San Diego FC: Behind the Flow
San Diego F.C. is a club being built from the ground up - in record time. But joining as the 30th team for MLS’ 30th year, they aren’t here to make up the numbers. They've got a plan to rock American soccer to its foundations. Join local boy, and network sportscaster Adrian Garcia Marquez as we go behind the scenes to meet the people involved in their race to build a brand, grow a fanbase and recruit a team from scratch. This is Behind the Flow - the origin story of San Diego F.C.
Episode 6: Building a Team
It’s November 2024, less than three months until SDFC play their first-ever game — and they only have six players on their roster. But in a few weeks’ time, they’ll have an opportunity to change that with the MLS Expansion Draft and SuperDraft.
Tyler and Mikey now focus on how to build a team that can play in the Right to Dream style — while winning games straight out of the gate.
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Episode 5: The Playbook
Mikey and Tyler start strategizing on how to build a Right to Dream club, true to the organization’s philosophy, while representing the people of Southern California.
But before they can start thinking about players and tactics, they set off on a whirlwind world tour of the Right to Dream network. They visit Ghana, Egypt, and Denmark to see what lessons they can bring home to San Diego.
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Episode 4: Uniting a Fanbase
San Diegans love their sports teams — but there’s also been more than a little heartbreak over the years. It’s a history littered with false dawns and tragic endings, not least when it comes to soccer teams.
The job SDFC faces is simple: unite seven fragmented supporter groups under one banner, and appeal to a city of passionate fans in time for match day one. But with a 35,000-seat stadium to fill, they better get a move on.
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Episode 3: Financing a Franchise
So, what does it take to win the rights to become Major League Soccer’s 30th team? And who would pay half a billion dollars to do it?!
In this episode, we explore the unlikely partnership behind SDFC: Right to Dream — a revolutionary global soccer group — and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation — the first Native American owners in men’s professional sports.
It’s a story that bridges cultures, spans 8,000 miles and 20,000 years, and came together to bring MLS to San Diego.
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Episode 2: Rookies (Part 2)
It’s September 2024. The national sports press has gathered at Snapdragon Stadium for the unveiling of San Diego FC’s first-ever head coach — Mikey Varas.
As he prepares to face the media and the fans, we delve into the club’s hiring process and hear from those behind the decision to bring Mikey to America’s Finest City.
Coming off a tumultuous two-week stint as interim USMNT coach, we find out why they believe he’s the right man for the job — despite his lack of top-tier experience...
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Episode 1: Rookies (Part 1)
It’s the summer of 2024 — four months since the announcement that MLS is finally coming to San Diego, and just over six months until SDFC takes the field for their first-ever game.
Join us behind the scenes to see what it takes to launch a sports organization from scratch; hear what the soccer-loving people of San Diego really think — and meet the man whose job it is to actually build the team: 33-year-old rookie Sporting Director, Tyler Heaps.
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Introducing: San Diego FC: Behind the Flow
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