Advent Calendar Day 2: A Wooden Plank

Door number two of the San Jose Earthquakes advent calendar has a wooden plank. This wooden plank represents the wooden bleachers that surrounded the Earthquakes old home of Buck Shaw Stadium. That old stadium on the grounds of Santa Clara University served as the home stadium for the Earthquakes from 2008 until Avaya Stadium opened in 2015. This fortress was the smallest stadium in MLS and had the worst amenities for fans but nonetheless was a nightmare for opposing teams. The Earthquakes held a 45-22-33 record at the old stadium that sits a stones-throw away from Avaya. While Avaya Stadium almost doubles it crowds the atmosphere of Buck Shaw can never be replicated, it was home to the Earthquakes during the Goonie period and was the first home of the team after they made their way back to MLS.

Avaya Stadium is the shiny new home that will elevate the Earthquakes to the top of the MLS pile but Buck Shaw is where we laid our foundation. It was a truly unique environment in MLS and you were lucky if you got to experience it first hand.