This show is all about San Diego and the various different individuals, institutions, events, civic and cultural issues that represent the spirit of America’s Finest City.

On this episode I had the pleasure of speaking to John Lococo. John is the founder, President and CEO of soccerloco, San Diego’s premier soccer-specific retailer. Full disclosure, I started working at soccerloco in 2014 and like so many of my coworkers, I’m properly crazy about this game. The company was founded in 1997 and in the years that I’ve been around, I’ve gotten pretty familiar with the day to day.

I wanted to spend some time learning more about John’s personal background though, and even though I’ve heard a few his stories before, I always learn something new about the man who built this empire that now dominates the southwest corner of the United States.

In this conversation we talk about the origins of soccerloco, the progressive steps made over the years to stay relevant and ahead of the competition, the family philosophy that guides the decision making process and much more.

We talk about the growth of the game of soccer itself and how the presence of a Major League Soccer franchise in San Diego could further add to the sustainability of the business of soccer. We wrap up with a bit of speculation regarding the 2026 World Cup that will be hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

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