Photos by Meg Minard, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Pechanga Arena 3500 Sports Arena Blvd San Diego, CA 92110
Year Opened: 1966 Capacity: 12,920
Seals Lax
The San Diego Seals are members of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), beginning play in the 2018-2019 season. They have been successful, enjoying winning seasons since their inception.
In their five years of play (the NLL was cancelled during the pandemic), they have made it to the playoffs four times and to the second round twice. They have not yet made it to the finals.
The Seals play their home games at Pechanga Arena in the Midway District of San Diego, CA. Pechanga Arena also hosts the San Diego Gulls (AHL hockey). It is also home to a variety of other entertainment such as concerts, Disney on Ice, Harlem Globetrotters, and more. A busy and popular Kobey’s Swap Meet is held every weekend in the parking lot of the arena.
Built in 1966, the arena is set up to be functional, not like the whiz-bang marvels built these days for sports facilities. It serves the Seals well from a fan perspective.
There’s been talk of building a new arena on the same site as the existing one. The proposition also includes an entertainment district (shops, dining, urban parks, etc.) and affordable housing. We’ll keep our eyes open for any progress on this proposal.
Food & Beverage 3
The arena has a decent number of concessions; many serve only adult beverages. Some are closed as the lacrosse team does not draw as many fans as the hockey team or concerts. Be sure to walk the entire concourse to find the open concession stands and carts that match your taste buds.
Pizza Port slices (cheese, pepperoni, jalapeno pepperoni, BBQ chicken) run $9 - $9.75. Arena Grill serves hot dogs, hamburgers, vegan sausages and burgers, chicken baskets, nachos, fries, etc. Nicolosi’s (Italian) sells meatball mac and cheese, 6” meatball hero, vegan mac and cheese ($13 - $18), as well as traditional fare and beverages.
Small kiosks include lemonade, mini donuts, hand-dipped corn dogs, caramel apples, yummy-looking frozen dipped bananas, and Dippin’ Dots.
Bottled sodas (Coca-Cola brands), water, iced tea, Monster Energy, and Powerade cost $6 - $7.
A Cutwater Cocktail Bar, Elysian Brewing Company, and Breitbard’s Tap Haus have vast selections of beers on tap and in cans (domestic and local craft). Local craft includes brews from Eppig, Golden Road, Karl Strauss, Kona, Pizza Port, Stone, and Elysian, and cost $18. Many stands have cocktails and wines ($16 - $18).
The choices are suitable for a meal or a snack if you arrive hungry and thirsty.
The Stella Artois Lounge is a premium entertainment area available for rent and/or membership and includes a posh bar and other VIP features.
The arena is missing one thing - tables to eat any purchased food. Instead, fans have to bring their refreshments to their seats.
Atmosphere 4
Although old, the arena serves the lacrosse team very well.
Two levels of average-width cushioned seats (without cup holders) make up the seating. Fans enter the middle of the seating area and walk up or down to their seats. The second level is about 15 steps up. No handrails are available for the top nine rows on either level. Those uneasy with steps should get seats in row nine as that’s the top row when walking in. Handicapped and wheelchair seating is available along the inner walkway. Staff curtains off the second level behind both goal nets. Every seat has a decent view of the action on the court.
Though the arena does not have suites, it offers premium seating along certain areas of the inner concourse, and Rady Children’s Cove premium field level seating choice behind one of the goals with partitioned tables and its own beverage station.
It’s chilly inside. Wear a long-sleeved shirt and bring a sweatshirt and/or jacket.
A suitably sized scoreboard hangs above center court. It shows the game action video, the score, shots on goal, time remaining, and quarter. Closed captioning is not available. At the game of this review, I noticed many delayed media timeouts, which annoyingly halted the flow of the game.
The Seals have an impressive pyrotechnic opening and introduction. As with all box lacrosse contests, to pump the crowd, music plays constantly. When an opposing player goes to the penalty box (the sin bin), the announcer cleverly calls “[player’s name] makes the walk of shame…shame…shame…” The crowd is also entertained by a dance team (the Sirens) and a mascot dressed as a seal (Salty).
Other in-game entertainment includes fan participative contests like a milk chug challenge, selfies, t-shirt tosses, a military hero of the game, and a junior lacrosse scrimmage during halftime. It is all very well executed and not over the top.
Neighborhood 4
The area directly surrounding the rink is bustling with shopping centers, and within just one to three miles, plenty of choices for eating, drinking, and merriment are available.
