SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that newly formed Burlingame Dragons FC will be their PDL affiliate for the 2015 season.
Burlingame Dragons FC is co-owned by Nick Swinmurn, founder of Zappos.com and minority investor in the Golden State Warriors, and Dave Ebersman, former CFO for Facebook and Genentech. The club will play its inaugural season at Burlingame High School, close to the city’s Caltrain station and renovated downtown district. Season ticket packages are $60 and include eight home games. For more information about the team or to inquire about season tickets, visit www.burlingamedragons.com.
“We are excited to partner with Burlingame Dragons FC as our PDL affiliate,” Earthquakes president Dave Kaval said. “Nick and Dave have a great vision for the club, and this is a great opportunity to help grow the local soccer community while helping to develop younger players coming through the club’s development system.”
Burlingame will commemorate their creation with a public ceremony on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at 1 p.m. PT. Among the confirmed attendees are: Earthquakes president Dave Kaval, Earthquakes Academy technical director Chris Leitch, Burlingame Mayor Michael Brownrigg, city manager Lisa Goldman and recreation director Margaret Glomstad.
“Soccer has played a vital role in the Burlingame community,” Swinmurn said. “And the Bay Area is one of the richest sources of soccer talent in the nation. For us, that’s a perfect combination. We’re excited for the opportunity and look forward to working closely with the San Jose Earthquakes. They’re a championship organization with a proven track record of developing homegrown talent. Ultimately, we’d love to establish ourselves as a premier PDL franchise, ascend the USL ranks and build a soccer facility in San Mateo County that we can call our own.”
The PDL has over 60 teams from the United States and Canada split amongst four conferences. The rosters are comprised of amateur players in the U-23 age group. Nine MLS clubs field PDL squads, including: Chicago Fire, Philadelphia Union (Reading United AC), Montreal Impact, New England Revolution (Real Boston), Orlando City SC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Seattle Sounders FC and the Earthquakes.
About PDL
The proven developmental leader in North American soccer's evolving tiered structure, the PDL featured 64 teams within four conferences throughout the United States and Canada in 2014, including 12 teams affiliated with USL PRO or Major League Soccer clubs. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping-stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world, with 70 percent of all MLS draftees having PDL experience. The PDL season consists of 14 regular season matches for each team, seven home and seven away, and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining their eligibility. In addition to league play, PDL teams compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as well as various exhibitions.
