Earthquakes vs LAFC
On a Saturday last month (precisely September 13, 2025), my family headed to Levi’s Stadium — not for a 49ers game or a concert, but for something completely different: an MLS match featuring the San Jose Earthquakes.
Normally, the Earthquakes play at PayPal Park, which has a capacity of about 18,000. But this time, they hosted their home game at Levi’s Stadium — a venue that holds over 68,000. I’m not sure if this was planned long in advance, but it turned out to be a brilliant investment once LAFC announced the signing of Son Heung-min from the Premier League.
The matchup instantly became the event for the Korean community. I’d expected a big Bay Area gathering, but I underestimated it — fans came from all over the state, even from Los Angeles (I heard quite a few talking about their flights), just to see Son play in person.
Our seats were in the lower level, around $100 each — a bargain considering the same view during a 49ers game would easily cost ten times that (unless you’re lucky enough to grab some last-minute tickets).
The match started perfectly (well, depending on your allegiance): Son scored within the first minute. I almost felt sorry for the Earthquakes players — it definitely didn’t feel like a home game for them. Still, it must have been worth it financially. A sold-out Levi’s Stadium (they didn’t use the top deck, so I’d estimate around 40–50K attendees) is no small payday for any MLS team.
After the match, Son walked a full circle around the field, waving and bowing to fans — a small gesture, but full of grace and dignity. He knew exactly what a star player should do for fans (either his or not).
Leaving Levi’s was, as always, chaos. We had parked at my wife’s office, about an hour’s walk away, but it actually turned into a pleasant night stroll with a bit of that post-event buzz still in the air.
The only downside? Ever since buying those tickets, my inbox has been flooded with marketing emails from the San Jose Earthquakes. Sorry, guys — I’m a Son Heung-min fan, not a new soccer convert. At least, not yet.
