Here, though, we must pause. Professional sports teams have used and abandoned Oakland. [2] The club originally was slated to play in the NPSL Founders Cup, but the club ultimately withdrew and instead joined the National Independent Soccer Association, a Division III sanctioned United States Soccer Federation professional league. Oakland Roots Sports Club organizes soccer leagues, events, and tournaments, along with providing sports goods and ticketing services. As part of that process, the old training facility was offered to public agencies and affordable housing developments. Saturday, March 26, 7 PM Against Monterey Bay. The Roots first signed their lease at the end of 2021, and the team trained at the otherwise empty facility in 2022. Market value-Paul Blanchette. [10], The club opened the inaugural 201920 NISA season as the league's first game, at home in front of a sold-out crowd of more than 4,500. A few feet to our right, a film crew from the local FOX affiliate was filming a segment. ALAMEDA, Calif. (KRON) - The Oakland Roots soccer team is ready to compete for a USL Championship title in 2022 under new Head Coach Juan Guerra. Even if it were up for sale, he couldn't afford the house . Sign up for The Oaklandsides free daily newsletter. Overseas pro sports organizations eschew the term franchise, which is popular here in America, because of the sense of corporate rootlessness it connotes. Oakland Roots midfielder Yohannes Harish (91) substitutes in for Jeremy Bokila (9) during the second half of a Division II soccer game against the Las Vegas Lights at Laney College on Oct. 2, 2021 . Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American professional soccer team, formed in 2018 and based in Oakland, California. The Roots are not community-ownedownership is split between the founders and investorsbut they very much see themselves as accountable to Oakland in a similarly elemental way. The team has carved out a place of respect for itself among city political and civic leaders. Homegrown and homeless in Oakland They had roots in the community. More importantly, Arghandiwal and Nagel both possessed a deep, abiding love for their hometown. We amplify community voices, share information resources, and investigate systems, not just symptoms. [22][23], On September 15, 2020, the team announced they would be moving from the third-division NISA to the second-division USL Championship.[24]. [53], The Oakland Roots reserve team, Project 51O, was launched on December 9, 2019. rem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor inc. 00000 00000000 00000. . I look forward to continuing to witness and support the teams positive impact in Oakland., Shes not the only one. If you value what you get from The Oaklandside, please join us with a tax-deductible donation today so we can continue doing the local reporting that matters to you. This organizational effort goes beyond helping individuals score goals to achieve victory on the field, and instead reflects a collective purpose and commitmenta long-term strategy . Oakland, California, United States . Oakland Roots Sports Club is tackling climate change head-on becoming carbon-neutral as one of the first steps on its journey to sustainability. ago. Also, a 2023 Calendar for major soccer competitions is included. OAKLAND Despite staunch protests from students, parents and teachers over the past few months, the Oakland Unified school board voted Monday to close middle school Roots International Academy . Because through its approach to public service, the club is transcending such delineations of worth. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a Master's degree in journalism. Oakland Roots soccer team may be left with no home to train in 2023-03-04 - By Will McCarthy wmccarthy@ bayareanewsgroup.com When the Oakland Raiders decamped for Las Vegas in 2020, they left behind a state-of-the-art training facility. Theyre investing in Oakland, Hodul said. Last March, Oakland city councilmember and Mayoral candidate Loren Taylor went so far as to author a resolution to Recognize the Oakland Roots Sports Club for its many contributions to the City of Oakland and its dedication and commitment to the city. When I asked him to elaborate he told me, They show up consistently across Oakland and partner with a diverse cross-section of nonprofit organizations throughout the city, from East to West and from flatlands to hills. We are here to build a community asset. First, Im new to soccer and have never been a huge fan of the sport. But soon, that arrangement may be ending. an investor bought it for $157,000. After getting special permission from USL officials, the Roots played Austin Bold FC to a scoreless draw in front of no fans at Las Positas on June 26. Your donation goes beyond supporting our journalism. Nagel was well connected in the Bay Area, and had in fact been working to start a new professional soccer club in the East Bay for a handful of months before linking