Written by Ken Ables
On September 28, 2003, the Padres played their last game in Qualcomm Stadium. Petco Park awaited them for 2004. The stadium the National League Padres had called home for 36 seasons would become a football-only facility shared by the Aztecs and Chargers. No more football on the infield!
One of the Padre traditions feared lost was the annual KGB Sky Show, a post-game fireworks extravaganza at the stadium since the 1970s. The logistics and laws of fireworks, we were told, made Sky Show at Petco a non-starter.
The Aztecs stepped in to keep the tradition alive. Sky Show became an annual post-Aztec football game event from the 2004 football season until the final year of the Q in 2019.
On September 4, 2004, the Aztecs hosted the Bengals of Idaho State University before 57,216 fans. At the time, it was the largest crowd for a regular-season Aztec football game (the 1986 Holiday Bowl vs. Iowa holds the record at 59,473).
Did Sky Show help boost attendance? Obviously. A game versus an FCS opponent would be lucky to draw half that, given the fickle nature of San Diego sports fans.
On the first play from scrimmage, Michael Franklin took a handoff and raced to a 67-yard touchdown. After three quarters the Aztecs led 38-7. Two fourth quarter Bengal touchdowns finished the scoring and a 38-21 Aztec win.
The Aztecs played a total of 16 Sky Show games (winning 13), and I was there for all of them. My favorite Sky Show game was in 2011 when Washington State of the Pac-12 came to Qualcomm for the third game of the season.
At that time the Aztecs had not beaten a power conference team in 12 years. But with two returning first team Freshman All Americans, Ronnie Hillman and Gavin Escobar, Rocky Long’s Aztecs were counting on ending that streak.
Washington State scored first and the lead changed hands three times through three quarters, and the Cougars led 24-21. Then it was all Aztecs in the fourth. Ronnie scored two of his four TDs in the fourth on runs of 1 yard and 59 yards. Gavin finished the scoring with his second TD on a 21-yard pass from Ryan Lindley. The Cougars? Zero fourth quarter points. Final score: Aztecs 42, Cougars 24. The Sky Show fans were treated to fireworks on the field as well!
While the Washington State game was my favorite Sky Show game, my least favorite was the 40-19 loss to FCS Eastern Illinois in 2013. The Panthers, led by future NFL quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, were coached by long-time San Diego resident Dino Babers. On the Panther staff was a young tight ends/inside receivers coach named Sean Lewis.
The final Sky Show game – although an Aztec win – was probably the worst game of all from an aesthetic standpoint. Matt Araiza kicked two field goals … and that was all the scoring. A 6-0 Aztec win versus FCS Weber State in 2019. That game was not a portent of the season to come, however. A week later, Rocky Long’s final Aztec team beat UCLA at the Rose Bowl 23-14 and finished the season 10-3 with a victory over Central Michigan in the New Mexico Bowl.
Other Sky Show wins included 52-21 over San Jose State in 2005, 52-17 over Portland State in 2007, 35-19 over Southern Utah in 2009, 41-7 over Utah State in 2010, 52-14 over Hawaii in 2012, 35-21 over Idaho in 2014, 37-3 over USD in 2015, 31-0 over New Hampshire in 2016, 37-17 over UC Davis in 2017, 25-10 over Sacramento State in 2018.
So What happened?
It was determined that keeping the Q intact while Snapdragon was being built was not feasible, so the Aztecs moved their home games to Diginity Health Sports Park in Carson for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. KGB wasn’t going to have a Sky Show in LA, so there was no Sky Show in 2020.
With Q gone, the Holiday Bowl was moved to a reconfigured Petco Park in 2020. After UCLA bowed out at the last minute the 2020 game was not played. Sky Show returned for the 2021 Holiday Bowl and somehow it became possible to hold Sky Show in downtown San Diego. It remained there through the 2023 Holiday Bowl.
The Holiday Bowl moved to Snapdragon Stadium for the 2024 game. And so did Sky Show. So, the annual fireworks extravaganza that was said to not be possible to be held at Petco Park or Snapdragon Stadium has been held at both locations. Sky Show is scheduled to be held after the 2025 Holiday Bowl at Snapdragon, however, no date has been set for the game.
57,216 fans packed the Q for the 2004 Sky Show game vs. Idaho State. Photo: Ernie Anderson.
Will the Aztecs host again?
Probably not. And it’s mostly for economic reasons. In an April 2022 Union-Tribune article, it was stated that Sky Show costs San Diego State $100,000 to host. And attendance estimates for games at Snapdragon turned out to be higher than the actual attendance has turned out to be.
Most Sky Show games drew tens of thousands of additional fans. More than 57,000 fans for Idaho State? Sky Show was responsible for 30,000 fans. The Bengals have played three games in San Diego. Attendance at the other two, played at Snapdragon Stadium, was 27,865 in 2022 and 22,345 in 2023. With a capacity of 35,000, Sky Show could have only added less than 8,000 in 2022 and 12,000 in 2023.
With no fireworks show after any games, let’s hope for fireworks on the field as Sean Lewis’ second team takes the field this Thursday. Coach has said that six wins and a bowl game is the floor for the 2025 Aztecs. I agree, and I’m hoping for at least eight wins this year. See you at Snapdragon on Thursday!
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