The San Jose Earthquakes are set to face the Chicago Fire on Sunday (7 pm ET; FOX Sports/FOX Deportes/FOX Sports GO) in the first-ever MLS regular season game at Avaya Stadium.
The Earthquakes are the 15th MLS team to get their own stadium after years of playing at various stadiums across the Bay Area. For coach Dominic Kinnear, this will be the second time he has seen his team open a new soccer-specific stadium. The coach with the third-most wins in MLS history opened BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston with the Dynamo back in 2012.
The Dynamo won that game behind a goal from club legend Brad Davis and the 'Quakes will be looking to do the same (perhaps with their own legend, Chris Wondolowski?). But how have other teams fared in their stadium openers?
It turns out teams do pretty well when they (and their fans) are excited about a brand new stadium. Eight of the 14 teams to open their own stadium have won while only two have lost. You can check out all the previous stadium openers below:
May 15, 1999 - MAPFRE Stadium: Columbus Crew SC 2 (Jeff Cunningham 10', Stern John 59'), New England Revolution 0
Forward Jeff Cunningham put the home side up in the game’s 10th minute when he rocketed an eight-yard blast past New England goalkeeper Walter Zenga for then-Crew Stadium’s first goal. The overflow crowd of 24,741 rose to their feet and Columbus rode the momentum to a 2-0 win.
June 7, 2003 - StubHub Center: LA Galaxy 2 (Carlos Ruiz 50', 91'), Colorado Rapids 0
The Galaxy played the Colorado Rapids to open the then-Home Depot Center, winning 2-0. 2002 MLS MVP Carlos Ruiz, aka "El Pescadito," scored both goals for LA.
August 6, 2005 - Toyota Stadium: FC Dallas 2 (Carlos Ruiz 31', 34'), MetroStars 2 (Youri Djorkaeff 47', 53')
Carlos Ruiz scored two more goals in a stadium opener, but this time it was for FC Dallas at then-Pizza Hut Park. Djorkaeff, a member of the 1998 French national team that won the World Cup, scored both for the MetroStars.
June 11, 2006 - Toyota Park: Chicago Fire 3 (Nate Jaqua 39', 79', Calen Carr 91'), New England Revolution 3 (Taylor Twellman 87', Steve Ralston 93', Andy Dorman 94')
The 12,941 fans to attend the first game at Toyota Park saw the first goal in the 39th minute courtesy of forward Nate Jaqua – his first of two on the day – and rookie forward Calen Carr’s first professional goal in the 91st minute. The home debut ended in a 3-3 draw with late goals from both sides.
April 7, 2007 - Dick's Sporting Goods Park: Colorado Rapids 2 (Herculez Gomez 19', Roberto Brown 35'), D.C. United 1 (Luciano Emilio 79')
Dick's Sporting Goods Park was christened by Herculez Gomez when he scored 19 minutes into his debut as a member of the Rapids. Colorado went on to win the game 2-1.
April 28, 2007 - BMO Field: Toronto FC 0, Kansas City Wizards 1 (Eddie Johnson 81')
Toronto FC became the first MLS team to lose the opener of their stadium when Eddie Johnson bagged a goal in the 81st minute to lead the Wizards over the home side.
October 9, 2008 - Rio Tinto Stadium: Real Salt Lake 1 (Jamison Olave 42'), New York Red Bulls 1 (Dave van den Bergh 31')
The Red Bulls spoiled the opening party at the RioT on Oct. 9 by grinding out a 1-1 draw, a game that featured Jamison Olave scoring the first Claret-and-Cobalt goal in their new digs after 41 minutes.
March 27, 2010 - Red Bull Arena: New York Red Bulls 1 (Joel Lindpere 40'), Chicago Fire 0
The Red Bulls dispatched the Chicago Fire 1-0 in the MLS season opener at Red Bull Arena, the first league match in the Red Bulls' new stadium.
June 27, 2010 - PPL Park: Philadelphia Union 3 (Sebastien Le Toux 55', Fred 78', Danny Mwanga 84'), Seattle Sounders 1 (Pat Noonan 45')
In effect, the Union put on two home openers for Philly soccer fans in 2010: the team’s first home game at Lincoln Financial Field in April, then the debut of PPL Park in June. At PPL Park, the Union downed the Sounders behind a goal and two assists from Sebastien Le Toux.
June 9, 2011 - Sporting Park: Sporting Kansas City 0, Chicago Fire 0
June 9 is a date that will go down in Kansas City club history. The very first match at what was then called Livestrong Sporting Park may have ended as an unspectacular scoreless draw, but it marked a landmark moment in club history, as the team’s new home opened to rave reviews after years of playing in borrowed facilities.
April 14, 2011 - Providence Park: Portland Timbers 4 (Jorge Perlaza 29', 47', Rodney Wallace 38', own goal 84'), Chicago Fire 2 (own goal 66', Marco Pappa 81')
The Portland Timbers, inspired by the wall of noise coming from the north end of the stadium formerly known as JELD-WEN Field, made sure that the memory of opening night for their renovated stadium didn't go wrong, as they won their inaugural MLS game, 4-2, over the Chicago Fire on a rainy night in the Rose City.
October 2, 2011 - BC Place: Vancouver Whitecaps 0, Portland Timbers 1 (Kenny Cooper 25')
The Portland Timbers kept their playoff hopes alive in 2011, and in the process spoiled the re-opening of BC Place Stadium for their Cascadia rivals, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 1-0 after the Whitecaps had played most of the season in temporary digs at Empire Field.
May 12, 2012 - BBVA Compass Stadium: Houston Dynamo 1 (Brad Davis 67'), D.C. United 0
Brad Davis ushered in a new era for the Houston Dynamo in style on a sparkling Texas Saturday afternoon, scorching the game-winning goal from 35 yards out to fuel the Dynamo’s 1-0 over D.C. United in the first MLS game at BBVA Compass Stadium.
June 16, 2012 - Stade Saputo: Montreal Impact 4 (Felipe 18', Justin Mapp 51', Andrew Wenger 58', Lamar Neagle 87'), Seattle Soundes 1 (Eddie Johnson 61')
The Montreal Impact channeled the energy of a pulsating crowd into arguably their best performance as an MLS club, coasting past the Seattle Sounders in a 4-1 romp to christen Stade Saputo after beginning the year at Stade Olympique, a.k.a The Big O.