Ocean Beach Pier is just three miles from the venue and is where visitors can watch the surfers (or surf themselves), walk along the beach, swim, or sunbathe in the warmer months. Or stroll the neighborhood shops, restaurants, and brewpubs. It’s a great place to visit. Sea World San Diego is a little over two miles. Historic Old Town is just a mile away; both are worth visiting.
A plethora of places to eat and drink are within a few miles. We recommend the Long Story Irish Pub (though finding parking may be difficult), Phil’s BBQ, and Cocino de Barrio (Mexican). Within walking distance of the arena are staples like Chick-fil-A, McDonald’s, Chili’s, Broken Yolk, and Buffalo Wild Wings (though we do not recommend this Broken Yolk and BWW).
For the hop head, the go-to brewery for Seals fans is Bay City Brewing, right across the parking lot. Plenty of other breweries are close by: Deft Brewing (European style brews), Stone Brewing (in Liberty Station – serves food), and if visiting Ocean Beach, check out Ocean Beach Brewery (serves food), Kilowatt Brewing, or Pizza Port (Brewpub). Many, many more are within five miles of the arena.
A Wyndham Garden Inn is across the street from Pechanga Arena, and a Ramada Inn is a block and a half away. Many other hotels with varied prices are within just a mile or two of Pechanga Arena, so pick your preference.
Sports fans can attend other games in the area during lacrosse season, including the AHL Gulls. The University of San Diego is two to three miles from the arena. You may be able to catch a Toreros baseball, basketball, football, or other athletic games.
San Diego is a fantastic city to tour, so make a day or weekend of it when attending a Seals game!
Fans 3
There’s an energy in the crowd, and you just can’t help getting excited when the Seals score a goal.
Lots of families, kids, and school lacrosse teams are in attendance. Visitors see plenty of purple, yellow, and black (the Seals’ colors) in the crowd. The fans certainly don’t follow lacrosse etiquette as they leave and enter during play action.
At the game of this review, the lower level was about 65% full. The average attendance is between 5,000 and 6,000 fans per game. This puts the team in the mid to bottom half of the NLL attendance ranking.
Access 4
Getting to the arena is easy. It is right off the I-8 and I-5 Interstates in the Midway District of San Diego, a tad over a mile from Old Town San Diego and a little over three miles from the San Diego Airport. Plenty of parking is available in lots surrounding the venue for $15. The box office is on the north side of the building (Kurtz Street side).
Public transportation is available and takes 30 – 45 minutes with multiple changes if coming from the airport. Check the San Diego MTS trip planner to see if this is an option from where you are. If not, Uber and Lyft drop-off and pickup are on the south side of the venue near the gas station and Chick-fil-A.
It is easy and painless to get through security and scanning of the ticket. Clear 12” x 6” x 12” stadium sports bags are allowed. Fans can walk the entire concourse.
Unfortunately, tickets are only available through AXS – an online ticket provider. Fans purchasing tickets at the box office must download the AXS app to their phone to get their tickets. The Seals do not offer hardcopy tickets.
ADA seating is provided on the inner concourse surrounding the court. The arena has sufficient restrooms for a lacrosse game, but they are tight, with minimal room to maneuver (at least in the ladies).
Return on Investment 3
Seals box lacrosse games are fun and worth your sports dollar investment. We recommend eating or drinking before heading to the game, as concession prices are the expected high stadium prices.
Tickets run $21 - $80. A three-game ticket package offers a discount and is a good deal if planning on seeing more than one match a season. Groups of 10+ get a reduced rate, so corral your friends, work buddies, or social group members and come and enjoy an exciting evening out!
Parking is $15. If time and your location permit, consider using public transportation.
The stadium only accepts purchases via credit card, including parking.
Every game has a special event, such as Heritage nights, Stick Up for a Cure night, Margaritaville nights, etc., and may include tailgating parties or giveaways.
Extras 4
Photos on the concourse walls portray famous events and entertainers who performed at Pechanga Arena over the years. It is worth the effort to stroll the concourse perusing the historic concerts performed here.
The team broadcasts a motivating video that energizes the crowd and gears them into a lacrosse frame of mind before the players take the court. When the announcer introduces the players, spectacular shooting flames, smoke, and hoopla abound.
One retired jersey number hangs from the rafters, #17 Brodie Merrill.
Finally, praise to the crew who successfully transform the arena from a hockey rink to a lacrosse court in under 24 hours.
Final Thoughts
The venue has a lot of history on display and is a throwback to an earlier time when arenas were designed to be functional fan facilities. Box lacrosse is a fun, lively game to watch, and a San Diego Seals game delivers that sports enjoyment pleasure.
Check out In Lacrosse We Trust for all lacrosse coverage.
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