6 Drastic Differences Between ACFC and San Diego Wave

The expansion to California has been long overdue for the NWSL. California is a hotbed for women’s soccer, and the insertion of Angel City FC and San Diego Wave into the league is very exciting. With both teams taking the field for the first time later this year, we look at some of the differences between these exciting new clubs.

Ownership

Angel City is a club led by a majority female-led ownership group, high profile women at that. It’s a group filled with former players, professional athletes, and celebrities like Natalie Portman, Mia Hamm, and Serena Williams, to name a few. It was a huge step to see such high-profile women getting into the NWSL and bringing soccer to LA.

On the other hand, the San Diego Wave is owned by billionaire Ron Burkle who initially was trying to bring a women’s team to Sacramento. The Wave isn’t Burkle’s first investment into professional sports; he’s also a co-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the NHL.

Crests

These teams knocked the crest designs out of the park, but they each took different approaches.

Angel City went with black, white, and pink for their colors. The crest has an angel representing the Red-tailed Hawk, a bird native to Southern California. Some of the feathers on the angel are meant to represent the palm trees of LA. Every detail that went into this crest traces back to Los Angeles.

Los detalles.

Our values & mission are found in every detail. This is our identity, our crest. #WeAreAngelCity pic.twitter.com/oAluxYF4D0

— Angel City FC (@weareangelcity) June 30, 2021

San Diego also paid homage to their city but took a much brighter approach with their color choices. The wave and sunset make for a unique crest that represents the beaches of Southern California. The bright pink, light and dark blue, and orange work nicely together to create a great-looking crest for this team.

Colors to show the world who the people of Southern California really are.

Colors of a sky as vibrant and proud as our culture.

Colors of the sand we play in and the common ground we share.

A horizon, to honor where we have been and where we are going. pic.twitter.com/mHOIAjvitL

— San Diego Wave FC (@sandiegowavefc) December 16, 2021

Coaches

San Diego went across the pond to find their first head coach in Casey Stoney. Before coming to California, Stoney spent three seasons with Manchester United in the FA WSL. Stoney had an impressive playing career in England and appeared over 100 times for the England Women’s National Team. 

ACFC snagged a head coach already in the NWSL when they hired Freya Coombe, who managed Gotham FC from 2019-21.

Stadiums

ACFC will be playing their 2022 home games at Banc of California Stadium. The soccer-specific stadium holds 22,000 and opened its doors in 2018 as the home of Los Angeles FC in the MLS. 

In 2022, the San Diego Wave will play their home games at the University of San Diego’s Torero Stadium until San Diego State’s new Snapdragon Stadium opens in the fall of 2022.

Torero Stadium has a capacity of 6,000 and was initially built in 1961; it was also the home of the WUSA’s San Diego Spirit. Snapdragon Stadium will hold 35,000 when the stadium eventually opens in September. 

Players

Both of these clubs have added some USWNT star power to their rosters. ACFC made a splash when they signed Christen Press as their first player, and SD signed both Abby Dahlkemper and Alex Morgan. The difference in the rosters is that San Diego has built theirs on current NWSL players and draft picks so far. 

Angel City has stacked their roster with current NWSL talent, but they have also brought in players from other leagues. So far, they’ve signed five players who have played professionally but not in the NWSL, Allyson Swaby, Vanessa Gilles, Katie Cousins, Mary Alice Vignola, and Jun Endo. 

Community Work

Angel City hit the ground running when it comes to giving back to the community. They have a ton of initiatives already and have set out to make a difference in the Los Angeles community. These initiatives to give back to the community are something that San Diego Wave hasn’t done as much of so far. 

Angel City FC has unveiled its inaugural primary kit ⚽️

➖ 100% recycled polyester by Nike
➖ Details mirror LA sunrise

In a first-of-its-kind model, ACFC will allocate 10% of the kits' sponsorship value to the LA community — nearly $2 million over the next several years. pic.twitter.com/t6xBs1k27a

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) November 17, 2021

Overall, even though these teams are close in proximity, they have a lot of differences. It’s been great to watch these two clubs grow and develop, and it’ll be even more exciting to watch these natural rivals finally face off on the pitch.

Featured images via @weareangelcity on Twitter and @sandiegowavefc on Instagram

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