Oakland Ballers to allow fan investment in franchise
Jul 9, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; General view of a baseball during warmups prior to the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports The Oakland Ballers, an independent baseball club that started play in the Pioneer League in 2024, are offering fans the opportunity to sign up and be investors in the team.
As part-owners of the Ballers, fans will have their voices heard when it comes to where the team plays and any potential relocation, along with front office hirings and changing team logos or brand marks.
The Ballers are endeavoring to bring a new baseball experience to a city that will lose the MLB's Athletics to Las Vegas in the coming years -- and has already lost the NBA's Warriors to San Francisco and the NFL's Raiders to Vegas.
"Oakland is just the latest example of a systemic problem with how pro sports teams are run in the United States," Ballers co-founder Bryan Carmel said in a statement. "Over the past 80 years, more than 30 teams have moved, leaving fans heartbroken and powerless. Team owners often hold fans hostage, demanding public money for new stadiums, and if they don't get it, they move the team to a different city that's willing to pay up.
"Even if you're not an Oakland sports fan, you get our frustration because we've all seen something we love taken away for someone else's gain. The Ballers believe there's a better way and that Oakland's the perfect place to make it happen. That's why we're excited to unveil a new sports ownership model, one that we hope will signal a positive change in how things are done."
With the Athletics set to leave Oakland at the end of the season, the Ballers are giving local fans a chance to latch onto a team that's staying put.
"A team's fans are an instrumental part of the team's value," co-founder Paul Freedman added. "That's why fans should be treated accordingly with a real say in team management, not just hollow words. Aligned with Oakland's history of activism, we are excited about a team for the people, by the people -- a team that accrues value for fans and owners alike, because the fans are the owners."
--Field Level Media