Bay Football Club is an American professional women's soccer team based in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. They began play in the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) as an expansion team in the 2024 season. Their home stadium is PayPal Park in San Jose, California, a soccer-specific stadium with 18,000 seats that is also home to the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer (MLS).
 | |||
| Full name | Bay Football Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Founded | April 4, 2023 | ||
| Stadium | PayPal Park San Jose, California, U.S. | ||
| Capacity | 18,000 | ||
| Majority owner | Sixth Street Partners | ||
| Co-Chairs | Alan Waxman Aly Wagner | ||
| General manager | Lucy Rushton | ||
| Coach | Albertin Montoya | ||
| League | National Women's Soccer League | ||
| 2024 | Regular season: 7th of 14 Playoffs: Quarter-final | ||
| Website | https://bayfc.com/ | ||
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The ownership group, which is led by investment firm Sixth Street Partners and four former United States women's national team players, was awarded an expansion franchise on April 4, 2023. It is the first women's professional soccer team based in the Bay Area since the San Jose CyberRays and FC Gold Pride, who both played in previous leagues. Sixth Street CEO Alan Waxman and former national team player Aly Wagner were named the club's co-chairpersons.[1][2] The team's name, Bay FC, and logo were announced on June 1, 2023.[3]
History
The San Francisco Bay Area was previously home to two professional women's soccer teams: the San Jose CyberRays of the Women's United Soccer Association and FC Gold Pride of Women's Professional Soccer.[4]
On June 21, 2022, former USWNT and professional club players Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner announced the founding of a group called "NWSL to the Bay" that would lobby the NWSL for an expansion team in the San Francisco Bay Area.[5][6] Their efforts to bring NWSL to the Bay started in 2020 just after Angel City in Los Angeles was founded by some of their former teammates on the USWNT. They joined forces with Jen Vescio, a sports, media, and technology executive. Together the five women put together a board that included Tim Connors, Ward Bullard, and CJ Napolitano and raised initial capital from a small group of investors. In May 2021 they brought on David Aufhauser, another sports, media, and technology executive, to lead the effort. Together they prepared the bid for an NWSL expansion team. The bid would compete with interest from groups in other cities, including Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; Cincinnati, Ohio; Toronto, Ontario; St. Louis, Missouri; and Nashville, Tennessee.[7]
On December 16, 2022, reports suggested that the NWSL had narrowed the second of its two 2024 expansion selections to the Bay Area bid, another bid in the former Boston Breakers market of Boston, Massachusetts, and a third bid in Tampa, Florida. These reports also revealed the involvement of San Francisco-based investment firm Sixth Street Partners as an investor in the club.[8] The reports provided no details about the club's planned venue, but noted that Slaton was leading the group's search for facilities.[9] By January 2023, further reports suggested that Tampa had been eliminated and that the Bay Area and Boston would both be awarded expansion teams, with expansion fees estimated at $50 million each.[10] The league declined to confirm any reports prior to an official announcement.[11]
On April 4, 2023, the league formally awarded one of its two planned 2024 expansion teams to the Bay Area group at a reported $53 million expansion fee, with the other expansion slot awarded to the revival of Utah Royals FC at a fee of $5 million or less, negotiated when the club's previous iteration was sold and relocated to Kansas City.[2][10]
On September 27, 2023, Albertin Montoya was announced as the team's first head coach.[12] On November 15, defender Alex Loera was revealed as the club's first ever signing, joining from KC Current for $175,000 in allocation money and protection from Bay FC in the 2024 Expansion Draft.[13] Six days later, the club welcomed the 2021 Defender of the Year Caprice Dydasco as their second signing, the right back joining from Houston Dash.[14] On December 13, 2023, the club announced their full coaching staff, with Angela Salem and Jason Goodson brought in as assistant coaches, and Diego Restrepo as head of goalkeeping. Head coach Montoya had worked with Salem during his interim head coaching stint with Washington Spirit in the 2022 NWSL season, and Restrepo had been head of goalkeeping at D.C. United while Bay FC general manager Lucy Rushton served as GM of the club.[15]
On February 13, 2024, Bay FC signed Zambian forward Racheal Kundananji from Madrid CFF for $860,000, setting a new record for most expensive transfer in women's soccer history. The deal lasts until 2027, with an option to extend for another year.[16][17]
Stadium
