Oakland Roots Sports Club

What Oakland Roots Sports Club does

Oakland Roots Sports Club is a privately held, purpose-driven professional soccer organization headquartered in Oakland, California, founded in 2018. It operates two teams: Oakland Roots SC, a men's team competing in the USL Championship since 2021 and playing home matches at the historic Oakland Coliseum since 2025, and Oakland Soul SC, a women's team launched in 2023 that competes in the USL W League. The club's celebrity-heavy ownership group includes E-40, Marshawn Lynch, Gary Payton II, Jason Kidd, and Billie Joe Armstrong, supporting a brand positioning that emphasizes Oakland's community identity following the departure of major Bay Area professional franchises.

The club generates revenue through four primary streams: ticket sales for USL Championship matches (processed via SeatGeek, including season and single-game tickets), direct-to-consumer merchandise sales through its own online shop, a multi-tier sponsorship and brand partnership stack led by Anthem Blue Cross as front-of-jersey sponsor (active since 2021) and including Premier Partners (Ava Community Energy, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals, Penumbra, Charly, Terminus Utilities), a hospitality partner (Modelo), and technical partners (Copa Studios, Senda Athletics), plus facility rental income highlighted by its 2026 FIFA World Cup selection as a training base for the Australian national team (Socceroos). Distribution is regional across the San Francisco Bay Area, with fan engagement supported by a mobile app (iOS/Android), website, Instagram presence, email newsletters, community watch parties, and partnership activations.

Underlying technology is conventional: the website runs on SportsEngine's Sports Relationship Management platform, ticketing is outsourced to SeatGeek, and no proprietary technology, AI/ML capabilities, or public APIs are disclosed. The club is integrated into the USL ecosystem and runs a Purpose Partners program with six community non-profits addressing youth access to soccer in Oakland. Operating geographies are limited to Oakland and the broader Bay Area, with no international footprint outside of the World Cup-related facility use.

Name

Oakland Roots Sports Club

Legal name

Oakland Roots Sports Club

Website

https://oaklandrootssc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Oakland Roots Sports Club operates the men's Oakland Roots SC (USL Championship) and women's Oakland Soul SC (USL W League) soccer teams from Oakland, California, generating revenue via tickets, merchandise, multi-tier sponsorships, and training-facility rentals including a 2026 FIFA World Cup base camp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Sports Club

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (71121)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE)

Keywords

• Professional soccer club
• Sports entertainment
• Live sports events
• Team merchandise sales
• Sports sponsorship marketing

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The club generates revenue through the sale of season tickets and single game tickets for USL Championship matches at the Oakland Coliseum. Tickets are sold through SeatGeek platform.
2. Merchandise Sales: The club operates an online merchandise shop selling jerseys, apparel, and fan gear.
3. Sponsorship and Brand Partnerships: Multiple brand partnership tiers including front of jersey sponsor (Anthem Blue Cross), premier partners, official club partners, hospitality partners, technical partners, and marketing partners.
4. Facility Rentals: The club offers facility rentals for their training facilities, hosting the Australian national team during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oakland Roots Sports Club operates two professional soccer teams — the men's Oakland Roots SC in the USL Championship (founded 2018, home venue Oakland Coliseum) and the women's Oakland Soul SC in the USL W League (launched 2023). The club sells match tickets via SeatGeek, operates an online merchandise shop for jerseys and apparel, monetizes multi-tier sponsorship and brand partnerships, and rents out its training facilities (most notably serving as the 2026 FIFA World Cup base camp for Australia's Socceroos).

Product overview

Oakland Roots Sports Club operates as a dual-professional soccer organization comprising Oakland Roots SC (men's USL Championship team founded 2018) and Oakland Soul SC (women's USL W League team launched 2023). The club's portfolio also includes training facility rentals, an official mobile app for fan engagement, and community initiatives such as the East Bay Soccer Trail connected to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The organization positions itself as a purpose-driven club focused on Oakland's community and social impact.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project 510: Youth development and community initiative program

