Soccer Club wants you to join the celebration of the opening of the Championship Soccer Stadium at the Great Park. The brand new, state of the art stadium will be the home of Orange County SC. The event is Saturday, August 5. It’s free and will be a lot of fun for families and fans of the game.
The celebration starts at 2PM. When you arrive, please come to the huge Orange County Soccer Club tent. We’ve got a lot going on including face painting, tattoos, free Orange County SC tee shirts and autograph signings with US Women’s National Team member and USC alum Amy Rodriguez of Lake Forest and former US Men’s National Team member Brad Friedel. Brad’s a UCLA alum. Orange County SC’s MLS affiliate LAFC will be part of the festivities in the tent.
There are other activities going on at the celebration. At 3:30, the City of Irvine and Five Point Communities will host the official ribbon cutting commemorating the opening of the Championship Soccer Stadium and the surrounding 53 acres of the first stage of the Sports Park. In addition to the stadium, there will be six soccer fields, twenty-five tennis courts and five sand volleyball courts opening on Saturday. Multiple clubs are showcasing their sports such as rugby and lacrosse.
To kick off play in the stadium, Orange County Soccer Club is hosting the Orange County All Star Shoot Out. The match starts at 4PM. You can be part of the first spectators to view soccer being played on the pitch at the Championship Soccer Stadium. Admission is free. Irvine Pateadores 2000 will play an Orange County All Star team made up of players from West Coast FC, Slammers, Irvine Strikers, OC United/Tigres and a half time game with South Irvine AYSO Region 144. A youth soccer game is the appropriate link to Orange County SC as the club provides a pathway to the highest levels of professional soccer in the US and around the globe for the youth of Orange County.
The evening is capped off with a concert in the stadium. The Blues Brothers featuring Dan Aykroyd and Jim Belushi will begin at 7:15.
The opening celebration is just the start for Orange County Soccer Club in the Championship Soccer Stadium. Orange County SC hosts its first game in their new home on Tuesday, August 15 against the Tulsa Roughnecks. And on August 18, the club will hold its big opening event for its game with Phoenix Rising and their international stars Didier Drogba and Omar Bravo.
The opening of the Championship Soccer Stadium as the home of Orange County SC is a massive milestone in the progress of the club. The new 5,000 seat venue features both stadium-style seats and lawn seating for families, in addition to providing a luxury box and two rooftop deck spaces for sponsor and corporate events.
“Orange County SC is creating a world-class professional organization here in Irvine and we’re thrilled to elevate our game experience for our fans and sponsors in this state-of-the-art stadium,” said James Keston, club Owner and President. “Our goal is to enrich the community by partnering with youth soccer clubs throughout Orange County to provide a pathway to the highest levels of soccer in our country and across the globe. We know there are many fans in the area that want to see world-class soccer in their own backyard rather than sit in traffic for an hour or more to reach the nearest professional soccer venue. We want everyone in Orange County to know that we are their local team and we’re excited for them to join us at a game.”
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is Orange County Soccer Club’s exclusive health care provider and jersey sponsor will engage with children and adults on injury prevention and health education at games throughout the season. The stadium will also showcase the club’s sponsorships with adidas, Cal South, Destination Irvine, 24 Hour Fitness and other partners. The Club has already sold out sections of its VIP and Club seats. Individual game and Half Season ticket packages are still available on the Club’s web site (https://sportsengine-staging.go-vip.net/orangecountysoccer) , but seats in the new stadium are selling out fast.
The Great Park Championship Soccer Stadium is the centerpiece of the latest development at the Great Park on the site of the former Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. The Great Park’s Vintage Aircraft Hangar, Museum, Palm Court and Carousel are ideal attractions for guests looking to spend a day at the Park before an Orange County SC game. Orange County games feature a festival atmosphere ideal for families and soccer fans of all types. For corporate guests and company outings, the venue’s luxury box and its two rooftop event spaces are ideal locations for special events holding anywhere from thirty to up to 100 people.
“This is a cutting-edge sports and entertainment venue with a very intimate hometown feel,” said Keston. “Our fans will love the amenities and it is going to look amazing on TV as we broadcast our first night game is scheduled to be broadcast on ESPN 3.”
The team will play its first match in the new venue at 7:30 on August 15. The evening home game on August 18 will be the teams official home opener and is scheduled to be broadcast on the ESPN networks.
Orange County Soccer Club is part of the United Soccer League (USL), the world’s fastest growing Division 2 professional soccer league (just below Major League Soccer). The USL has 31 teams and has enjoyed more than 30 percent attendance growth in the last two seasons, with more than 1.5 million(check this STAT!!) fans enjoying a USL game last season.