San Diego Sports Daily is a daily feature on everything San Diego sports fans should know for each day.
Some rumors were reported about a Major League Soccer expansion club and the Padres potentially opening the 2024 season in Asia. And another championship has been won by the University of San Diego Toreros! Catch up on everything you need to know about San Diego sports:
MLS EXPANSION CLUB COMING TO SAN DIEGO?
According to reports from the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Mark Zeigler, a Major League Soccer expansion club in San Diego is “on the goal line” with an official announcement coming in the near future. On the Gwynn & Chris Show on 97.3 The Fan on Tuesday, Zeigler added that the ownership group, officials from the MLS, and Snapdragon Stadium officials were meeting to finish the final logistics of the agreement.
Last November, MLS Commissioner Don Garber said they were looking to finalize their 30th franchise by the first half of 2023. The league currently consists of 29 teams – 26 in the United States and three in Canada. Las Vegas was named specifically as another city in active discussions for an expansion team.
The San Diego MLS club would begin play in the 2025 season and play their home matches at San Diego State University's Snapdragon Stadium where San Diego Wave FC (NWSL), San Diego Legion (MLR), and SDSU Football (NCAA) also play.
PADRES TO OPEN 2024 SEASON IN KOREA VS. THE DODGERS
Last weekend, it was reported that the San Diego Padres would open the 2024 Major League Baseball season against the Los Angeles Dodgers in South Korea as part of the MLB World Tour. Padres’ infielder Ha-Seong Kim is one of four Korean-born players to appear in an MLB game this season, along with Ji Hwan Bae (Pirates), Ji Man Choi (Pirates), and Rob Refsnyder (Red Sox).
The Athletic’s Dennis Lin added that Japan could also be the site in case the Korean plan falls through. Padres starter Yu Darvish spent his first seven professional seasons in the Japan Pacific League (JPL) and the two teams are expected to pursue star Japanese two-way player Shohei Ohtani during the off-season.
LEGION WIN EIGHTH STRAIGHT, ADVANCE TO 10-1 IN MLR SEASON
The San Diego Legion continued their franchise-best winning streak to eight matches on Saturday night when they defeated the Utah Warriors on the road, 26-16. The win extended their lead in the MLR Western Conference to 10 points (maximum five points per match) over the second-place Seattle Seawolves.
They also lead the league with a +156 point differential, 27 more than the New England Free Jacks’ +129, second in the league.
USD RUGBY WINS SECOND NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN SPAN OF SIX DAYS
University of San Diego Men’s Rugby defeated Iowa State, 41-19, on May 6 in the D1-AA American College Rugby championship game to earn their second national championship in less than a week after winning the 7s Championship on April 30.