SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that the club’s MLS NEXT Pro team, Earthquakes II, will now play under the name The Town FC under a partnership with The Town Group beginning with the 2024 season. The move allows the Earthquakes to continue to provide greater opportunities for player development, talent identification, and roster flexibility, while expanding their footprint in the Northern California soccer community in collaboration with The Town.
The arrangement, which is the first of its kind between an MLS NEXT Pro club and a local partner, will see the Earthquakes continue to manage the technical direction of their MLS NEXT Pro team and leading all aspects of soccer operations, while The Town manages commercial operations, including ticket sales, community and corporate partnerships, and marketing for the team. Under the arrangement, the team will now compete in the league as The Town FC.
“We’re excited to enter this partnership with The Town FC,” said Earthquakes President Jared Shawlee. “We see this agreement as beneficial to our overall player development strategy and a great way to grow the sport in Moraga and Northern California. I’m looking forward to seeing head coach Dan DeGeer and his staff build on last year’s playoff success, while playing at a great home venue.”
“As MLS NEXT Pro continues to evolve and helps shape the future of soccer in North America, we look forward to supporting this new partnership and bringing professional soccer to new communities,” said MLS NEXT Pro President Charles Altchek.
The Town FC is scheduled to play all but three home matches for the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season at Saint Mary’s Stadium on the campus of Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California. The remainder of the home games, including the April 20 home opener against Austin FC II, are slated for PayPal Park in San Jose.
Last season, Earthquakes II hosted Austin FC II at Saint Mary’s Stadium in partnership with The Town FC. The match proceeds benefited East Bay youth soccer organizations, including Oakland-based Soccer Without Borders, and drew a record-setting attendance figure for Quakes II in MLS NEXT Pro.
“We're thrilled to announce this unique partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes and look forward to bringing the beautiful game to even more fans and players in the East Bay,” said The Town FC CEO Benno Nagel and Board Member Min Park in a joint statement. “This partnership will allow us to grow and nurture local talent while providing our devoted fans with even more opportunities to come together in support of our community's shared passion for soccer.”
Featuring views of the Moraga rolling hills and located in the southeast corner of the campus at Saint Mary’s College, Saint Mary's Stadium seats 5,500 spectators in one of the most picturesque venues in the nation.
"The people of Moraga are thrilled to have The Town FC becoming part of our community," said Moraga Mayor Teresa Onoda. "We all are hoping that the team will add a new dimension to Moraga's legacy of world-class athletics."
"We are excited to announce our partnership with The Town FC and host high-level soccer in Moraga for the upcoming season,” said Saint Mary’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Matoso.
MLS NEXT Pro is a Division III U.S. men’s professional soccer league associated with Major League Soccer. Head coach Dan DeGeer, assistant coach Jordan Stewart, and goalkeeper coach Jeremy Clark return in 2024 to comprise The Town FC technical staff after steering Earthquakes II to their first-ever playoff berth in the league and a spot in the Western Conference Semifinals last year. As a testament to the Quakes’ thriving pathway, a total of nine current players on the club’s first-team roster boast MLS NEXT Pro experience.
The Town FC’s MLS NEXT Pro regular-season schedule begins on Sunday, March 17, when they face LA Galaxy II at 5 p.m. in a road contest. The home opener is scheduled for Saturday, April 20, at PayPal Park vs. Austin FC II at 3 p.m., and the team’s first match at Saint Mary’s Stadium is slated for Friday, May 3, vs. Houston Dynamo II at 5 p.m. Earthquakes season ticket holders will have access to all The Town FC matches. Additional. Season passes are now available for all 14 home games by clicking here. Single-game and multi-game packs will be available to purchase toward the end of March. Additional ticketing information will be announced at a later date. Fans can stay informed by following The Town FC on social media @TheTown_FC and signing up for email updates on www.thetownfc.com.
About San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes, one of Major League Soccer’s original teams, are the epicenter for soccer in Northern California, playing at the highest professional level in the United States. The club won MLS Cups in 2001 and 2003 and took home Supporters’ Shields in 2005 and 2012. The club is based out of PayPal Park, an 18,000-seat soccer-specific stadium that opened in 2015. The organization was originally founded in 1974 in the North American Soccer League, and in 2024 is celebrating its 50th anniversary of positively impacting communities around Northern California. The club’s nonprofit arm, the Quakes Foundation, focuses on health and fitness initiatives for local underserved youth and fighting food insecurity. For more information about the Earthquakes, visit www.sjearthquakes.com.
About The Town FC
The Town FC is a community-based professional soccer organization that launched in early 2022, that now includes a men’s team in MLS NEXT Pro via a partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes’ MLS NEXT Pro affiliate. The club seeks to offer programs for players of all ages and skill levels from youth development to adult leagues and on to professional levels of play. Fans can stay up-to-date with the team's schedule and latest news by visiting www.thetownfc.com or following @TheTown_FC.
About MLS NEXT Pro
Launched in 2022 by Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro is a professional men’s soccer league in the United States and Canada that completes the pro player pathway from MLS NEXT to MLS first teams. MLS NEXT Pro continues to grow the game through innovation and diversity, bringing professional soccer to new communities and creating opportunities both on and off the field. MLS NEXT Pro will celebrate its third season in 2024 with 29 teams, 27 MLS-affiliated and two independent, Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC. Additional MLS-affiliated and independent clubs will join in the years ahead, including Cleveland, Jacksonville Armada FC and Connecticut United FC. The majority of MLS NEXT Pro’s matches are broadcast on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV as part of the groundbreaking partnership between Apple and MLS. For more information about MLS NEXT Pro, visitmlsnextpro.com.
