Despite losing its last major sports team, the strength of the sports community in Oakland, California, remains strong through its three minor league sports teams: the United Soccer League (USL) Oakland Roots SC, Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Oakland Soul and Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) Oakland Ballers.
The sports community is alive in The Town
Oakland has borne the brunt of bad news over recent years, with such events as In-N-Out leaving the city and Oakland losing its last major sports team, the MLB A’s, to Las Vegas, a city to which Oakland lost another team, the NFL Raiders, in 2020. Prior to that, the Golden State Warriors left the city for San Francisco shortly after the construction of Chase Center.
While the city currently sits with no major sports teams, sports and their resultant community support remain alive and well, with three amateur sports teams making a buzz and taking wins throughout the city: the United Soccer League (USL) Oakland Roots SC, Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL) Oakland Soul and Pioneer Baseball League (PBL) Oakland Ballers.
The Oakland Ballers team was created to fill the diamond-sized hole left behind in the A’s wake. “The Ballers baseball team was the result of true community spirit and love for The Town,” says Peter Gamez, president and CEO of Visit Oakland. “The founders were committed to keeping the game of baseball alive in Oakland—for the people of Oakland and to share the positivity of our great city with people [who] live outside of Oakland. Their efforts have been well received—and that’s been evident since the start, when 4,000 people attended opening day.”
And the Ballers are making an impact, scoring Oakland its first baseball championship win since 1989—and set another record on the way, notching 73 wins in its first season, the first Pioneer League team to win 70 games in a season.
Such a strong start from the Ballers parallels the passion still felt by the city’s locals. The Oakland Roots mantra, “Oakland first, always,” is an expression of that. “Now with the launch of Oakland Soul, they have expanded that commitment,” Gamez says. “That dedication and true love for The Town speaks volumes and inspires others. The Oakland Ballers were created from a very positive and powerful place, and they too are dedicated to uplifting the community. The Ballers not only built a team, but they also built a park and stimulated economic growth. The development of Raimondi Park set the stage for investors to develop Prescott Market, which has reinvigorated a beautiful area in West Oakland.”
Prescott Market is a 12,000-square-foot food hall that opened on April 5. The facility has six dining outlets, from coffee shops to pizzerias, with two additional ones on the way. According to its website, the food hall can host private events.
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“All three teams—the Roots, Soul and Ballers are deeply rooted and committed to our community and to strengthening our city,” Gamez says. “They invest their time. They participate. They show up. They contribute and they make a difference. Oakland is proud to have these teams and their leaders representing The Town.”
Beyond the Venues
Beyond the teams and sports venues, Oakland is destination for sports bars, game-themed restaurants and athletic experiences. Gamez gives several recommendations: “Off-site activities include bowling at Plank; skating at Oakland Ice; rowing competitions along the estuary; pickleball at the newly opened Pickle Athletics; indoor golf at Primetime Golf, simulated golf in the Topgolf Suite at Oakland Marriott City Center; and tennis at the iconic Claremont Club & Resort. The possibilities are endless in Oakland!”
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Here are what those venues above offer.
- Plank: A beer garden, restaurant and bowling alley. The restaurant features 50 beers on tap, cocktails, and classic brunch and lunch options. The venue features space to accommodate groups of up to 1,500 people and can be split between four separate smaller spaces. The venue also offers team-building experiences in addition to bowling, such as arcade game challenges, game shows and an Amazing Race lookalike around Jack London Square.
- Oakland Ice Center: This facility is a destination for ice skating, recreational hockey, curling and more. Opportunities for groups abound here, from meeting space and arcade games to on-ice activities, such as hockey classes, broomball, curling and musical chairs.
- Pickle Athletics: This venue features four indoor courts, a sauna and a fitness studio equipped with cardio machines, a cable machine, Peloton, Hydrow and more.
- Primetime Golf: Primetime is an indoor golf experience that offers two Golfzon simulators that feature more than 275 golf courses and arcade games. Group options include private events and catering options.
The Future of Oakland
Gamez says the future of sports is bright in Oakland. “The fan base continues to grow for our local teams. The Oakland Roots kicked off the season in their home at the Oakland Arena with a crowd of 26,575 people that sold out the venue,” he says.
“Beyond our amazing Oakland sports teams, our prime location provides the opportunity for Oakland to host national and international affiliated sporting events. This year, we had three NBA All-Star weekend events in The Town. We also hosted world-class major league cricket matches in Oakland as well as the Japan vs. Mexico soccer game.”
According to Gamez, Visit Oakland has secured an official Alliance Partnership with the Bay Area Host Committee, “underscoring a shared commitment to deliver unforgettable experiences for fans, visitors and communities leading up to and during Super Bowl LX and the 2026 World Cup. This guarantees official events in Oakland around these major games.”
The Super Bowl and the FIFA World Cup will be held south of Oakland at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. Roughly 500,000 are expected to visit the area, and $1.26 billion in revenue is projected to be generated across the Bay Area, including Oakland.
