Major League Soccer eyeing San Diego market

According to the Associated Press, Major League Soccer aims to have 24 teams by 2020 and is talking to San Diego.

"There have been some discussions in Southern California, in San Diego," commissioner Don Garber told the AP. San Diego Sockers spokesman Craig Elsten says that, to his knowledge, the Sockers are not involved in the discussion.

The team has an interesting past. From 1978 through 1996, when it folded, the Sockers won a large number of championships in different leagues. Average attendance at the Sports Arena peaked out in 1983–1984 at 11,415. But in its later years, average attendance was below 6000 a game.

The current, succeeding team plays in the Professional Arena Soccer League, which has four teams in Mexico and several in smaller markets such as Harrisburg, Wichita, Ontario, and Turlock. The team plays at the Valley View Casino Center. Attendance is generally below 1400 per game and often below 1000.