From 1978 to 1984, San Diego boasted a vibrant professional sports scene, home to the Chargers (NFL), Clippers (NBA) and Padres (MLB). Now, out of the “Big Four” North American sports leagues, America’s eighth-largest city is only home to the Padres.
In 1984, the San Diego Clippers became the Los Angeles Clippers in the city’s first blow to its professional sporting scene. Decades later, in 2017, San Diego suffered the ultimate loss when its beloved NFL franchise, the Chargers, followed the same move north.
Despite the dwindling number of professional teams, San Diegans still have an immense passion for sports today. Through local staples like the Padres and San Diego State athletics, as well as newcomers like San Diego FC, sports fandom still has a pulse in San Diego.
The ghost of Chargers past
When the city of San Diego and the Chargers’ ownership failed to reach an agreement on a new stadium, the end was near for the team’s 56-year tenure in its hometown. The relocation was devastating for the city, leaving a void in Mission Valley, where Qualcomm Stadium once housed tens of thousands of screaming Charger fans.
Many blunders led to the team’s move, but the commitment of its fans in San Diego is not to blame. Jim Trotter, former journalist for The San Diego Union-Tribune, Sports Illustrated, ESPN and NFL Media, described Chargers fans as passionate and supportive enough to sustain an NFL franchise.
“The Chargers, when they were here, the fan base was so loyal and loved that team, and they deserved to have a team,” Trotter said.
Despite the city rallying around its football team, the Chargers’ results on the field did not resemble the perfect sunshine above it. In 56 seasons in San Diego, they had a losing record of 416–427–11. On top of that, San Diegans were only able to celebrate one Super Bowl appearance in 1995, in which they lost to the San Francisco 49ers.
Although the Chargers lacked on-field success, San Diego’s support for the Chargers was tried and true.
“First of all, you have to put a product on the field that people want to see,” Trotter said. “They went eight straight years without a winning season, and the fans still showed up.”
Despite immense and committed fan support, the Chargers faced attendance struggles toward the end. Attendance hit rock bottom for them in 2015, when they finished last in league-wide attendance, according to ESPN.
Attendance issues aside, the Chargers’ time in San Diego was defined by the city’s love for its NFL team.
“The NFL did work here,” Trotter said. “The fact that ownership wanted a new stadium and the fact that the city was saying, ‘Well, you’ve gotta pay for it, or pay the lion’s share of it,’ that’s nothing to do with the fans.”
Padres Passion
In the wake of the Chargers’ absence, the Padres were given a golden opportunity to step to the plate as San Diego’s only “Big Four” team. It is the only city in the country that has only an MLB team among the “Big Four,” making for an unorthodox setting where baseball is the epicenter of the city’s sports scene.
“I think it’s a great sports city, it’s just a unique sports city,” said Jon Schaeffer, radio host for San Diego Sports 760.
The Padres’ popularity in San Diego tells the story of one of the most significant connections between a city and its team. This decade, the Padres have quickly become one of the country’s most popular baseball clubs. In 2025, San Diego ranked second in MLB attendance, according to ESPN.
Fans feel a connection to the Padres unlike any they’ve felt before.
“The Padres have relatable, marketable stars,” Schaeffer said. “I think people resonate with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill, or Manny Machado or Joe Musgrove, who’s a San Diegan.”
The stars have aligned for the Padres in San Diego. In a time when it could easily have lost its identity as a sports town, San Diegans have a team to put their faith in.
“It’s been a little bit of a perfect storm, from a love affair with the city for the Padres,” Schaeffer said.
The Aztec Empire
With no NFL or NBA teams, collegiate sports are next up to represent San Diego on a national level. San Diego State University athletics have helped deliver the thrills to San Diegans that were once provided by professional teams.
The SDSU men’s basketball program has represented the city well on the hardwood. The Aztecs consistently rank among the country’s best, creating a thrilling atmosphere for both SDSU students and San Diego locals to take in some basketball.
“That’s one of the more popular college basketball teams, truthfully, in the country, and absolutely in the West,” Schaeffer said. “There’s very few programs that draw like San Diego State basketball.”
In 2023, SDSU reached the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, marking the zenith of a decade-long success story. This was the first time San Diegans had witnessed a local team make its respective championship game since the Padres in 1998.
“I think there’s something unique about the NCAA tournament that has the ability to capture [the] attention of people that aren’t even basketball fans,” Schaeffer said. “Anytime you make a run and make your first Final Four, that’s captivating and entertaining.”
(Samuel Cozart )
The combined success of the university’s football and basketball programs brings excitement to a city that is itching for a championship. As of 2024, SDSU has the country’s highest combined winning percentage between NCAA football and basketball since 2010.
The football team has yet to find the high-level support basketball enjoys, struggling to fill seats in the 2025 season. However, a 9-4 overall record and New Mexico Bowl appearance in 2025 provide hope that the Aztecs can pilot both the football and basketball cultures of San Diego.
A new hope
An onslaught of new professional teams has sparked life in San Diego’s sports scene. One sport in particular has garnered passionate support in recent years: soccer.
The city got its first taste of professional soccer in 2022, when the NWSL’s San Diego Wave. The Wave met with instant success and popularity, opening the door to San Diego’s soccer culture.
The Wave ranked atop the NWSL in attendance in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. In 2024, they also ranked second in the world for average attendance in women’s soccer.
On-field success helped spark the city’s excitement for the Wave, as the team won the NWSL Shield in 2023 and the 2024 NWSL Challenge Cup.
The Wave pioneered a new professional sport in San Diego, which created an opportunity for another expansion that shook the city’s sports scene.
In 2025, San Diegans were given a new team to support. San Diego FC made its debut season, capturing the city’s attention.
Miguel Barajas, president of Frontera SD, the official supporter group of SDFC, sees the club as a way to reinvigorate the city’s professional sports scene.
“It’s an opportunity to reignite the passion that the fan bases have here in San Diego for any particular club,” Barajas said. “It already kind of filled the void of what was missing when the Chargers left.”
Barajas feels that SDFC shines a light on San Diego’s prominent soccer scene.
“I could say, without a shadow of a doubt, that culture has always been present in San Diego,” he said. “San Diego, you always see, is consistently ranked, like two or three, in the United States for viewership.”
SDFC has taken the MLS by storm, finishing in first place in the Western Conference in year one. The on-field success has contributed to widespread excitement surrounding the team, creating new supporters in the process. Instant success and support for SDFC is a step in the right direction towards San Diego reestablishing itself as a sports town. Barajas is confident that it will translate to long-term investment in the city.
“Just the way [SDFC’s] bought into the community, the way they’ve already invested so much money into the local fabric of the communities, especially the under-privileged ones,” Barajas said. “That just shows that they’re definitely here for the long haul.”
SDFC and the Wave aren’t the only new kids on the block in San Diego. The additions of Major League Volleyball’s San Diego Mojo in 2023 and the NBA G League’s San Diego Clippers in 2024 show promise for a resurgence of sports in San Diego.
Sports town
Despite a history of disappointment, San Diegans still have an immense passion for their sports teams. It may not look like the traditional American sports town, but there is no doubt that sports have a place in America’s finest city.
