Sports stats



USL Oakland Roots

Oakland Roots and Soul SC Announce Interest in Building Permanent Stadium at Howard Terminal

December 19, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Oakland Roots News Release


Oakland, CA - We are excited to share our interest in building a permanent home at the Howard Terminal site. The Club has submitted a proposal to the Port Authority ahead of the December 18 deadline that outlines our vision for a permanent soccer stadium at this location. This submission represents an important step in exploring the site's potential as the long-term home for Oakland Roots and Soul Sports Club.

"This moment demonstrates our commitment to building a stadium in Oakland," said Club President Lindsay Barenz. "We believe that our success at the Oakland Coliseum in 2025 will showcase why this Club deserves a world-class stadium to call home, one that proudly represents our City to the world."

We are proposing to build a soccer stadium for Oakland Roots and Soul through a multi-phase approach. Phase one would involve constructing a modular stadium that would be operational in a relatively short timeframe, with a 15,000 fan capacity, which is the same as the Club's general capacity at the Coliseum. The phase one structure would have modular elements, similar to the Club's proposal for the Malibu site. As the Club continues to grow, Phase two would involve developing a more substantial structure with a capacity for up to 25,000 fans, providing a long-term home for the Club for years to come.

Given the importance of a permanent game day venue to the Club's success, we are also actively pursuing other paths alongside Howard Terminal to explore all permanent, long-term options, including the Coliseum site with AASEG and other potential locations around the City.

"We are working diligently on our future stadium plans," said Chief Real Estate Officer Lydia Tan. "When the opportunity to express our interest and intentions at Howard Terminal arose, we knew we had to be part of the conversation about the site's future. This is not just about building a stadium, it is also about creating a lasting home that reflects our commitment to Oakland and our vision for growth. While we are keeping all options on the table for other locations in Oakland, Howard Terminal stands out as a unique and exciting opportunity that aligns with our long-term aspirations for the Club."

Additionally, discussions about remaining at the Coliseum as an interim home beyond 2025 are ongoing, and it is a possibility we are very interested in pursuing. If the opportunity to remain playing at the Coliseum becomes a reality, this could supplant the Club's need to construct a 10,000 capacity interim stadium at the Malibu Lot that was intended to host both teams for 5-10 years while we work toward a permanent home. For Malibu, we obtained an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement (ENA) in October 2023, received planning approvals for the interim stadium in July 2024.

We recently received a unanimous vote from the Oakland City Council to designate Oakland Pro Soccer LLC as the buyer of the former Raiders Training Facility. This facility has been the Club's training home for three full seasons, and we hope to finalize a purchase agreement with a new partner in the coming months.

Our short-term focus remains on the upcoming 2025 season at the Oakland Coliseum, where we are committed to delivering an incredible game-day experience for our fans in the heart of The Town. The success of the 2025 season in all aspects, particularly in terms of attendance, will play a critical role in driving our efforts with all stakeholders to secure a stadium and permanent home for the Club in Oakland, as soon as possible.

As we look to the future, we are filled with excitement and tremendous gratitude for the unwavering support and passion we've received throughout these early years. We would not be here without the dedication of our entire community, and we are endlessly thankful for every fan, partner, and supporter who has stood with us. Our goal has always been to build for Oakland first, always and we are thrilled for the 2025 season at the Coliseum. A season where we will have the chance to showcase our resilience, celebrate our growth, and make The Town proud. Together, we're building something truly special.

Check out the Oakland Roots Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from December 19, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central