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Quakes reach tentative stadium deal Posted: Wednesday December 18, 2002 5:58 PM
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- The San Jose Earthquakes announced Wednesday that they have reached a tentative agreement with San Jose State University to play their 2003 home games at Spartan Stadium and are involved in negotiations with the university to finalize a long-term agreement. MLS' lease at San Jose's Spartan Stadium expires at the end of the year, and the league's request for an extension of its exclusive rights had been turned down by Spartan Shops, the stadium's operator. That would allow the WUSA's San Jose CyberRays to compete on level ground for dates at the stadium. The Earthquakes, who sold out their final match of the 2002 season against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the stadium, have played at Spartan Stadium since their inception in 1996. "We are excited to continue our relationship with Spartan Stadium," Earthquakes general manager Johnny Moore said. "Spartan Stadium is a tremendous place for soccer matches. We feel it is where the club belongs and I am happy that we are going to play there in 2003. "We are encouraged by the speed with which we were able to work out the arrangements for the 2003 season," said Jerry Mimnaugh, executive director of Spartan Shops. "We look forward to our partnership culminating in a long term contract that will enable the Earthquakes to play at Spartan Stadium for years to come." The Earthquakes put together an MLS record 15-game home unbeaten streak last season and went a year between losing MLS games at the stadium. In the two seasons that Frank Yallop has coached the club, the Quakes are 23-5-4 at Spartan Stadium. In addition to Earthquakes matches, Spartan Stadium hosted the 2001 MLS All-Star Game as well as various U.S. national team games and the 1999 Women's World Cup. Since joining MLS, the Earthquakes and Spartan Stadium have hosted the two largest crowds to ever watch a sports event in San Jose. The San Jose club (then known as the Clash) drew 31,728 fans to the stadium for a 1996 game against L.A. Earlier that season, the team filled Spartan with 31,683 fans for the MLS Inaugural game April 6, 1996. Average attendance in 2002, however, was a league-low 11,150.
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