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Oakland Roots SC seeking new home with addition of women’s squad

Laney College Stadium

With the addition of the Oakland Soul SC women’s team and solid growth in the past few years, Oakland Roots SC is seeking a new home to accommodate both squads, having outgrown Laney College Stadium.

“The challenge of finding facilities that meet the standards for top-level pro sports in Oakland are well-known, but it’s a challenge we’re happy to embrace,” said Roots and Soul President Lindsay Barenz in a team press release “We’ve been working hard to explore all options, both short and long term, to create a permanent home for pro soccer in The Town that reflects our commitment to the community.”

The club is seeking to find a site for an ‘interim stadium’ where Oakland Roots SC, Oakland Soul SC and Project 51O – the club’s development program for local talent – can play for the next several years until a permanent home can be constructed. The club is exploring multiple sites that could accommodate a privately financed, modular stadium capable of holding up to 10,000 fans.

Laney College Stadium (shown above) has been the home of Oakland Roots since the club’s debut in 2019 and has been central to its growth into one of the fastest-growing brands in American sports. While the club explores possibilities for an interim and permanent home, Oakland Roots will continue to play at Laney College.

According to a press release announcing the intention to develop a new stadium:

Oakland Roots is the first, Purpose-driven sports team in the United States. The club’s Purpose is to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sports as a force for social good, and this commitment has been at the heart of the organization’s rise from the third division National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) to the USL Championship (USL-C), the largest pro soccer league in the United States, in just a few short years. The Roots have generated international acclaim for their commitment to racial and gender justice which has attracted support from proud representatives of Oakland like NFL legend Marshawn Lynch and many others.

The club intends to approach the development of both interim and permanent stadiums with the same commitment to community which has characterized its growth to date. We believe a new, professional-standard sports facility will be an important asset to the City of Oakland at a time when it is most needed. Stay tuned for more community information as Roots look to have open discussions face-to-face to hear from all community members and fans, with more information on these events to come. The commitment to Oakland will only deepen with this effort and the club’s Purpose remains the same.

Photo of Laney College Stadium courtesy Oakland Roots SC.

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August Publications