up with Arghandiwal. Were journalists for Oakland. T. Bailey. We believed the people would respond positively to that.. The clubs crestan Oak tree rising like a clenched fist out of stained-glass soilhas become ubiquitous, spottable everywhere, from stickers affixed to light posts along Lake Merritt to the chests of such high-profile stewards as Portland Trail Blazers point guard (and East Oakland native) Damian Lillard and Hamilton star Daveed Diggs. For example, community partnerships are often tendered through some sort of fund, governed by a set of goals and priorities separate from and subordinate to the goals and priorities of the rest of the organizationthat is, the front office and the on-field personnel. Outside of work, Will likes to ride his bike to new places. 2022 . With the new funding however, the club was also finally given license to begin building the infrastructure with which it would carry out its mission of transmuting the power of sport into a force for social good.. And while I dont think there is, in the end, any sort of catch, what I did find is instructive. Were open to partnering with potential investors to acquire it, but right now our main priority is working toward a stadium.. One of the founders of Oakland Roots Sports Club is suing the successful startup he helped create. Its about the land and what you can do with that land.. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News . Credit: Torrey Hart. [35], The team began a massive turnaround with a 21 win at Merritt College, powered by goals from Ornstil and Harish. It extends beyond the Laney College bleachers or even the bars where Roots supporters watch away gamesat least, that is, when theyre not traveling en masse to those away games. PHX 3-0 OAK (5/8) LA 3-0 OAK (7/25) 2020-21. [13], On October 31, 2019, Oakland Roots and Bravo mutually agreed to part ways. In 2021, Roots will have a bigger platform from which to spread their message. The club was The club was founded with the purpose of creating positive social change in the . (The Roots ask players to go on a tour as part of their onboarding process.) Dan Moore is a writer based out of Oakland. (Ray Chavez/Bay Area News . (Because certainly there has to be a catch.). The Oakland Roots club was the brainchild of its founders, Nagel and Arghandiwal. Will McCarthy is a Bay Area News Group reporter who covers Alameda County for the Mercury News and East Bay Times. [41], Local sporting and music culture has featured the club's crest, designed by Matthew Wolff. 0000000000 0 000.00. They support Soccer Without Borders, which provides youth-development programs for under-served youth all across the country, Joanne da Luzs organization My Yute Soccer, and outfits unaffiliated with athletics, such as Chapter 510, a youth writing, bookmaking & publishing center. And that matters here. (How Oakland Roots built a community-centric club and took it to the USL, reads the headline of the story published in The Athletic.). You can feel it in the stands, said Roots diehard Maurice Greer. Larry Gallegos, a program manager with Oaklands office of economic and workforce development, said the city went through Californias Surplus Lands Act process prior to planning the auction. In fact, its the work they do that has won the club most of the praise and good press it has received. Your support is powering our newsroom! The move comes after the Roots acquired USL Championship rights from developer Mark Hall, who had planned an 18,000 seat stadium as part of a larger mixed-use development. After ownership dispute, roster turnover, abrupt coaching swap, Oakland Roots ready for USL debut. Fans were becoming hungrier for a professional sports organization that might serve to lift up their community rather than merely depress or plunder it. Much of the initial excitement, in fact, came from people who werent even aware the shirts, hoodies, and jackets they were buying or sharing on social media were affiliated with an upstart soccer club. In case you havent been, heres what a Roots game is like. Today the Roots participate in a dizzying array of philanthropic initiatives and partner with a large and diverse collection of nonprofit organizations. The strategy was not solely altruistic. The Roots logo is almost synonymous with the city of Oakland itself. The club announced on Tuesday that it is moving from fledgling NISA to the second-division USL Championship. In 2021, the club joined the second division USL Championship. Nagel is a veteran soccer coach who had previously worked for clubs in the U.S., Croatia and the Netherlands . [12], Oakland Roots sold out all four of their home games in the 2019 fall season averaging 4,927 fans, including a record 5,723 in their final home game, a 11 draw vs Los Angeles Force. Starter Bakery opens in Oakland | County eviction moratorium expiring in April | Get tickets to Culture Makers, {{#label}}{{label}}: {{/label}}{{message}}. (The As, famously and repeatedly, have