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Oakland Ballers win with 1st female pitcher
Oakland Ballers win with 1st female pitcher, Kelsie Whitmore.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Oakland Ballers have successfully passed $1 million in investments from over 1,600 fans: In the first 48 hours following the opening of the campaign last week, the team witnessed fans choosing to become a part-owner every 3.5 minutes, the team announced Wednesday.
"We are truly overwhelmed by our fan’s incredible support—our success shows that fans are hungry for a different kind of ownership model—one where they truly have a voice," Paul Freedman, co-founder of the Oakland Ballers, said in a news release. "We’re not just building a team; we’re building a community where fans are partners, decision-makers, and integral to the future of the Oakland Ballers. This is more than a team; it’s a movement to redefine what it means to be a fan."
Investment shares start at $170 and the maximum amount the Ballers can raise through this round of funding is $1.235 million. The listed value of the franchise, which is playing its inaugural season, is $26.235 million, according to the New York Times.
The Ballers aren't the only team to use this financial model. Two other homegrown Oakland team, The Roots and Soul Soccer Club, raised $2 million in a week's time last fall, and the team said that since Sept. 13, 2023, more than $2.4 million was invested in their soccer team from more than 4,000 fans/owners from around the world.
The Oakland Ballers, aka the B’s, are a new professional baseball team launched this spring. They'll be playing home games at the historic Raimondi Park in West Oakland. The Baller’s are in the Pioneer League, which was founded in 1939, as its first West Coast franchise.
In addition to gaining equity in the team, shareholders will receive a say in how the Ballers run their business.
Shareholders will elect a fan director who will represent the interests of the fans as a member of the board of directors. Shareholders will also gain the right to vote on core team business decisions, such as whether the team would be allowed to move and on the contract for the head of baseball operations.
Interested fans are encouraged to act quickly as the round will close when the team hits the $1.235 million limit, and investments are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The offering will be powered by DealMaker’s state-of-the-art tech platform. Investors can participate in our offering by visiting here.
Bryan Carmel, another co-founder, explained that their goal was to "challenge the traditional ownership structure," to make sure that fans are heard.
"This isn’t just about buying shares; it’s about being part of something bigger—giving fans the power to shape the future of the team they love," Carmel said in a statement.
Freedman and Carmel founded the team in November 2023 as a response to the Oakland A’s decision to leave the city for Las Vegas.
In addition to becoming fan owners, all fans will have the opportunity to control the game through the Ballers’ partnership with Fan Controlled Sports.
Leading up to and during the Ballers’ Fan Appreciation Day game at Raimondi Park in Oakland, fans will be able to download the Control App and vote on key game day decisions, including choosing the Ballers’ starting lineup, making pitch selections in critical game situations, and helping to set the game day strategy.
Fans can also participate in predictive picks and polls, such as guessing the total number of home runs hit in the game, for a chance to win prizes, including signed game merchandise and the opportunity to join the team in the dugout for an inning.