The stadium is currently named PayPal Park, and last year also became the home field of Bay FC, of the National Women’s Soccer League, which will host its championship at PayPal Park this season.
The stadium has also played host to several major events, including US National Women’s Team matches, several 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup matches, and earlier this year, a sold-out Liga MX friendly between Chivas de Guadalajara and Atlas FC.
Even with a modern stadium, attendance for Quakes games in the 2024 season was fourth-lowest in the league of what was then 29 teams, according to Transfermarkt.
However, the club has made some significant signings in the last year, including paying a club record of roughly $7 million for Argentine midfielder Hernán López, and bringing on five-time MLS Cup champion Bruce Arena as its new head coach. The league has since added a 30th team.
San José Mayor Matt Mahan told KQED he views the potential sale as an opportunity for the team and the city.
“An opportunity for more investment, new energy, an opportunity to take the team to the next level,” he said. “The hope with any new ownership group is that they’ll come in with some fresh energy and extra resources to put into the team and that will help the team compete for a championship.”
Mahan added that city leaders are laying out a vision to create a future sports entertainment district in the western portion of downtown, near the SAP Center where the San Jose Sharks have long played, and thinks the area could be a future home for the Earthquakes and Bay FC.
“When they’re looking at their future home, I want them to think first and foremost of downtown San José as the place to put down roots,” he said. “We’re a soccer city. We love our Quakes and we love Bay FC.”
It’s unclear whether a potential new owner would keep the Earthquakes’ previous $50 million commitment for a potential eight-field public-private soccer training facility at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds.
A preliminary deal between San José, the county and the team was struck in late 2023 to explore creating such a facility that would be partially open to youth soccer teams and the public, but Mahan said the county has stalled the effort.
The team is also investing in creating a second training facility on the site of a parking lot and tailgate area behind PayPal Park, and is updating some team facilities, including dining rooms and coaches’ meeting rooms.
