Oakland is a great sports city. You could argue that Oakland is the greatest sports city in the world without any “major” sports teams. Case in point: the NFL and the Bay Area Host Committee have designated Oakland as the site for the Bay Area’s only official Super Bowl LX watch party on Sunday, February 8th.
“We are inviting the world to once again fall in love with our Town,” Mayor Barbara Lee said at a press conference announcing the free BAHC Live! Festival, organized by the Bowl’s Bay Area Host Committee alongside the mayor’s office, the Visit Oakland tourism board, and the Oakland Sports Group (a collective launched last year including the Oakland Ballers, Oakland Roots, Oakland Soul, the Oakland Marathon, the Oakland 68’s, and Oaklandish).
“If there’s one thing Oakland knows how to do, it’s throw a dang good party,” said Councilmember Charlene Wang, who represents District 2, where the February event will be held. The event will include a “fan zone” outside Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts with live music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities starting at 11 am.
The party moves indoors at 3:30 pm where 1,400 ticketed guests will watch the big game on a big screen in the historic Calvin Simmons Theatre. The entire event is free, but tickets must be reserved online.
The event also aims to shine a light on Oakland as a proud sports town with a unique history.
From 1971 to 1976, Oakland was home to sports teams in all four major sports leagues: the Oakland Raiders of the NFL, Oakland Athletics of MLB, the Golden State Warriors of the NBA, and the California Golden Seals of the NHL, the latter of which were the first to leave (to Cleveland, of all places).
There have been ups and downs since 1976, including the Raiders’ breakup, reconciliation, and then final divorce with Oakland. With the contentious departure of the A’s to Sacramento last season, The Town lost our last major sports franchise. But we haven’t lost our major sports fandom.
There are still several professional and semipro teams to root for across Oakland in many sports: the reigning champion Oakland Ballers in baseball, the Oakland Roots and Soul in soccer, the Oakland Swish in basketball, the Bay Area Falcons and Oakland Spiders in Ultimate Frisbee, the Oakland Outlaws and BAD All-Stars in roller derby, and soon, in their inaugural season, the Golden State Storm in football.
Even though mid-winter finds us in the offseason for all these teams, plenty is happening. Here is your guide on what is coming up in Oakland sports, because Oakland is still, as the Chamber of Commerce once called us, a Big League City.
Upcoming sports eventsJanuary
January 24: Golden State Storm tackle football tryouts
9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Skyline High School, 12250 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619
Are you a woman who wants to play professional tackle football? Register for the tryouts for Oakland’s newest professional team.
January 24: Join the Oakland Ballers to clean up the Oakland Estuary
8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Jack London Aquatic Center, 115 Embarcadero, Oakland, CA 94607
Join *I Heart Oakland Alameda Estuary* and the “Ballunteers” to clean up the estuary for MLK Day of Service – by land or by sea. There are more details on the registration page about how to rent a kayak. Registered volunteers will receive tickets to an Oakland Ballers game.
January 25: Golden State Storm *flag* football tryouts
10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Skyline High School, 12250 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619
Are you a woman who wants to play professional flag football? In addition to the Storm’s tackle football team, they will field a flag football team that will play in tournaments. Register for the tryouts.
January 31: Join the Oakland Ballers at the Food Bank
12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., Alameda County Community Food Bank, 7900 Edgewater Dr, Oakland, CA 94621
Join the “Ballunteers” to sort food at the Alameda County Community Food Bank. Registered volunteers will receive tickets to an Oakland Ballers game.
February
February 1: Oakland Spiders tryouts
12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Location to be announced
Are you a man interested in playing professional ultimate frisbee? Then register for the Oakland Spiders 2026 tryouts to see if you have what it takes to play with the best in the Ultimate Frisbee Association.
February 6: Divine 9/HBCU Flag Football Classic
3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Laney College, 900 Fallon Street, Oakland, CA 94607
In collaboration with the NFL, for Super Bowl week, HBCU Endzone is holding its annual Classic, celebrating the spirit of HBCUs and the legacy of the Divine Nine. HBCU Endzone is a nonprofit organization that provides a broad array of services to current and recent students of Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as to the institutions themselves.
