Anticipation builds for Frontwave Arena

Professional soccer, basketball and much more coming to Oceanside as the city braces for a new wave of excitement hits the city

Frontwave Arena in Oceanside opens in September and anticipation is building for the new home of the San Diego Sockers indoor soccer team and the San Diego Clippers G-League team. Courtesy image

OCEANSIDE — The premier sporting and events arena in North County is just six months away from opening.

Frontwave Arena will open in September and play host to one of the world’s biggest stars in Olympic gold medalist and America’s most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles, on Sept. 17. The arena, which has been under construction for nearly three years, will also be home to the San Diego Sockers indoor soccer team, the San Diego Clippers G-League basketball team, concerts, events and more, according to Frontwave Arena Chief Executive Officer Josh Elias.

The ownership group consists of Elias, Phil Salvagio as president and the Sudberry Group. The group has billed the arena as “San Diego’s Gateway to Sports and Entertainment.” Also, Elias said he and the group are proud the 7,500-seat, $85 million arena was privately funded, a component he said was important to ensure community buy-in. 

“You have to see it in person,” Elias said. “It’s something to see once you’re in it. We paid attention to detail, and we have a number of premium spaces. We have to be different; we have to attract entertainment and we have to attract fans here and so we really thought about what we would like as a consumer. It speaks to the building.”

A place to call home

As the owners of the Sockers, Elias’ Salvagio’s ownership group has been second fiddle at the old and decrepit San Diego Sports Arena, the two knew they wanted something of their own. Elias said the group knew they wanted a sports-only arena, so they partnered with Sudberry about seven years ago.

Originally, it was proposed as a $40 million sports-only facility, he said. Elias said about three years ago the group started pouring over the data and realized their wants and the needs of the community and greater region were calling for something different.