By TR Robertson
Frontwave Arena and Los Angeles Clippers NBA Basketball Team hosted a Press conference Monday in the under construction Frontwave Arena for a major sports announcement for the El Corazon Sports Complex in Oceanside. Frontwave Arena, set to open later this year, is being built to host sporting and entertainment events in the 7,500-capacity arena. The facility will also have an outdoor plaza for additional performances, activities and community gatherings. The arena will host the San Diego Sockers Professional Indoor Soccer Team and with the Monday press conference will now host the Los Angeles Clippers G League NBA professional team. Beginning next year, every National Basketball Association team will each have their own G League Team. The San Diego Clippers will be the G League team for the Los Angeles Clippers and will play all of their home games at the new Oceanside Frontwave Arena.
Prior to the Press Conference, those attending were able to walk through Frontwave Arena and see the construction currently underway that will be the main seating area for the arena. Just outside of the arena a small gathering offered a light lunch and drinks. At the Press Conference numerous television, radio and other media were in attendance as well as Los Angeles Clipper and Frontwave personnel, Oceanside City dignitaries and other guests. The Los Angeles Clippers mascot Chuck the Condor was also in attendance as was current Los Angeles Clipper guard Norm Powell. Powell went to Lincoln High School in San Diego.
Opening the Press Conference was Carlo Jimenez, Radio Play-by-Play voice of the Los Angeles Clippers. He began by introducing the first speaker, Josh Elias, Co-founder and CEO of Frontwave Arena. Josh spoke about the excitement everyone has for the Clippers coming to Oceanside and all of the other events the Frontwave Arena may host. He then introduced CEO Halo Sports Entertainment Gillian Zucker. Zucker spoke about the Clippers decision to move their G League affiliate from Ontario to Oceanside and their excitement about working with the Frontwave Arena as well as the importance of all teams now having G League teams. Gillian then introduced Oceanside Mayor Ester Sanchez.
Mayor Sanchez enthusiastically welcomed everyone in attendance and spoke about the city’s excitement about having Frontwave Arena as the home for the San Diego Clippers. Mayor Sanchez then introduced NBA G League President Shareef Abdur Rahim. Rahim played for four NBA teams and was on the 2000 Sydney Olympic Gold Medal Team for the USA. Shareef also spoke about the importance of the G League in developing NBA players, how a large number of current NBA players began in the G League and spoke about how they want to work with both the Frontwave Arena and the City of Oceanside in helping the players work with the community in a number of ways. He said they were especially excited that the San Diego Clippers players would be able to have apartments directly across the street from the Arena. A large apartment complex is currently under construction in this area, some already completed. A short question and answer session was held at the end of the Press Conference.
Frontwave Arena is part of the 500 acre El Corazon SoCal Sports Complex that also includes the El Corazon Senior Center, the William Wagner Aquatics Center and the SoCal Sports Fields, featuring 22 full sized soccer fields. The Senior Center was completed in 2009, the SoCal Sports Fields in 2017 and the Aquatics Center in 2021. The Frontwave Arena will be completed later this year and will host on September 17th the Gold Over America Tour 2024 featuring Simone Biles and other gymnasts. Tickets are on sale now for this event. Information on San Diego Sockers and San Diego Clippers Basketball tickets will be available soon on the Frontwave web site.
