Fans Invest in Oakland Ballers, a New Independent Minor League TeamFans Invest in Oakland Ballers, a New Independent Minor League Team OAKLAND, Calif. – Baseball enthusiasts and community members can now invest in the Oakland Ballers, a new independent minor league team. Launched Thursday morning, the investment campaign seeks to empower fans with unprecedented rights and influence in the team’s operations. Investors will have a say in choosing the team’s home field, making changes to logos and branding, and participating in key hiring decisions. By noon, over 800 shares had been reserved. “We are overwhelmed by the response,” said Ballers co-founder and CEO Paul Freedman. “It shows that people want to be part of this team and have a voice in its future.” The Ballers will play their inaugural season in the Pioneer League at the renovated Raimondi Park in West Oakland. The team aims to provide baseball stability after the departure of the Golden State Warriors and Oakland Raiders. While the Athletics plan to relocate to Sacramento and eventually Las Vegas, the Ballers hope to fill the void in Oakland. Freedman and co-founder Bryan Carmel draw inspiration from a reverse boycott at the Coliseum last summer. They believe in the power of baseball to unite the community and create lasting memories. The team’s enthusiasm was evident during a home game on June 4th, showcasing the Oakland community’s passion for the sport. Freedman expressed his gratitude for the support: “Every day, every hour, every moment feels worthwhile.” Investors can find more information at the team’s official website, where they can purchase shares and learn about the investment campaign’s details.
OAKLAND, Calif. — Baseball fans and others interested in supporting the new independent minor league team Oakland Ballers can now purchase shares in the expansion club.
The B’s announced the opportunity early Thursday morning with the launch of a community investment campaign that they hope will “radically change the sports ownership model by giving fans unprecedented rights and a real seat at the table.” The B’s said fans will have a say in where the team plays, input on changes to team logos or branding and key corporate hires.
By noon, the club had secured more than 800 reserved shares.
“We are overwhelmed by the response,” Ballers co-founder and CEO Paul Freedman said via text message.
The Ballers will play their inaugural season in the Pioneer League, playing home games at the renovated Raimondi Park in West Oakland. They hope to provide some stability to the city after the Golden State Warriors left for San Francisco and the Oakland Raiders moved to Las Vegas. After this season, the Athletics plan to relocate to Sacramento for the next three years and eventually to Las Vegas.
Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved the A’s move in November, and the team plans to build a stadium on the Las Vegas Strip, hoping to play there beginning in 2028.
Freedman and co-founder Bryan Carmel were inspired by a reverse boycott at the Coliseum last summer and wanted to do something to keep baseball alive in the East Bay for years to come.
The enthusiasm for the team was evident during the home game on June 4.
“Honestly, it’s taken an incredible amount of work to get to where we are,” Freedman said. “The support makes every day, every hour, every moment feel worthwhile.”
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