Oakland Ballers, new independent team, offers stake to fans

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Baseball fans and others interested in supporting the new Oakland Ballers independent minor league team can now purchase ownership stakes in the expansion club.

The B's announced the opportunity early Thursday with the launch of a community investment campaign they hope "will revolutionize 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 brand marks and key front office hires.

By midday, the club had secured more than 800 reserved shares.

"We are blown away by the response," Ballers co-founder and CEO Paul Freedman said via text message.

Playing their inaugural season in the Pioneer League with home games at renovated Raimondi Park in West Oakland, the Ballers hope to provide the city with some stability following the departures of the Golden State Warriors to San Francisco and Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas. After this season, the Athletics plan to relocate to Sacramento for the next three years and to eventually move 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 with the hope of playing there 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.

The enthusiasm for the team became clear at the home opener June 4.

"Honestly, it's taken an unbelievable amount of work to get to where we are," Freedman said. "The support makes every day, every hour, every moment spent feel worthwhile."