Bay FC was initially announced without a permanent stadium and drew interest from several cities in the Bay Area looking to host the team. A separate stadium for Bay FC has been proposed by the San Francisco government at several sites, including Pier 70 and the Westfield San Francisco Centre shopping mall.[18]
On July 21, 2023, the team announced that they had signed a five-year agreement to play at PayPal Park in San Jose, the home of MLS's San Jose Earthquakes, while planning construction of their own stadium. A new, 3,600-square-foot (330 m2) facility at the stadium would house the team's locker room and office spaces.[19] Bay FC CEO Brady Stewart also suggested some of the team's matches might be played in other stadiums to make the team more accessible outside of the South Bay.[20]
Ownership and investment group
The expansion announcement confirmed the involvement of Sixth Street Partners as the Bay Area group's lead investor.[1][2] Chastain, Osborne, Slaton, and Wagner were named as founding board members alongside Sixth Street CEO Alan Waxman, former San Francisco Giants executive Staci Slaughter, former Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg, and Golden State Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts. Wagner and Waxman were announced as the club's co-chairpersons. Sandberg's husband Tom Bernthal was also listed as a club investor.[2] At a launch event on June 3, Waxman announced that Andre Iguodala was also a minority owner.[21]
The expansion fee was the league's largest to date, and 10 times the fee charged in the league's previous round of expansion in 2021.[22] After the announcement, the Bay Area group also announced an additional $72 million in planned startup investment in the club, and Waxman said Sixth Street was committed to owning the franchise for at least 10 years.[22]
The club would be the first professional sports team in the United States to have an institutional investor as a majority owner, in contrast to rules established by other United States sports leagues that restricted or prohibited such ownership.[22] NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman noted that the investment did not have a target hold period, and was funded from Sixth Street Tao Partners, a balance sheet fund[23] with no requirement to be liquidated, which the league intended to treat like an individual owner with a large net worth. The Tao fund also covered Sixth Street's purchase of a 20-percent stake in the NBA's San Antonio Spurs.[24]
To mitigate the risks of a premature exit of Sixth Street, the league required as part of the expansion deal that Waxman provide assurances that he can allocate money to the club and also required him to represent the club on the NWSL board of governors.[24] The club also named co-chair Wagner as an alternate representative to the league board.[2]
Prior to Sixth Street, the original ownership group raised the initial capital adding Motley Fool and Anne Hoge to the board of directors. They joined Jen Vescio, Tim Connors, Ward Bullard, CJ Napolitano and David Aufhauser alongside the four former USWNT players to lead the early efforts to bring NWSL to the Bay.
Front office
On June 14, 2023, Bay FC announced the hiring of Brady Stewart, who had led direct-to-consumer business for Levi Strauss & Co., as the team's chief executive officer and first front-office hire.[25] On June 15, the club announced the hiring of Lucy Rushton as the club's first general manager. Rushton had most recently been fired as general manager of Major League Soccer club D.C. United in October 2022.[26][27] On July 18, the club announced the hiring of Golden State Warriors chief marketing officer Jen Millet as its chief operating officer.[28]
Colors and crest
The club revealed its colors and crest on June 1, 2023. The crest is a circle with a blackletter monographic B integrating a support of the Golden Gate Bridge.[29] The club's primary colors are blue and warm red, described as Bay and Poppy, respectively. Its secondary colors are two shades of gray, described as Fog Gray and Steel.[29][30]
Advertising agency Goodby Silverstein & Partners consulted on the club's identity and logo design.[3] On the unveiling of the club's branding, Wagner noted that the club intentionally avoided nicknames and mascots in favor of a conceptual timelessness and simplicity.[31]
Players
Current squad
- As of October 11, 2024.[32]
See also
References
