As avid Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) fans committed to advancing equity in professional basketball, we urge the WNBA and Commissioner Engelbert to offer a WNBA franchise to Alana Beard and the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) based in Oakland, California. Oakland is a community that values social and racial justice, gender equality, and women’s rights in alignment with the values of the WNBA. 

Oakland has a history of enthusiastic support for its sports teams. We are committed to buying tickets, bringing our friends and families to games and promoting our local franchise in all our communities. By establishing a WNBA team here in Oakland, the WNBA is committing to the vision of Black-led, financial leadership under the AASEG and with former WNBA star Alana Beard as the team’s President.

We have an ideal location in the Oracle Arena which is easily accessible by Bay Area wide public transportation, an enthusiastic fan base, a pipeline of great players coming out of high schools and colleges in the area, and unanimous support from Oakland City Council and other elected leaders. 

A WNBA team in Oakland would serve as inspiration for young women, especially women of color, and would bring opportunities in fields such as sports medicine and management to the area.

Let WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert know that Oakland is a town rooted in Black leadership and equity for women in sports and that each and every one of us is ready to make up a fan base committed to showing up and showing out big for our team! Will you join us in our movement to bring a WNBA team to Oakland by signing this petition?