San Diego FC (SDFC) today announced a multi-year partnership with Sharp HealthCare, making the San Diego-based hospital system the newest Chrome Club Partner, Official Health Care Partner, Official Health Insurance and the Naming Rights Partner of the Club’s Performance Center & Right to Dream Academy – the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center.
As part of the partnership, Sharp HealthCare will provide world-class medical services, player care, and wellness programs to support SDFC’s athletes, staff, and fans. The alliance will also focus on joint community initiatives that promote healthy lifestyles and increase access to health education and resources.
“We are proud to partner with an organization that shares our vision for building a stronger, healthier community,” said SDFC CEO Tom Penn. “The Sharp HealthCare Performance Center is a world-class facility where our players, from the Academy to the first team, can train and thrive. This partnership is about more than soccer – it’s about making a lasting impact in our community for years to come.”
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025. The 50,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility broke ground in November 2023 at the Club’s 28-acre campus located in El Cajon on the Sycuan Reservation. The Sharp HealthCare Performance Center will be shared by the first team and academy teams and includes five full-sized soccer fields – three natural turf fields and two synthetic turf fields. A key cultural space within the facility is the second-floor dining room and communal hub, overlooking the training fields, designed to foster engagement between academy players, coaches, teachers, and professional players.
“We are proud and excited to be a founding partner of SDFC as this agreement aligns with Sharp’s mission to serve the community through future joint initiatives that support local non-profit organizations as well as the team’s Right to Dream residential youth development academy,” said Chris Howard, president and CEO of Sharp HealthCare, San Diego’s largest integrated health system. “We are also honored to provide The Sharp Experience as the football club’s ‘Official Health Care Provider’ when our own team of sports medicine experts are called upon to deliver medical services for these elite players and SDFC employees.”
Community programming will be a focal point of the partnership. Sharp HealthCare will become the presenting partner of San Diego FC’s “Community Member of the Match” promotion, which will highlight different fans doing positive work across San Diego. In addition, the partnership will emphasize health and wellness programs focused on promoting physical activity and overall healthy lifestyles.
As part of their commitment to enhancing community spaces, Sharp HealthCare and SDFC will collaborate on a mini-pitch Project, with plans to build at least one mini-pitch during the partnership term to provide safe and accessible areas for local youth to play soccer.
Sharp HealthCare, recognized as San Diego’s leading health care provider, serves the region with seven hospitals, three affiliated medical groups, and a comprehensive range of services, including primary care, specialty care, and urgent care. With a focus on patient-centered care, Sharp is committed to transforming the health care experience and improving the health of the communities it serves.
Legends, a global premium experiences company, represented San Diego FC in sourcing and negotiating the partnership with Sharp HealthCare.