Products and services

• Oakland Roots SC (men's professional soccer team) Men's professional soccer team competing in the USL Championship since 2021, founded in 2018 and playing home games at the Oakland Coliseum since 2025. Serves Bay Area soccer fans with regular season and community-driven matchday experiences.
• Oakland Soul SC (women's professional soccer team) Women's professional soccer team launched in 2023, competing in the USL W League and serving as an elite pathway to women's professional soccer for players in the Bay Area.
• Training Facility Rentals Rental of the club's soccer training facilities to outside teams and organizations, including high-profile bookings such as the Australian Socceroos' 2026 FIFA World Cup base camp.
• Oakland Roots SC Mobile App Official Oakland Roots SC mobile application available on iOS and Android, providing fans with match updates, ticketing access, and team content.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Football Australia / Australian National Team (Socceroos)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Australian national soccer team selected Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club as their team base camp for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States. FIFA is covering the majority of hotel costs. The Socceroos will use the club's training facilities during the World Cup tournament.
• Anthem Blue CrossflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial front of jersey sponsor and Health and Wellness partner since 2021. Anthem Blue Cross works with the Roots to enhance community lives with focus on health and wellness, mental and maternal health, food insecurities, education, and social justice. Joint community outreach programs include anti-racist projects, food drives, youth sports programs, and mental health initiatives.
• Ava Community EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Premier Partner of Oakland Roots. Ava Community Energy is a community choice energy provider serving the East Bay.
• UCSF Benioff Children's HospitalscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Premier Partner. UCSF Health provides pediatric healthcare services and is a prominent healthcare institution in the Bay Area.
• PenumbracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Premier Partner. Penumbra is a healthcare company based in the Bay Area.
• CharlycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Premier Partner and technical partner providing soccer equipment and apparel.
• Terminus UtilitiescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Premier Partner.
• Visit OaklandcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Club Partner and presenter of the 'Around Town' program highlighting local Oakland businesses and attractions.
• OaklandishminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Club Partner - local Oakland brand and retailer.
• SeatGeekcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOfficial ticketing partner and marketing partner providing the ticketing platform for all ticket sales including season tickets, single game tickets, and group experiences.
• ModelocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial Hospitality Partner - beer and beverage partner at matches.
• America Scores Bay AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - nonprofit bringing soccer programs to public schools in Oakland. SCORES delivers free soccer programs for youth, combining soccer with poetry and community service projects.
• Chapter 510coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - youth writing, bookmaking and publishing center in Oakland focusing on Black, brown and queer young people ages 8-19.
• My Yute SoccercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - founded in 2008, provides free soccer camps for children ages 7-12 and teen mentor programs in Oakland.
• Oakland Genesis Soccer ClubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - makes club soccer accessible to Oakland youth through free professional coaching, transportation, academic support, mentorship, and nutrition education.
• Soccer Without Borders OaklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - provides soccer practices, academic support, language support, civic engagement, and cultural exchange for newcomer refugee and immigrant youth since 2007.
• Street Soccer USA OaklandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - fights poverty and strengthens communities through soccer by providing free access to youth, teens and young adults.
• Let The Kids PlaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurpose Partner - free community soccer program serving Oakland youth excluded from traditional pay-to-play system, providing coaching, mentorship, and leadership development.
• FIFAflagshipOthersFIFA secured the club's facilities as a training site for the 2026 World Cup. Oakland required city revenue-sharing to make hosting viable as FIFA's compensation was insufficient to cover costs. FIFA paid around $200,000 for use periods of 1-2 months.
• Neiman Marcus Union SquareminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNeiman Marcus Union Square featured a special window display created in partnership with Oakland Roots SC celebrating the FIFA World Cup 2026, showcasing upcycled fashion pieces from the Oakland Roots Upcycled Fashion Project.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Detroit City FC: Detroit City FC is a USL Championship club with a similarly strong community-driven identity and supporter-owned heritage; one of the closest analogues to Oakland Roots in mission and fan-culture approach.
• Sacramento Republic FC: Also USL Championship and geographically proximate in Northern California, Sacramento Republic FC competes for Bay Area sponsorship, media, and fan attention with Oakland Roots — making it the most direct regional competitor.
• Phoenix Rising FC: USL Championship club with celebrity ownership involvement and a strong community-led brand; comparable to Oakland Roots in approach to lower-division professional soccer in a major U.S. market.
• Louisville City FC: One of the USL Championship's flagship clubs with a soccer-specific stadium, strong attendance, and a history of title contention; provides a benchmark for what sustained on-pitch success looks like at this level.
• Tampa Bay Rowdies: Historic lower-division soccer franchise competing in the USL Championship with strong community roots in a major metropolitan area; comparable competitive and commercial context to Oakland Roots.
• Indy Eleven: USL Championship club with a similarly large-venue strategy in a city lacking major league competition, comparable to Oakland Roots in operating profile and growth ambitions.
• San Antonio FC: USL Championship club operating with a community/identity-driven approach in a market without an MLS team; structurally similar to Oakland Roots in positioning and growth runway.
• New Mexico United: USL Championship club with strong community/identity branding; comparable as another second-division professional soccer club leveraging civic identity and supporter culture to scale.
• Las Vegas Lights FC: USL Championship club operating in a large market without MLS presence; comparable to Oakland Roots in trying to build professional soccer fandom in a market with shifting major-league sports dynamics.

Regional players

• Monterey Bay FC: USL Championship club in the same Northern California/Monterey Bay region; competes for regional sponsorships, broadcast visibility, and player pipeline with Oakland Roots.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/oaklandroots
• Xx.com/oaklandrootssc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oakland Roots Sports Club