Oceanside’s Frontwave Arena opens its doors to the public for the first time on Monday, September 16, ushering in a new era in San Diego County. It’s a smaller-type arena, with big plans.
Nestled in the Rancho Del Oro area, Fronwave boasts a seating capacity of 7,500 and features all the amenities expected of a brand-new, $85 million multi-purpose venue: 16 premium suites, three VIP viewing decks, and a lineup of food and beverage vendors being billed as “A Taste of North County.”
With no upper seating level and just 16 rows in each section, attendees will be close to the action—most of which will be sports.
“The original goal was to build an arena for San Diego Sockers (the Major Arena Soccer League team), and that came together six or seven years ago,” said Elias, who shares ownership of Frontwave Arena with Sockers’ owner and coach Phil Salvagio and real estate developer Colton Sudberry.
The Sockers are one of the most successful professional soccer teams in the country, having won 16 league championships since 1982, but empty seats are common at Midway District’s cavernous, 16,000-seat Pechanga Arena, which the Sockers have called home since 2012. But minor league teams in major league venues is a problem throughout the industry.
With Frontwave Arena, Elias and his partners want to turn that business model on its head. “We understand that we’re smaller, but we want to own that,” Elias said. “Typically, people want a big team to anchor an arena, but we are going to own this minor league size, as well as that middle size entertainment. That’s what makes us unique.” That approach is already paying dividends.
The crowning achievement so far is landing the NBA G League’s San Diego Clippers, the minor league affiliate of the Los Angeles Clippers. “Getting the stamp of approval from the NBA is a huge feat,” Elias said. Fans at Frontwave Arena will get to see “truly the best players, guys who are hungry to compete and make it at the highest level.”
In fact, more than 50 percent of players on current NBA rosters have G League experience, according to the NBA. The G League plays a 50-game schedule, from November to February, with the San Diego Clippers scheduled for 24 home games this season. And Elias expects to announce soon another team relocating from Pechanga Arena to Frontwave Arena.
In the meantime, visitors to Frontwave will have plenty to eat. Cardiff’s Seaside Market is offering their famous “Cardiff Crack” tri-tip nachos, one of the most popular food items at Petco Park. Gelati & Picatti, which has locations in Encinitas, North Park, and inside Petco Park, is serving up Roman-style pizza by the slice and artisanal gelato. And rounding out the lineup are Tanner’s Prime Burgers, a collaboration between Michelin-starred chef Brandon Rogers and Brandt Beef’s Eric Brandt; and Baja Tacos, a new concept by Brandt that started as a pop-up at the Del Mar Racetrack in 2022.
Frontwave Arena’s leadership recruited Scott Marshall, Liquid Sports group CEO and former chief hospitality officer at Petco Park, to bring these food options under one roof. “We are incredibly excited to […] introduce an absolute world-class culinary program,” Marshall said in a statement.
Kicking things off for Frontwave’s opening is the Gold Over America Tour, a two-night showcase (Sept. 16 and 17) featuring Simone Biles and other premier gymnastics talent. It’s an event worthy of a grand opening, considering Biles is now one of the greatest American athletes of all time after winning three gold medals at this summer’s Paris Olympics. On October 5, the veteran rock group Cake stages the inaugural concert co-produced by Belly Up Presents, the promotional arm of the legendary Solana Beach venue.
Frontwave Arena’s event schedule is already packed, but there is even more programming planned for outside the venue. One of the arena’s unique features is the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Plaza, a hybrid, outdoor event space, planned to be utilized on both event and non-event days.
“What we’ve built is unique and special,” Elias said. “We took an inside-out approach, focusing on North County first, but we’re seeing a lot of interest from folks throughout the county. It’s exciting to see and the fact that it resonates speaks to us being local people building something for the community.”
Frontwave Arena Schedule of Events
- Sept. 16 & 17: “Gold Over America Tour” starring Simone Biles and America’s best gymnasts. Event starts at 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 5: Cake – Frontwave Arena Grand Opening Concert. Event starts at 8 p.m.
- Oct. 8: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Brooklyn Nets preseason game. Event starts at 7 p.m.
- Oct. 12: Rocktoberfest, with Seether, Giovannie & The Hired Guns, The Warning, and Tim Montana. Event starts at 7 p.m.
- Oct. 19: Association of Volleyball Professionals. Event starts at 6 p.m.
- Oct. 20: Association of Volleyball Professionals. Event starts at 1 p.m.
- Oct. 26: Monsters of Hip-Hop, featuring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Too $hort, MC Magic and more. Event starts at 7:30 p.m.
- Oct. 27: USA vs. Mexico International FANCLB Cup. Event starts at 6 p.m.
- Nov. 2: Freestyle Explosion, featuring Steve B, Lisa Lisa, Exposé, Shannon, Connie, Lime, Will to Power, Pretty Poison, and Nocera. Event starts at 7:30 pm.
- Dec. 7: Country Christmas featuring Megan Moroney, Tucker Wetmore, Tyler Braden, and more. Event starts at 7 p.m.
