Oakland Roots SC


Oakland Roots Sports Club is an American sports club based in Oakland, California who began play as a men's professional soccer team. The club was formed in 2018 by a group of Oakland natives and began play in the National Independent Soccer Association in the fall of 2019.

History

The club was formed in July 2018 when it was announced the club would be known as Oakland Roots Sports Club. The club originally was slated to play in the NPSL Founders Cup, but the club ultimately withdrew and instead joined the National Independent Soccer Association a division 3 sanctioned United States Soccer Federation Professional League.
Oakland Roots began by signing 3 Oakland raised players in the Spring of 2019 in Devante Dubose, Julio Cervantes and Yohannes Harish. This was followed by the signing of a few higher profile players as the club built out its inaugural rosters. Those players included former MLS and Liga MX player Benji Joya, former Honduran World Cup veteran Victor Bernardez and former 1st round MLS Draft Pick Jack McInerney.
The Club announced its first ever head coach on May 9, 2019 when they signed Bay Area native, former MLS Player and Colorado Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo.

2019

The club opened up the inaugural 2019–20 NISA season as the league’s first ever game, at home in front of a sold out crowd of more than 4,500. Jack McInerney would score a first half perfect hat trick in a match that would eventually end up in a 3-3 draw.
Oakland Roots played 8 games in their inaugural season 6 in NISA and 2 friendlies vs Mexican opposition, FC Juarez and Club Atlético Zacatepec. The club picked up their first ever win at home vs Ascenso MX Club, Atlético Zacatepec by a score of 2-0.
Oakland Roots sold out all 4 home games of the 2019 fall season averaging 4,927 fans including a record 5,723 in their final home game of 2019 a 1-1 draw vs Los Angeles Force.
On October 31, 2019 Oakland Roots and Paul Bravo mutually agreed to part ways. On December 3, 2019 Oakland Roots announced Jordan Ferrell as the club's new Head Coach.

2020

The Roots opened their second season at home once again in front of a sold-out crowd of 5,603. The match against Chattanooga FC would end in a 1-1 draw when Jack McInerney scored in the 93rd minute of the match after the Roots were forced to play down a man from a first-half Red Card. The Roots followed this up by winning their first-ever NISA League match the following weekend vs Michigan Stars FC 2-1.
On April 27, 2020, following a stoppage of play and subsequent extension due to the COVID-19 pandemic, NISA announced the cancellation of the 2020 Spring season.

Year-by-year

Stadium

Roots home matches are played at Laney College Football Stadium, a multi-purpose stadium located near Lake Merritt where East and West Oakland meet. For Roots games the pitch is widened using a modular turf system. The Stadium has room for 3,500 seated and up to 5,500+ with standing room.

Average attendance

Club culture

The Oakland Roots have been featured regularly in pop culture in their short history. Oakland Roots merchandise has been featured in two G-Eazy Video’s “West Coast” and "Bang". The Roots Origins shirt then appeared in Zion I "Flame Go" Video a few months later. As well Oakland Basketball legend Damian Lillard wore Oakland Roots merchandise before an NBA game in the 2019 playoffs. Roots merchandise additionally was featured in FourFourTwo magazine in the April and August additions of 2019. The Club was also treated to a special performance by Oakland Hip Hop Legend Mistah F.A.B before their final home game of 2019. Oakland Roots were featured on Men in Blazers on November 25, 2019 when Roger Bennett wore the Roots Jersey on the show. Then that night Kevon Looney of the Golden State Warriors wore a Roots t-shirt on the bench during a regular season NBA game. Roots merch featured in Kehlani's video "All me" on February 13, 2020. Underground rappers Murs and The Grouch performed prior to the team's March 7, 2020 match against Michigan Stars FC.
The club works closely with the Oakland Community and points to this as the reason they exist. The Clubs two Mottos are “Oakland First, Always” and “Know Your Roots”

Common Goal

Oakland Roots Sports Club joined the Common Goal movement on June 30, 2020, as the 1st club in the United States to do so. Led by some of the world's top players and coaches, Common Goal participants contribute a minimum of 1% of their salaries and ticket revenue to fight social inequality. Oakland Roots was founded with the purpose of using soccer to create positive social change, making this a natural step in the club's journey. Common Goal was co-founded by World Cup-winner Juan Mata with the goal of uniting the global soccer community to tackle the greatest social challenges of our time. Since then over 150 players and coaches have joined the movement, including Rapinoe, the 2019 World Player of the Year, fellow USWNT World Cup and Olympic winner Alex Morgan, Liverpool coach Juergen Klopp, Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry, Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels and Juventus’ Giorgio Chiellini, as well as European clubs FC Nordsjælland of Denmark and Unionistas de Salamanca of Spain.

Supporters

The Supporters Group is known as the “Roots Radicals” in reference to a song by 90’s East Bay Punk Rock band Rancid.

Project 51O

Oakland Roots added a reserve team on December 9, 2019 to be called "Project 51O". The reserve team will compete in the National Premier Soccer League.

Players and staff

Current roster

No.PositionPlayerNation

Technical staff

Managerial records

NameNat.FromToPWDLGSGA%WHonoursNotes
Paul Bravo9 May 201931 October 2019
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Jordan Ferrell3 December 2019
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