Project 51O

What Project 51O does

Project 51O is a youth soccer development program founded in 2019 and operated by Oakland Roots Sports Club (Oakland Roots SC). The program is modeled after Nike's Project 40 (1997-2005), which historically developed U.S. national team players such as Tim Howard, Demarcus Beasley, and Carlos Bocanegra. The "51O" name is derived from Oakland's 510 area code, with the letter "O" representing Oakland, anchoring the program's community-based identity. Project 51O serves aspiring youth soccer players in the Oakland and Bay Area, providing a development pathway toward professional careers in a market with limited existing options for community-connected player development.

The program fields teams in USL League Two (USL-2) and the UPSL, playing home matches at the UCSF Health Performance Center. Operationally, Project 51O is tightly integrated with the broader Oakland Roots SC ecosystem, which also includes a USL Championship men's team and the Oakland Soul SC women's side. The organization maintains a multi-channel presence via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and an official website, and distributes tickets through SeatGeek integration with merchandise sold through shop.oaklandrootssc.com. No proprietary technology platform, SaaS product, or software offering is associated with the program; its value proposition centers on coaching, player development, and community identity rather than technology. The organization has approximately 5 employees and is supported by a sponsor base including Anthem Blue Cross (healthcare), Charly (apparel), East Bay Community Energy, I-fly Oakland, and Oaklandish.

Business model mechanics center on ticket sales, sponsorship revenue, and merchandise — typical of community-driven lower-division soccer operations in the United Soccer League ecosystem. Ticket pricing is not publicly disclosed; interested parties must contact [email protected]. There are no disclosed revenue figures, no funding rounds, no investors, and no equity capitalization information available, consistent with a community soccer development program operating as a cost-center-aligned initiative within the Oakland Roots SC parent organization.

Name

Project 51O

Legal name

Oakland Roots Sports Club

Website

https://project51o.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Project 51O is a community-based youth soccer development program founded in 2019 in Oakland, California, operated by Oakland Roots Sports Club. It fields teams in USL League Two and UPSL, modeled after Nike's original Project 40 player pathway program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Soccer Development

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Spectator Sports (7112)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Athlete Development & Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) (HSADAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Local Amateur Clubs & Community Sports Organizations (MPAKACAE), Club Sports Programs (EDALAIAB), Youth & Junior Tournament Organizers (MPAKADAL), Arts, Sports & Recreation-Based Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAJ)

Keywords

• Youth soccer development
• Soccer player pathway
• Community sports programming
• Developmental soccer league
• Oakland youth athletics

Headquarters

HQ city

Oakland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Project 51O is a community-based youth soccer development program founded in 2019 and operated under Oakland Roots Sports Club, modeled after Nike's original Project 40 program (1997-2005). It develops aspiring professional soccer players through competitive match play in USL League Two and UPSL, with home games hosted at the UCSF Health Performance Center in Oakland, CA. The program serves as the developmental squad within the Oakland Roots SC family of teams.

Product overview

Project 51O is a single soccer youth development program operated by Oakland Roots Sports Club. Founded in 2019 and inspired by Nike's Project 40 program (1997-2005), it focuses on developing U.S. national team player talent with a community-based approach. The program competes in USL-2 and UPSL leagues and is the development pathway within the Oakland Roots SC organization, alongside the women's team Oakland Soul SC.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project 51O Youth Soccer Development Program A youth soccer development program for aspiring professional players in the Oakland/Bay Area, competing in USL League Two and UPSL with home games at the UCSF Health Performance Center. The program serves as the developmental squad within Oakland Roots Sports Club, providing a competitive and community-based pathway modeled after Nike's original Project 40 program.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Anthem Blue CrosscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Project 51O and Oakland Roots SC. Anthem Blue Cross is a major healthcare provider serving as a brand partner for the soccer organization.
• CharlycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSports apparel sponsor providing athletic wear and equipment for the team and development program.
• EBCE (East Bay Community Energy)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerEnergy services company serving as a purpose partner for Oakland Roots SC and Project 51O, promoting sustainable energy initiatives.
• I-fly OaklandminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAviation company based in Oakland serving as a sponsor for the Oakland Roots SC family of teams including Project 51O.
• OaklandishcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOaklandish is an Oakland-based brand serving as a sponsor and community partner for Project 51O, representing local Oakland identity.
• UCSF (UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCSF Health serves as a medical and community partner, providing the UCSF Health Performance Center as the home venue for Project 51O home games in the USL-2 and UPSL seasons.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Houston Dynamo Academy: MLS-affiliated youth soccer development program. Comparable as a professional-club-tied pathway producing U.S. and international youth talent, competing in the same downstream player market.
• San Jose Earthquakes Academy: Bay Area youth soccer development program attached to an MLS franchise. Competes for the same regional talent pool and offers a professional pathway, making it Project 51O's most direct local competitor.
• Barca Academy (U.S. sites): Global brand-licensed youth soccer development program operating U.S. academies. Comparable as a structured soccer development program that brands itself on a high-profile professional identity and sells direct pathways to elite play.
• Inter Miami CF Academy: MLS club's youth development program. Comparable as a recent, well-funded U.S. youth-to-pro pathway tied to a senior professional franchise, targeting elite youth prospects nationally.
• LA Galaxy Academy: MLS-affiliated youth soccer development program in Southern California. Comparable as a high-profile, MLS-backed academy that funnels players toward professional contracts and competes for elite U.S. youth talent.
• Charlotte FC Academy: MLS club's youth development arm. Comparable as a vertically integrated U.S. youth-to-pro pathway with MLS-level resources and a clear professional destination.
• Real Salt Lake Academy: MLS-affiliated residential academy focused on long-term player development. Comparable as a vertically integrated U.S. youth-to-pro pathway with a strong national recruitment reach.

Emerging players

• Weston FC: Youth-to-semi-professional soccer club that competes in USL League Two. Comparable as a community-based youth development program competing in the same league tier as Project 51O.
• Sockers FC Chicago: Long-standing U.S. youth soccer program that fields teams in USL League Two. Comparable as a community-rooted youth development organization using the amateur/semi-professional league tier as its competitive platform.

Broad incumbents

• Oakland Roots SC: Parent organization and USL Championship club that Project 51O operates under. Direct comparability through shared brand, ownership, facilities, and the player development pipeline that feeds the senior team.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Project51O
• Facebookfacebook.com/Project51O
• Instagraminstagram.com/project51o
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/project-51o

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Project 51O