- ^ a b Hill, Glynn A. (April 4, 2023). "NWSL announces expansion to San Francisco Bay Area". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Ingemi, Marisa (April 4, 2023). "Bay Area lands NWSL 2024 expansion team with largest investment in women's soccer". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 31, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ a b "Bay FC Is Born: National Women's Soccer League Club Representing the Bay Area Unveils Name and Identity to Unite Northern California" (Press release). Bay FC. June 1, 2023. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ Simon, Alex (April 4, 2023). "Women's pro soccer to return to Bay Area as NWSL awards team to star-studded bid". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ Linehan, Meg (June 21, 2022). "Chastain, Osborne, Slaton, Wagner making Bay Area NWSL expansion bid". The Athletic. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Selbe, Nick (June 21, 2022). "Four Former U.S. Soccer Stars Hoping to Be Next in NWSL Expansion". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Kassouf, Jeff (June 30, 2022). "As expansion race heats up, NWSL faces tough questions about its future with Utah expected to join in 2024". ESPN. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Tannenwald, Jonathan (December 16, 2022). "San Francisco, Boston, Tampa are final candidates to join Utah Royals; Philadelphia out". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ White, Marcus (December 16, 2022). "NWSL Bay Area group seemingly confirms status as expansion finalist". San Francisco Examiner. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ a b Toonkel, Jessica; Bachman, Rachel (January 27, 2023). "NWSL Set to Expand With Record-Setting $50 Million Franchise Fees". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "NWSL to expand in Boston, Utah and San Francisco Bay Area – report". The Guardian. Associated Press. January 28, 2023. Archived from the original on April 20, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "Albertin Montoya appointed as Bay FC first coach". ESPN.com. September 27, 2023. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
- ^ "Bay FC Acquires Its First Player, Former NCAA Champion and Honda Player of the Year Defender Alex Loera". Bay FC. November 15, 2023. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ "Bay FC Continues to Build its Roster and Signs Defensive Powerhouse Caprice Dydasco". Bay FC. November 21, 2023. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
- ^ "Bay FC Announces Coaching Staff Ahead of Inaugural Season". Bay FC. December 14, 2023. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
- ^ "Racheal Kundananji: Bay FC sign Zambian for world record fee from Madrid CFF". BBC Sport. February 13, 2024. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ Solms, Leonard (February 13, 2024). "Bay FC smash women's record fee to sign forward Kundananji". ESPN. Archived from the original on February 13, 2024. Retrieved February 13, 2024.
- ^ Simon, Alex (June 24, 2023). "Bay Area's 3 big cities all vying to be Bay FC's long-term hometown". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
- ^ Simon, Alex (July 21, 2023). "Bay FC signs 5-year deal to make Earthquakes' PayPal Park its home stadium". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2023.
- ^ Vincent, Taylor (July 22, 2023). "Bay FC CEO Brady Stewart talks PayPal Park and long-term plans". The Equalizer. Archived from the original on July 23, 2023. Retrieved July 22, 2023.
- ^ Novy-Williams, Eben (June 3, 2023). "NBA Champion Andre Iguodala Invests in New NWSL Club Bay FC". Sportico. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on June 4, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
- ^ a b c Germano, Sara (April 4, 2023). "Sixth Street commits $125mn to buy new US women's football club". Financial Times. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ Falconer, Kirk (May 25, 2022). "Sixth Street to replenish $1bn of massive Tao evergreen pool". Buyout Insider. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ a b Scott Soshnick, Eben Novy-Williams (April 11, 2023). "NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman Talks Record Expansion, Private Equity". Sporticast (Podcast). Spotify. Archived from the original on April 19, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ "Levi's executive tapped as CEO of NWSL's San Francisco Bay Area team". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Goff, Steven (October 19, 2022). "D.C. United fires general manager Lucy Rushton". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Carlisle, Jeff (June 14, 2023). "NWSL's Bay FC hire ex-D.C. United general manager Lucy Rushton - sources". ESPN. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
- ^ Simon, Alex (July 18, 2023). "Bay FC taps former Warriors marketing head to be COO". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on July 19, 2023. Retrieved July 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "Media Kit". Bay FC. June 1, 2023. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Bay FC Is Born: National Women's Soccer League Club Representing the Bay Area Unveils Name and Identity to Unite Northern California". BayFC.com (Press release). June 1, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2024.
- ^ Linehan, Meg (June 1, 2023). "NWSL's new expansion franchise to be named Bay Area FC". The Athletic. Archived from the original on June 1, 2023. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
- ^ "Bay FC Club info". Bay FC. Archived from the original on February 27, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.