insisted that they cant build a new stadium in East Oakland, for example, because the site there is not economically viable.) But this was part of the Roots opportunity. Then they repeated the process at scale. . Together they recognized how underserved the East Bay soccer scene was. Five-time Pro Bowler joins ownership group of Oakland club. "The Function" is in reference to E-40's single, while Roots Radicals is an ode to the East Bay Punk Rock band Rancid. The two were acquainted through the blooming East Bay semi-pro soccer community; at one point, Arghandiwal was playing for a semi-pro team called the Oakland Leopards, which Nagel was also involved with. More pertinently, Id spent the better part of the last two years documenting the depressed state of Oakland sports, and I was sensitive to how much damage the scene had incurredand dubious about the potential of any upstart team to revive it, even one with lots of good press. And historically, its expressed that pride through sports. . He also used to attend at least 50-55 As games a year. But after the Raiders left, and after growing tired of the As obstinate frugality, Greer told me that he couldnt stomach supporting either team any longer. Prior to this, the team played two seasons in the third division National Independent Soccer Association . It also helps your family, friends and Oakland neighbors have access to reliable, independent reporting. Whenever there is the odd kinetic lull, the spirit of Mac Dre elbows his way out of the loudspeaker and enlivens things anew. [20][21] The Roots finished atop its group in the NISA Fall Championship, and beat Chattanooga FC in the national semifinal, before falling to Detroit City FC, 21, in the final. Back to the Roots Investors (40) Investor Name Investor Type Holding Investor Since Participating Rounds Contact Info; Consumer Ventures: Venture Capital: Minority: 000 0000: . [32] The team was set to kick off the USL Championship home season on June 19 against Sacramento Republic FC but the match was called off due to field issues. Were working towards other training facility options, but nothing is concrete, Roots spokesperson Tommy Hodul said. Your donation makes this and all our other local reporting possible. Oakland Roots SC 2022 schedule. As we watched over the game, he swayed on his heels with his arms crossed, betraying the impatient sadness of an athlete at rest, preserving energy while silently longing to be on the field. Suddenly the Roots logo was everywhere. The Roots are a three-year-old lower-division soccer club. They recognized in each other complementing skill sets. Earn $26-$28.85 per hour. And the sense among at least some of those fans is that the Roots are already a serviceable alternative to the Towns formerly beloved major league squads. One of my kids was born in Oakland, the other was born in Auckland. More than anything, however, its a product of what the Roots have built and set out to accomplish off the pitch. Detailed. [34], The team went on to play multiple games at Las Positas College before finishing the season back home at Laney. Report: 49ers Robbie Gould says hell be kicking elsewhere in 2023, Kurtenbach: The Warriors experimented with effort during their undefeated homestand. BY SUBSCRIBING, YOU ARE AGREEING TO THEUSL PRIVACY POLICY, This website is powered by SportsEngine's, Oakland Roots Sports Club Launch 2023 Jerseys Celebrating The Towns Diversity, Oakland Roots SC Announce 2023 Spanish Broadcast Schedule with TeleXitos, Oakland Roots Sports Club and Common Goal Launch first Switch The Pitch Hub to Teach Anti-Racism in Youth Soccer, Oakland Roots Sports Club Sign Trinidad and Tobago Defender Neveal Hackshaw, Oakland Roots Sports Club Announce Jersey Fundraiser to Support USL United Black Players, Oakland Roots To Throw it Back and Drop 2023 Jersey Live at Oaklandish Downtown Store. One day at a timeone game at a time. The Roots playoff run came to an end the following weekend when the team lost 65 on penalties against Orange County SC after 120 minutes of scoreless action. Learn more. To receive notifications via email, enter your email address and select at least one subscription below. Sporting Goods Companies With Fewer Than 100 Employees . Dan Moore is a writer based out of Oakland. Nearby food & drink options include Shibe Park Tavern, ROOTS Lounge, and Oracle Arena and Oakland Alameda County Coliseum. Fandom is far less fulfilling when maintaining such faith is impossiblewhen the teams you root for operate not so much like community pillars as commodified playthings, the assets of billionaires who whose loyalties lie not with fans but with shareholders, sponsors, and whatever municipal body hands over the largest amounts of taxpayer money. Goalkeeper: Paul Blanchette: Apr 16, 1994 (28) 100k -Taylor Bailey. We are conditioned, in this society, to just think about one type of value. [40], Roots home matches are played at Laney College Football Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium