Oakland Roots soccer team exploring two East Bay sites for new stadium

The Roots men's soccer team plays at Laney College in the USL Championship. This is the second-tier professional soccer league. This plan calls for the construction of a modular stadium that could last up to ten years as the Roots and Soul search for a permanent home. Lindsay Barenz, Oakland Roots and Soul president, stated that both locations present challenges but there is no way to avoid them. BART and highway access are both available at the Coliseum site. Alameda, however, allows fans to travel by ferry to the Alameda site. Dones' African American Sports & Entertainment Group, (AASEG), was granted exclusive negotiating rights by the city of Oakland in 2021 to lease or purchase the Coliseum site on 130 acres for redevelopment. Dones stated to the Business Times, "You know, I am rooting in support of the Roots. AASEG, we are rooting in support of the Roots." Built in 1966, the Oakland Coliseum has hosted soccer teams including the San Jose Earthquakes. Dones stated that there is enough space for the Roots to be accommodated at the Coliseum. AASEG announced in November a partnership with The Town FC, an Oakland-based semi-professional soccer team, to bid for a National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchise. Laney College will continue to host The Roots and Soul until a new home is found, according to the club.