Monterey Bay F.C.’s first home game
Cardinale Stadium, 4111 2nd Ave., Seaside, (831) 324-2560, montereybayfc.com
As soon as the 2022 United Soccer League season kicked off, Monterey Bay F.C. – a brand-new team at home in a remodeled stadium – had a devoted fan base. They’d never met, and their home stadium wasn’t quite ready, but the fans were there. When the team played its first home game on May 7, the 6,000-seat Cardinale Stadium was nearing capacity, with 5,038 seats occupied. There was a magic as fans coalesced to chant the first-ever chants in support of their new team (“Let’s go, Union!”) and stomped their feet – especially when Walmer Martinez, a graduate of CSU Monterey Bay (home to Cardinale Stadium) scored the first and only goal of the game. After the team’s first home victory, the players appeared on the perimeter of the field to high-five their fans, as if they’d known each other forever.