MLS: San Jose Earthquakes become first football club to accept virtual currency bitcoin

The San Jose Earthquakes, an MLS (Major League Soccer, North America) franchise have become the first professional football team to accept the virtual currency bitcoin for tickets, merchandise and concessions at their stadium (Buck Shaw Stadium, capacity 10,525), the team announced on 19/05/2014.

These purchases will be processed via Coinbase, a U.S. online payment platform for bitcoin, beginning with the next home game (against Houston Dynamo on 25/05/2014). Fans wishing to make their purchases with virtual currency should have a wallet of bitcoins on their smartphones.

"In the spirit of Silicon Valley, the Earthquakes are constantly looking for ways to innovate," said club president Dave Kaval. "Coinbase's bitcoin payment processor adds another cutting edge payment option that further streamlines the commerce experience for fans." Payment in bitcoins will also be available in the future stadium of the San Jose Earthquakes (Earthquakes Stadium, capacity 18,000), to be delivered in early 2015.

A virtual currency created in 2009, bitcoin permits the transfer of payments anonymously…