Join Mayor Barbara Lee and Council President Kevin Jenkins for a tribute to Coach John Beam as well as food and flag football. General admission is free. Individuals and teams need to pay to register to play in the flag football tournament. There are still available spots for food trucks and exhibitors.
February 6: Join “The People’s Watch Party” for Oakland v. Oakland Tech
5:30 pm, Oakland High School, 1023 MacArthur Blvd, Oakland, CA 94610
Join The People’s Watch Party to watch the Oakland Tech girls basketball team take on Oakland High Wildcats in community with other women’s basketball fans.
The People’s Watch Party is a collaboration of Women’s All B-Ball, Watch Her Ball, and Donut Time Designs that organizes high-energy outings to local college and high school games in addition to watch parties for WNBA, Unrivaled, and NCAA games at Xingones restaurant.
February 7: Complex Family Style Food Fest
12 p.m. to 8 p.m., Oakland Arena, 7000 S Coliseum Way, Oakland, CA 94621
For Super Bowl week, Complex is bringing the Family Style Food Fest to Oakland. Expect curated food stands, streetwear and designer merchandise, a kid’s area, and live music. Tickets go on sale soon.
February 7: Girls flag football clinic with the Golden State Storm
9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Oakland Technical High School, 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
The Golden State Storm is bringing professional women’s tackle football to the Bay Area. Before the season even starts, in partnership with Dove Beauty, the Storm Ahead Foundation will be co-hosting a free flag football clinic for Super Bowl week.
The Get Her Back camp will host 200 girls who will be coached and mentored by Storm players and Women’s National Football Conference president, Odessa Jenkins. There are a limited number of spots left for girls ages 6-18 to sign up.
February 8: BAHC Live! Fan Zone and Super Bowl Watch Party
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fan Zone, 3:30p.m. Watch Party, Henry J Kaiser Center for the Arts, 10 – 10th St, Oakland, CA 94607
The Bay Area Host Committee, with partners from the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, Visit Oakland, and the Oakland Sports Group, is holding a free, family-friendly outdoor festival with music, activities, and food vendors at the newly renovated Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts along Lake Merritt.
The festival will be followed by an indoor Super Bowl watch party on a big screen in the Calvin Simmons Theatre. This is the only official Super Bowl watch party in Northern California. Tickets are free with RSVP.
February 28: The Oakland Freedom Run and Wellness Festival
Starts at 8 a.m., Raimondi Park, 1689 20th St, Oakland, CA 94607
The Black Panther Party Alumni Legacy Network (BPPALN) and the Oakland Ballers present the 2026 Freedom Run, starting and ending at Raimondi Park, the home of the Ballers.
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Black Panther Party, on the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, the 5k run raises money for BPPALN. There will also be a wellness festival with free health screenings, food, massage, haircuts, clothing, toys, and hygiene supplies. Registration is open now.
February 28: Roller Derby Scrimmage & Fundraiser
11 a.m., California Historical Radio Society (CHRS) 2152 Central Ave, Alameda, CA 94501
You don’t have to wait until the official season kicks off in April to watch roller derby up close and personal. The Oakland Outlaws and other Bay Area Derby teams are getting ready to open a new practice facility in East Oakland. To get that warehouse ready for action, they are holding a fundraising scrimmage. You can visit their website for more details.
And a sneak peek at March
March 7: Oakland Roots season opens at Monterey Bay FC. There will also be a watch party in Oakland organized by the Oakland 68’s.
March 8: Oakland 68’s Annual Fans Fest at The Fruitvale Village
March 14: Oakland Roots home opener at the Coliseum
March 21: Eat. Learn. Play. Kids Fun Run at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts
March 22: The Oakland Marathon, 10k and 5k at Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts
March 28: Golden State Storm season opener and inaugural game at Laney College
March 28: Bay Area Falcons Ultimate Frisbee Home Opener at Fremont High School
“*” indicates required fields