Padres' Manny Machado becomes part-owner of San Diego's MLS franchise

On3 imageby:Dustin Schutte05/18/23

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manny machado
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Manny Machado still has quite a bit of baseball left to play, but he’s dipping his toe into another sport. He’s part of an ownership group that is welcoming a Major League Soccer (MLS) team to San Diego.

The Padres star is one of four limited partners of the ownership group in San Diego’s expansion team. Machado has been in San Diego since 2019.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to join the San Diego MLS ownership group. I continue to plant roots in this amazing community that means so much to me and build upon my connection with the incredible fans,” Machado said in a statement, per CBS. “I’m further encouraged by the club’s commitment and experience that it brings, through Right to Dream, in developing young athletes personally, academically and athletically, and excited to support the growth of soccer in San Diego.”

Machado also spoke during the team’s official announcement this week.

Machado signed a big deal to remain with the Padres in February. He inked an 11-year contract extension worth $350 million. The Padres recently listed the infielder as day-to-day after recently suffering a hand fracture. Prior to the injury, Machado owned a .231 batting average with five home runs and 19 RBIs.

Along with Machado, the ownership group includes Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The team starts play in 2025.

More details on MLS heading to San Diego

The San Diego franchise becomes the 30th team in MLS when it makes its debut in 2025. The team plans to play its games at Snapdragon Stadium, a 35,000-seat venue.

The stadium opened in 2022 and hosts a variety of teams. It’s the home of San Diego State football, and the city’s teams in Major League Rugby and the National Women’s Soccer League.

“We are thrilled to welcome San Diego to Major League Soccer as our 30th team,” Garber said in a statement, per ESPN. “For many years we have believed San Diego would be a terrific MLS market due to its youthful energy, great diversity, and the fact that soccer is an essential part of everyday life for so many people. Mohamed Mansour and the Sycuan Tribe have an incredible vision for building a club that will inspire and unite soccer fans throughout the city and region.”

San Diego competed with Las Vegas to land the 30th team in MLS. The San Diego Union-Tribune estimated that the price tag to land an expansion MLS team at approximately $500 million.