Column: Oside wins big as Frontwave shines
The Los Angeles Clippers and Brooklyn Nets square off at Frontwave Arena as pro hoops returns to San Diego County
OCEANSIDE — Excitement was in the air as thousands poured up the stairs and into Frontwave Arena on Tuesday.
A packed house watched as the NBA returned to San Diego, well, Oceanside, as the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Brooklyn Nets, 115-106. The arena was full, even as the San Diego Padres beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in a thrilling 6-5 victory in Game 3 of the National League Division Series at Petco Park.
While Frontwave Arena didn’t explode like Petco, the look, feel and atmosphere is all the Frontwave ownership group could hope for and more. But one can’t really compare the atmospheres to playoff baseball and a preseason NBA game.
Still, those who came out en masse delivered were excited and ready to watch some of the best players in the world compete in Oceanside. The buzz walking up to the arena was palpable, and now Oceanside has a place of its own and one that will bring greats experiences to the city.
And once the traffic flow and parking situation are ironed out, the experience will only be better. But to be fair, any stadium or arena parking is always like entering the Thunderdome.
Regardless, the game was a long time coming for Frontwave Arena Chief Executive Officer Josh Elias and the other executives. It showed the arena belongs, is a great place to catch a game or event. Next up on the calendar is the AVP (pro volleyball) League Week on Oct. 19-20, an Oct. 26 concert featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony followed by the inaugural game for the San Diego Clippers, the L.A. Clippers’ G-League affiliate, on Nov. 8 and the San Diego Sockers on Dec. 14.
The city of Oceanside should be excited just as much as Elias and company. The arena has cemented the city’s place as a destination and not just for the beach, although there’s not much beach left.
Rather, Frontwave puts Oceanside as the center of entertainment for North County as the city is racing by everyone else with long-term vision, planning and execution. City leaders took a big risk and it’s paying off.
And the best part is the $85 million arena was privately funded. As in so many cases with arenas and stadiums, taxpayers are left holding the bag as city, county, and state officials and owners craft some shady deals to ram down the residents’ throats (see Atlanta and Truist Park as just one example).
A privately funded arena of this scale goes a long way with residents. It should help with support for the S.D. Clippers and Sockers (pro indoor soccer team) as people may, or will, feel they weren’t hoodwinked for a deal they never approved.
Regardless, Frontwave brings a massive component to the city that no other city in North County can match. It will be a driver for the city on game day, for concerts and other small and large-scale events.
Oceanside has already shown its chops to be aggressive with redeveloping downtown, which some may like and others not, but the city has been able to control the next chapter in the life of the storied city.
The arena brings them into the 21st Century, and now the city is playing with house money. Visitors will flow in and spend money. Rinse and repeat dozens of times over the foreseeable future.
Inside the arena, fans were thrilled and ready for pro basketball to return to San Diego. Even as the San Diego Padres were engaged in an epic one-run win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Division Series, the house was full.
The arena and scoreboard were bright, the fans buzzing, the beer flowing and good times were had.
The Clippers won, the Padres won, Oceanside won and Elias and company won. Frontwave is a winner.
Steve Puterski is the publisher of North County Pipeline and is an award-winning journalist. For story ideas and tips, email him at ncpipeline760@gmail.com.