Amidst a slew of complaints over traffic, noise, and unruly out-of-town footballers, Surf Sports is now under fire after a 911 call was made July 20, alleging players and parents were assaulting referees. The 911 caller reported seeing one referee being “hit in the head with fists.”
The anger reached a boiling point when parents and players suspected that the referees hired by Surf Sports were intentionally not issuing yellow or red cards against players. Attendees said they believed the referees were instructed by tournament organizers to take a light hand in upholding the rules of play.
Inexcusable Behavior
Yellow cards are a referee’s warning to a player to check their sportsmanship and behavior moving forward. When a player receives two yellow cards in the same game, it results in an automatic red card, and the player must leave the field immediately. The player will be suspended for the next game, and the number of games they will miss may vary based on the severity of the offense.
Referee David Gerson’s popular Instagram account @refsneedlovetoo posted a video that is making its way around the internet explaining the complaint against Surf Sports with several posters giving first-hand accounts on how dangerous the Del Mar tournaments have become. Mr. Gerson said Surf Cup tournament organizers directed referees to issue “no red cards unless it’s for violent conduct and do your best not to issue yellows … (because) people paid a lot of money to be here.” Mr. Gerson called the behavior “inexcusable” and said he hoped the U.S. Youth Soccer’s “punishments to this coach, players and club are swift and severe.” To Surf Cup Sports he said, “When your referees don’t feel supported, they are reluctant to make calls, and games will spiral out of control. You got what you asked for.”
Local residents on the neighborhood app NextDoor weighed in on the recent altercation expressing continued frustration at the noise, trash, traffic, and bad behavior associated with the Surf Sports events. Surf Sports entered into an agreement with the City of San Diego to use the Polo Fields for soccer events which according to the land Grant Deed are limited to 25 days a year.
Neighbors have filed a lawsuit against the City of San Diego for failing to uphold the agreement. They complain that since the fields would not be used more than 25 days a year, the City waived environmental and traffic studies thinking the limited use would not negatively affect traffic or disrupt the San Dieguito River Valley area. They were wrong. The number of days filled with traffic, people, and commercial activity far surpasses 25, and Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe residents are fuming.
“I am sick of listening to the sirens being called to the fields every day during these out-of-control tournaments. Surf says on their website that 90% of the people are from out of town. Not our kids playing and not our kids fighting. What a mess!”
P.W.
“I am sick of listening to the sirens being called to the fields every day during these out-of-control tournaments,” said local resident P.W. posting on NextDoor. “Surf says on their website that 90% of the people are from out of town. Not our kids playing and not our kids fighting. What a mess!”
Complaints about the City failing to enforce the land Grant Deed have been made to the City and District 1 Council Member and President Pro Tem Joe LaCava, but officials cite “ongoing investigations and litigation” as reasons to avoid commenting on residents’ concerns.
Direct Violation of Deed
“Surf Park needs to be shut down! They are using this land in direct violation of the original Grant Deed restricting use to only a few … and only a small number of attendees,” said C.Z. on NextDoor. “It was never meant to be a 20,000 people mega sports venue. Thousands of cars clog the two-lane Via de la Valle and create clouds of dust from the dirt parking lots. The crowds screaming can be heard from all of the surrounding homes.”
According to the Coast News Group, another lawsuit brought against Surf Cup Sports was recently filed by the former owner of a 2.5-acre parcel adjacent to the Surf Cup Sports Park who alleges he was deceived into selling his property to a person affiliated with Surf in 2021.
Breach of Contract
Corwyn “Cory” Ha’o is the previous owner of the property at 3995 Via de la Valle that featured a home and horse stables. The property directly borders Surf Cup Sports Park to the north and the 20-acre vacant lot previously known as the Milan property – purchased by Surf in 2022 to develop a sports complex – to the east.
Mr. Ha’o sold the land for $2.9 million to Wendy Naerbo who he said represented herself as an equestrian who would use the land as horse property. Several months later, Ms. Naerbo, who shared the same address as Surf’s Vice President Rob Haskell, transferred the property to Surf Del Mar Two, an entity related to Surf Cup Sports, for the same amount of $2.9 million. Mr. Ha’o is suing Ms. Naerbo and Surf Del Mar Two for breach of contract saying Ms. Naerbo misrepresented herself and her intentions knowing that Mr. Ha’o chose a buyer who would preserve the land and not contribute to the Surf Cup’s ongoing violations of the Polo Fields’ Grant Deed.
Follow the Money
The Surf Sports website boasts they bring $120 million of tourist monies into the Del Mar area each year and attribute part of their funding from the City of San Diego Tourism Marketing District Assessment Funds. Are these the 120 million reasons the City of San Diego leaders are looking the other way? Especially since Surf Cup Sports now is asking the City to approve their multi-million-dollar project to build a permanent sports complex on the land despite the Grant Deed violations.
Squeaky Wheel, Grease …
To express your opinion to the City of San Diego, contact council member Joe LaCava at 619-236-6611; joelacava@sandiego.gov; and askparks@sandiego.gov.
To ask RSF Association Board members to support upholding the land Grant Deed of the San Dieguito River Valley, contact memberinput@rsfassociation.org.