By Mauricio Segura August 16, 2025
Photo: GBT Graphics
Some nights in sports don’t just spark, they ignite. March 22, 2025 was one of those nights. In a stunning all Oakland moment, the Oakland Roots turned the once empty Coliseum into a cauldron of noise, identity and hope. A sell out crowd of 26,575 fans packed the stands, tailgating, chanting, drumming and breathing life back into an arena long abandoned by the A’s and Raiders.
The Roots may have lost 1–2 to San Antonio FC, but in the hearts of fans, they won big. That game wasn’t just a soccer match, it was a statement. The Coliseum, once plagued by neglect and a crumbling reputation, suddenly felt alive again. After years of schlepping to cramped campuses at Laney College or CSU East Bay, this was Oakland’s team finally laying roots in its own backyard.
But heady openers only matter if you can follow them up. Next home game? 7,077 fans showed up, still the second highest attendance in club history. Not quite a volcanic eruption, but a steady heat that proves the crowd wasn’t just a one night curiosity.
On balance, attendance is sky high. The Roots are averaging around 8,780 fans per game, nearly double their 2024 figure of about 4,000. That’s not just good, it’s seismic for a club that has struggled for consistency. The Coliseum seats 15,000 for soccer, but that opener tapped into the cavernous energy of a big stage, something those small college venues quietly stole from them.
Of course, a cavernous 63,000 seat stadium has the power to swallow smaller crowds whole. The club has been smart, generally opening only the lower bowls and expanding capacity when demand surges. That opener cracked the 15,000 capacity and pushed it out to 26,000 to meet the thirst for tickets.
Oakland isn’t just buying tickets, they’re buying into identity. At that opener, rap legend Too Short brought the vibe at halftime, and every chant felt like a civic liturgy. The field itself lives on Rickey Henderson’s legacy. This city’s legends live here too, in spirit as much as in grit.
If you peek at the stats, the Roots aren’t exactly dominating on the pitch. Through much of the season, their record has them hovering in the lower echelon of the USL Championship table, fighting to stay in the mix. But in a league where every seat filled is a battle won, the Roots are doing very well.
Looking ahead, the Coliseum is a perfectly imperfect stopgap. There’s serious chatter about a modular stadium on nearby lots or the long term hope of a soccer specific home somewhere in Oakland. For now, the Coliseum is giving them space, identity and scale. It’s loud, passionate and unapologetically Oakland.
So how’s 2025 going? Much better than the years that preceded it. Attendance isn’t just up, it’s doubled. The fans showed up, the stands hum, and while wins matter, restoring belief may just be the biggest victory. Keep that energy alive, fix the pitch, and Oakland just might own this stadium again.
