AFTER LOSING THEIR inaugural home opener, NWSL’s newest expansion team Bay FC won their first home match against the Seattle Reign in front of a crowd of 16,719 screaming fans dressed head-to-toe in navy blue and orange! Much like the sold-out opener, this match was an impressive display of the power of effective marketing and community engagement.
As a sport marketing professor, I have a firm belief that successful sport marketing has less to do with the on-field talent (anyone can “market” a winning team, though having a good team is important) and more to do with the community built around the organization, their shared values, and what they stand for. That way, regardless of wins and losses (leave that up to coaching), teams like Bay FC can ensure that fans stay engaged for the sake of the brand and community, as opposed to simply following the unpredictable nature of wins and losses.
Bay FC has done an excellent job (so far) of creating a community around the team — and women’s empowerment in general. From the moment I stepped into the stadium, it was amazing to see the ways that women were being amplified, empowered, and unequivocally supported at every turn. From the PA and DJ Bitesize (female DJ) to referees and support staff, the space radiated women’s empowerment and inclusivity like many have never seen before.
Aside from being just the second home match that Bay FC has played at PayPal Park (and their obvious first home win), the contest versus Seattle was the “Women’s Empowerment”-themed game so the team focused on the way that empowerment looked from various standpoints and activations. The lawn area featured female-owned food trucks, along with the usual consortium of games and activities for the children to play (and enjoy music from DJ Bitesize). The entertainment components of the National Anthem being sung by Presentation High School’s choir (all-girls high school), female-led halftime performance, and even Bay FC Beats (female-led drumline) that performed as Bay FC players took the pitch — all carefully constructed around women’s empowerment, and the power was on full display.
The activation did not stop there. Fans were invited to share names of women who inspired them to be shared on the video board during the game, and even the players were included when days before the game, Bay FC posted a reel on their Instagram that featured players being asked to name all the women they could who work on Bay FC staff (as a manner of empowerment and shoutouts); fans were able to see their favorite footballers discussing the various names of staff members.
Bay Area loves women’s sports
Fortunately, women’s sport in the Bay Area has quite a strong following so it is no surprise that this event came so early in the Bay FC history — and that it was so successful. The founding four — Danielle Slayton, Leslie Osborne, Brandi Chastain, and Aly Wagner — are all Santa Clara University soccer alums and the Broncos have a storied history of NCAA tournament competition dating back to the late 1980s (the school’s latest NCAA Championship coming in 2020). In fact, the roots of the founding four’s Bronco fan base has clearly translated to comprise the core of the Bay FC following, as I found myself constantly surrounded by SCU memorabilia (hats, scarves, jackets, etc.) as I made my way through the club level of stadium seating.
Of considerable note and importance is also the success of previous Bay Area Women’s professional soccer teams, along with the success of other great women’s soccer programs in the area. Stanford Women’s Soccer has been a staple of success (netting two NCAA national championships in the last decade), along with Santa Clara University’s Women’s Soccer, and by extension, great women’s hoops programs (e.g., former Stanford head coach Tara Vandeveer’s historic career of success with Stanford Women’s basketball).
Bay FC has shown at every turn that they mean business, and that their empowerment for women goes beyond simply having an all-female co-founding core. It’s not a show, it’s who they are and their activations have followed suit.
Although we are still early in the existence of Bay FC, they are creating a brand identity that speaks to empowerment and inclusivity in a way that could lead to their organization becoming the prototype for what it means for a sports team to be truly inclusive. In a time plagued with performative campaigns, Bay FC have seemingly stormed onto the scene with perfect timing, and many of us are starting to believe that this could be our beautiful new norm.
Much like SCU’s success, Bay FC has figured out exactly what works in regard to the community aspect of the sporting spectacle. Although it is great to watch our team rally after being down 1-0 in the first half and come out with a 3-2 victory, the more impactful win lies in the ability of Bay FC to create a space of true love for women to be celebrated–for everything on and off the pitch.
It may be time for other teams to take notes. The FC from the Bay has seemingly figured out the way.
About the author
A. Lamont Williams is a professor of Sport Management in the Department of Kinesiology at San Jose State University and Public Voices Fellow with the OpEd Project.