Cool name and logo! Launch party today at Presidio Park... Bay FC unveiled as latest NWSL team (msn.com) Bay Area NWSL team unveils Bay FC name, Golden Gate Bridge logo (msn.com) Bay FC Is Born: National Women’s Soccer League Club Representing the Bay Area Unveils Name and Identity to Unite Northern California | Business Wire
But where are they playing!? I find it very interesting that all of this is happening in SF lately. They playing at Kezar or something?
I just watched the little video at the top of their webpage https://bayfc.com. The video ends with a shot of the Paypal Park scoreboard! If the games will be at PPP, I’m in.
Actually it’s funny you say that, the last scene shown is actually Kezar, as were number of other shots. Given the Golden Gate in their logo, which is decidedly NOT SJ, as is their noncommittal identity in general, I’m betting they’ll ill advisedly split time between Kezar and PPP trying to appeal to more people, but actually attracting less as a result like their Bay Area CyberRay and FC Gold Pride forebears. Actually I’m kinda shocked this team is making the same mistake a third time of not picking a city.
Oops, didn’t notice Kezar after I saw the PPP scoreboard in that video! I can’t believe Bay FC would try to play in 2 stadiums. That would make no sense — twice as much work as you’d need 2 contracts, different food vendors, different volunteers etc etc.
Supposedly 5,000 fans showed up at the Presidio for Bay FC’s launch party! If true, that number is super encouraging https://bird.makeup/users/stephk_martin/statuses/1665219889206906881
The Mercury News had an extensive write-up and photos on the Bay FC launch party on Saturday, confirming thousands of attendees and also additional investors Andre Iguodala and Sheryl Sandburg SJ and Oakland vying to be host cities PPP most likely venue for the near-term I especially liked this quote from Sheryl Sandberg: “You may have noticed that men have run the world for a really long time. I don’t think it’s going that well. Women’s sports are critical for creating the path the world needs for change. Girls who play today become women who lead tomorrow.” https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/06...ic-event-welcomes-andre-iguodala-as-investor/
“You may have noticed that men have run the world for a really long time. I don’t think it’s going that well. Women’s sports are critical for creating the path the world needs for change. Girls who play today become women who lead tomorrow.” She has a point here but I don't think Sheryl herself has been a great example of leadership, as one of the people responsible at facebook for the misuse of user data (a lawsuit they settled before there were to be deposed). And man, does she carefully manage her online "brand". Google "Sheryl Sandberg wiki" and you get a bunch of other links besides her wiki page. And of course her wiki page barely mentions the Cambridge Analytica / user data privacy scandal.
Unlikely. Roots/Soul ownership already announced that the Soul would play in that stadium in the newly announced rival D1 professional league, USL Super League. The seasons are different but overlapping. Again, it looks like the Bay FC ownership has gotten ahead of itself. They are soliciting supporter assistance to find land for a training center and perhaps their own stadium. I sense the newfangled disruption business model rather than careful planning. I paid my STH deposit to a third party social media type site with which I was unfamiliar. fevo. Why not directly to the team? A troubling indication that they just don't have their shit together. We'll see.
I didn’t want to say it, but the fact they’re not naming a city (or identity which has historically failed miserably with Bay Area women’s soccer) and seemingly aren’t sure where they’d like to play, were already worrying. Especially when compared to the more successful model employed by both of the new SoCal teams (which even then isn’t allowing them to break even yet despite on and off field success for both Angel City and SD Wave.
Well, it helps that they have lined up some deeper pockets. I’ve always thought that San Mateo would be a good central location for the Bay Area, but I guess that’s not that much different from Candlestick. It’s too bad the race track around there got fully developed. Maybe the SMC Fairgrounds? It seems mostly unused. Just build a 5-10k stadium. And move to PPP when you build up to 10k STHs.
Well they were both to be deposed in the case and each is responsible. I think he tried to run her under the bus about it too but sure as the top guy he's responsible also. I think it's the same story that gets repeatedly told. These companies just can't resist the $, and competitive pressures push them also - always trying to increase profit and they can always find a way to rationalize away the ethics part of the equation. As we head into the age of AI, pretty scary that we're going to rely on these tech companies to do the right thing so that these tools are not used to the detriment of society.
Why not just talk to the Quakes/Fisher and team up on the training facility at Santa Clara County Fairgrounds? Build a small stadium there that they can share with Quakes ii and for the big attendance games (Say Angel City) they use PPP. They will want some type of youth development so team up and split the cost.
This seems to always be the question for women's teams. Share resources with men's teams or screw it, we're completely independent and we're gonna do our own thing.
I doubt the Quakes would be interested in expanding the scope of the project like that. They are already planning to fully occupy the site with all levels from the academy to the first team. Adding another club to the site the would require more space for a second D1-level locker room and training rooms, etc. And adding a D1-level stadium sounds like a complete non-starter where trying to do that would risk blowing up the whole project.
I meant it in a general sense, not just about the training facility. For example, play at PPP and leverage the Quakes' setup, or do their own thing, etc.
It’s difficult to find space to do this kind of project. The Fairgrounds is looking for a “sports park” type of development and they are keenly interested in a Cricket Stadium. Why not build a small soccer stadium next to that and share parking? Events would be scheduled so they don’t overlap. Locker rooms and training fields could be built nearby.