Welcome, Bay FC.
That's the name for the Bay Area's newest professional sports team, a National Women's Soccer League expansion club.
The Bay Area club is the 14th in the NWSL and will begin play in 2024. It was created by a powerhouse team of women, led by Aly Wagner, along with fellow Santa Clara University and U.S. soccer legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne and Danielle Slaton.
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During a virtual announcement Wednesday, Wagner said the founding members landed on Bay FC – Bay Football Club in its entirety – because it's a name that represents the region as a whole.
"We, as you can imagine, went through an exploration where we looked at a lot of names. We did," Wagner said. "And the one thing we kept coming back to and the focus of our group was on this idea of uniting the Bay."
The club's colors are dark navy blue, warm poppy red and fog gray. The logo is a capital "B" with a spine that resembles a tower on the Golden Gate Bridge.
"We really started with this idea of bridges really defining the Bay as beautiful pillars of strength that will connect us all," Osborne said. "We brought together the 'B' in Bay and bridge images to land on the Bay FC logo, which is a representation of the Bay Area's unique culture and style. This draws inspiration from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. The gothic lettering is representative with the Bay's impressive street art scene."
As for where the team will play, that will be announced at a later date. Speculation is that soccer-specific PayPal Park – home of the San Jose Earthquakes of Major League Soccer – is the most likely option.
The "Founding Four" partnered with San Francisco-based Sixth Street investment firm and former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg in making a $125 million investment, which the firm says is the largest for a pro women’s team.
"We want Bay FC to change more than just women’s soccer," Wagner said. "We want to be a symbol of strength and confidence for all people to see a vision of what their future can be and set an example for sports franchises across the globe."
The team’s public launch is being billed "FC Day for the Bay," and it’s open to everyone. The event will be held at The Presidio in San Francisco from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
Fans hoping to purchase merchandise and put down a deposit on season tickets are encouraged to visit bayfc.com.
"We want to be the best and I feel like that is the part of how we show up everyday, and that is our soul and reason for being," Chastain said.
