SAN DIEGO -- After a six-game home win drought, San Diego Wave were poised for a win against a fading Orlando Pride — a side that came to Snapdragon winless in nine games, dating back to mid-June.
And yet, eight minutes in, on their first scoring chance, the Pride capitalized to go up 1-0. Two minutes later, the Wave came back with a well-placed Dudinha finish to quickly level the playing field; the goal would be the first of her NWSL career. The Wave, however shortcoming in the end, is nothing if not resilient. No matter, an unanswered second-half goal extended the Wave’s home win drought to seven.
A month before this loss, in a post-game press conference following the team’s 1-0 loss to Racing Louisville, head coach Jonas Eidevall delivered an impassioned appeal to fans:
“No one is entitled to a result. I’m not. The players are not. Neither are the fans. But together we can create an environment that gives us a result,” Eidevall said. “So my message to [the fans] is invest in us. Keep coming back. We need you. And together we can achieve it.”
An eloquent and galvanizing sentiment. Yet, how much does it mean for fans who have seen their club fail to win a home game in 125 days? Four losses and two ties against several sides with weaker records must be attributed to something more than the truism of uncertainty.
Fans understand this and have shown how they feel by not showing up — a concerning shift indicative of waning investment in a club that once stood as a staple of San Diego sports. In 2024, the club led the world in women’s soccer attendance, boasting a 19,575 average attendance bested only by English powerhouse Arsenal Women’s. This season, no game has reached this figure; opening day leads with 18,465, according to FBref.com. Moreover, while volatile, the attendance is trending downwards.-1-544x306.jpg)
The lack of home-field success may not be the only contributor to this drop in attendance. Fans may also be pulled to different sporting events. The inaugural season of Major League Soccer side San Diego FC has drawn an average of 27,978 fans each home game day, according to Transfermarkt. In addition, the San Diego Padres continue to soar in 2025.
More practically, many of the Wave’s top talents have gone down with injuries. French midfielder Delphine Cascarino, a conductor of the team’s attack, is dealing with a lower leg ailment. Fellow midfielder Savannah McCaskill, who played every game before until an injury against Louisville, continues to deal with a foot affliction.
Perhaps the most telling manifestation of this complexity came on Sep. 7 against the Houston Dash, the club’s Alex Morgan jersey retirement night. Morgan became San Diego’s centerpoint, both symbolic and tactical, leading the team from its inception in 2022. Perhaps the sport's most skilled journeywoman, Morgan found a home in San Diego as much as the club and community leaned on her.
Thus, it was more than surprising to see the attendance reach just 15,626, ranked third on the season. When the team held a bucket hat giveaway two home games earlier, 200 more fans showed up.
Tonight’s match, the team’s fifth home loss without a win to break it up, marked another visually demure attendance. It is vital to recognize the immense support San Diego Wave garners despite this skid. However, this most recent match also contributes to a concerning narrative of diminished interest in a club that once drew so much investment.
It is difficult to measure how much the team’s faltering record is impacting this attendance. However, it sure is not helping.