located near Lake Merritt. I decided to give Jeannine a shot. The club partners with local non-profit organizations as part of a community outreach effort. A donation to The Oaklandside goes beyond the newsroom. In collaboration with their advisory board, the founders discussed a number of optionsa few names that were thrown around included Bump City FC, the Wolf Pack, the Town, the Funkbut finally they landed on the Roots, in no small part for what it conveyed about their ethos: namely, that they were genuinely rooted in and committed to this place. After that first drop, however, investors came callingincluding, importantly, the two men whod given the group that first investment early on, Barney Schauble and Steve Aldrich, the former a principal at Nephila Capital, the latter the former chief product officer of GoDaddy. [17], On April 27, 2020, following an extended stoppage of play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA announced the cancellation of the 2020 spring season. Still, service remained paramount. It was clear, though, that Arghandiwal relished his role as an executive, too. The Stadium has room for 3,500 seated and up to 5,500+ with standing room. Follow him on Twitter @DmoWriter. They donate training expertise and equipment to the Oakland Parks and Rec Departments Town Camp Program. His face was painted with amazement, looking out from the top of the . [38], On December 30, 2021, the Roots announced Juan Guerra as the club's fourth head coach. Centerlines Finest Flower & Vape. The nature of the support the club offers ranges from symbolic to financial. Social Media Coordinator Job at Roots Community Health CenterRoots Community Health Center in Oakland. Jun 2006 - Mar 20136 years 10 months. The two increased their investments substantially, and each soon owned a 31% ownership stake. The Soul will kick off in the USL W League for the 2023 season.[58]. Credit: Amir Aziz, The remarkable rise of the Oakland Roots: The Towns homegrown soccer club, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. Thank you for supporting The Oaklandside and being a part of our community. Specialties: We provide comprehensive primary care and behavioral health services to all members of our community. They just loved the design. He pointed to Candlestick Park, which was purchased and then demolished, as a prime example. Former NFL star Marshawn Lynch has joined the ownership group of the Oakland Roots of the USL Championship. 1,903 Following. Ingratiating their club into the communitysuch that theyd be seen as truly representative of Oakland, and might in turn earn grassroots supportwas something the Roots founders understood would be crucial to their business model. The Roots are as much a social movement as soccer . Oakland Roots Sports Club seeks to harness the magic of Oakland and the beautiful game of soccer as a force for social good. We amplify community voices, share the power of real information, and investigate systems, not just symptoms. [45] Oakland rapper Mistah F.A.B performed before the club's final home game of 2019. Tweets & replies. The first step was deciding on a name. If Im being totally honest, I was skeptical about what I would find, buzz about the Roots be damned. In a civil complaint filed in Alameda County Superior Court on Thursday, former club president Benno Nagel outlined the circumstances that led to the Oct. 23 board meeting in which he alleges the club's other primary owners unjustly removed him . We amplify community voices, share the power of real information, and investigate systems, not just symptoms. [1], The club was formed in July 2018, and would be known as Oakland Roots Sports Club. That complex, which is co-owned by the Oakland and Alameda County, has been used for the past two years by the Oakland Roots, the city's newest soccer team. He reported for the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley and his freelance work has appeared in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, Texas Monthly and Longreads. And what it had to look like, Arghandiwal said, was an organization committed earnestly to being about the Town in an authentic way., We believed, Arghandiwal told me, That as long as we showed the community real authentic love, they would love us back.. Greer was a Raiders season-ticket holder for 15 years, and a member of the fabled Black Hole. Then one day, in the fall of 2019, Greer caught a Roots game on TV. It was difficult, said Arghandiwal. The Oakland Roots soccer club was born, in earnest, in the summer of 2016, when Edreece Arghandiwal, a marketing director and entrepreneurial creative type who'd worked on projects for brands such as Apple and set designer Susan Linss, met Benno Nagel, a veteran soccer player and coach who'd previously worked for clubs in Croatia and the Netherlands. She strongly identified as a lesbian in her youth inviting the unfortunate, yet alliterative nickname "Lindsay the lesbian .