Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo: Golden Bay Times Graphics Dept.
The Bay Area Panthers’ announcement on September 17, 2025, that the organization will enter dormancy for the 2026 Indoor Football League season reads like the closing of a book’s penultimate chapter, not quite an ending but certainly a dramatic interlude. In a heartfelt message to fans, the franchise laid bare its challenges, hopes, and gratitude to the people who made the team part of the Bay Area’s sports fabric.
First things first: dormancy is not the same as folding. It means the team will suspend competition for at least one season, with the stated intention of reassessing and ideally returning in a healthier state. The Panthers framed this pause as a strategic reset, citing rising costs, venue fees, travel expenses, and economic pressures that have created a gap between ambition and sustainability.
The statement acknowledged the franchise’s modest but meaningful legacy so far. Since their founding, the Panthers have weathered pandemic disruptions, rebranded from Oakland to the Bay Area, and built a competitive squad in the Indoor Football League. During their short run, they claimed one national championship in 2023 and made playoff appearances in 2024 and 2025.
But success on the field doesn’t always guarantee stability off it. As the Panthers explained, like many professional sports organizations, they have faced mounting operational burdens. These include rising costs, inflated venue and travel fees, and economic challenges that make maintaining a team year over year increasingly difficult.
The decision was not made lightly. It involved reflection, tough choices, and a sense of responsibility to the community and stakeholders. Their hope is that by stepping back for a season, they can reimagine and rebuild, returning later with a model better suited to long-term viability.
In thanking fans, the Panthers avoided empty clichés. They acknowledged that the people who attended in force, cheered them on, and made every game unforgettable are part of the team’s DNA. To players, coaches, staff, volunteers, and partners, the organization expressed heartfelt gratitude for their passion, dedication, and behind-the-scenes support.
Team President David Eisenberg spoke plainly, saying the franchise has always been about more than football. Its mission has included building community, cultivating talent, and offering fans something to rally around. While stepping away from the field was a difficult decision, Eisenberg said it provides a chance to return with renewed energy in a way that honors everyone who has been part of the journey.
The Panthers also emphasized their off-field commitments just as much as their on-field achievements. From affordable tickets to player outreach across the Bay Area, the franchise worked to connect with local communities and foster a sense of belonging.
For a team that often punched above its weight, this dormancy feels bittersweet. On one hand, it is a cautionary tale about the fragility of small-market professional sports. On the other, it is a hopeful gambit—a chance to regroup, rethink, and possibly reemerge stronger.
History suggests that dormancy can be perilous, as many indoor or arena teams that pause never return. Still, the Panthers are betting on renewal. They have survived big hurdles before, transitioning from their original Oakland conception, overcoming pandemic-era uncertainty, and carving a niche in an already crowded Bay Area sports market.
To fans, this moment is a crossroads. Some will hold out hope, remembering the thrilling highs the team delivered. Others may view it skeptically, wondering whether dormancy signals an inevitable fade. Either way, the Panthers are asking their community to lean into patience and belief.
As the organization put it, this pause is not the end of their story. If the Panthers can come back stronger and more sustainable, this dormancy might become the prologue to their next chapter rather than an epilogue. The ball is now in the air, waiting to land, and fans, players, and officials will all be watching where it settles.
