Oakland Ballers Open Initial Investment Round to Fans

Jason Burke | Aug 21, 2024

Beginning today, fans of the Oakland Ballers now have a chance to become fan-owners of the B's and gain a real voice in team decision-making. By visiting Invest.OaklandBallers.com fans will be able to invest in the future of Oakland baseball.

Those that choose to become a shareholder in the club will elect a fan director who sits on the board and represents the interests of the fans. They will also have voting rights including the ability to vote on key issues such as the team moving, and the contract of the head of baseball.

In their first season on the diamond at Raimondi Park, the Ballers have welcomed over 70,000 fans through the turnstiles in their inaugural season. Because of the warm response they've received from the fans, the team now has nearly 50 sponsors and is on track to do $1 million in merchandise sales for the first year. 

Fans will be able to invest for as little as $170, while the maximum investment that can be made is $1.235 million, so there is quite a range for interested fans to choose from. The team is also saying the estimated value of the club is $26.235 million, which is based upon the Ballers being a minor league team in a major market, along with the interest in the club, the presence of the team on social media, the number of fans that are coming out to the ballpark, and the merchandise sales in year one.

Co-founder of the Oakland Ballers, Paul Freedman said, "We believe the current sports ownership model in America is broken, denying fans a share in the value they help create and a say in the teams they love. Today, we’re setting a new precedent for fan ownership models by not only ensuring fans receive ownership stakes but also guaranteeing them a real voice in key team decisions. The Ballers are here to prove that Oakland is the perfect incubator for sports teams that value community, and by centering fans, we can build something great together."

Fellow co-founder Bryan Carmel added, "We wouldn’t be here without the fans, and it’s only right that fans play a huge part in the Ballers’ journey at every turn. This is just the beginning of showing the world what it means to be built by Oakland."

The Oakland Ballers have been town-centric since their debut last November, and many of those that have been out to a game have had a great time. They're building something special at Raimondi, and now you can be part of the driving force that keeps them on track.