Peter Bridgwater
Encyclopedia
Peter Bridgwater was the first president
of the San Jose Clash
—later known as the San Jose Earthquakes—Major League Soccer
franchise
. Prior to arriving in the Bay Area, Bridgwater was an executive of the Vancouver Whitecaps franchise in the North American Soccer League
. He had been involved with professional
soccer in San Jose
since 1984, when he was named general manager
of the NASL's San Jose Earthquakes. Bridgwater purchased the Earthquakes later, but the NASL ceased operations in 1985. After the NASL went under, Bridgwater became a founder of the Western Soccer Alliance, which later became the USL First Division
. Soccer America called him "one of the men most responsible for keeping professional outdoor soccer alive [in the U.S.] after the collapse of the North American Soccer League". Bridgwater was also a venue director for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
at Stanford Stadium
in Palo Alto, California
. Two years after the World Cup, the MLS was launched; Bridgwater served as the Clash's first president. He remained the general manager through the 1998 season, and played a role in having San Jose host matches for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the San Jose Clash
San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes professional soccer team is located in the San Jose, California, United States suburb of Santa Clara, and participates in Major League Soccer , the top level soccer league in the United States and Canada....
—later known as the San Jose Earthquakes—Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
franchise
Professional sports league organization
Professional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The two most significant types are a European model, characterised by a tiered structure using promotion and relegation to determine participation in a hierarchy of leagues or divisions and a North American model characterized by its use...
. Prior to arriving in the Bay Area, Bridgwater was an executive of the Vancouver Whitecaps franchise in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
. He had been involved with professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
soccer in San Jose
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
since 1984, when he was named general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the NASL's San Jose Earthquakes. Bridgwater purchased the Earthquakes later, but the NASL ceased operations in 1985. After the NASL went under, Bridgwater became a founder of the Western Soccer Alliance, which later became the USL First Division
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico....
. Soccer America called him "one of the men most responsible for keeping professional outdoor soccer alive [in the U.S.] after the collapse of the North American Soccer League". Bridgwater was also a venue director for the 1994 FIFA World Cup
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
at Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium
Stanford Stadium is an outdoor athletic stadium on the Stanford University campus, the home of Stanford Cardinal college football team. It originally opened in 1921 as a football and track stadium, an earthen horseshoe with wooden bleacher seating and flooring upon a steel frame...
in Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a California charter city located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, United States. The city shares its borders with East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, and Menlo Park. It is...
. Two years after the World Cup, the MLS was launched; Bridgwater served as the Clash's first president. He remained the general manager through the 1998 season, and played a role in having San Jose host matches for the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup.