Four-time WNBA All-Star and Bay Area native Sabrina Ionescu made a crowd-pleasing appearance at Bay FC’s final home match of the 2025-regular season on Oct. 17. Her presence underlined the commitment she holds for growing women’s sports in her home region. Ionescu, who was born and raised in Walnut Creek, cemented her local ties by officially joining Bay FC in March 2025 as both an investor and a commercial advisor.
Bay FC’s matchday at PayPal Park featured a range of activities. Prior to kickoff, Ionescu joined Bay FC’s legendary Founding Four—Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Danielle Slaton and Leslie Osborne—to present the official Bay FC jersey on the pitch and formally started the action by delivering the honorary game ball to center pitch. Ionescu also joined the Supporter Section at PayPal Park to participate in drumming with Bay FC’s supporter group, Bridge Brigade. The day concluded with the sporting tradition of a jersey swap with Bay FC’s captain, Tess Boade.
Ionescu engaged directly with the fans throughout the night by dishing out exclusive prizes, signing autographs and taking photos with fans during FanFest. She gave away three signed pairs of her signature Nike Sabrina 3’s. Her Nike Sabrina collection was the first signature shoe line for a female basketball player to be released as a unisex line. The success of her shoe collection is undeniable, with the Sabrina 2’s launching in 2024 and becoming the most-worn new basketball shoe across the NBA. The only shoe that’s more popular than Ionescu’s, which received 7,867 minutes worn in the 2024 NBA season, is the iconic Nike Kobe 6, which amassed 15,091 minutes worn.
Local Foundation and Global Ambition
Ionescu’s commitment to Bay FC is based directly on her personal ties and formative years spent in the Bay Area: “I’m a Bay Area kid through and through and understand the importance and significance of having a team here in The Bay.” Observing the passionate atmosphere at PayPal Park, she added, “The Bay Area loves women sports. You’re able to see that tonight with what they’re building here at Bay FC.”
Ionescu also stated that the sky’s the limit when she reflected on the wider landscape of women’s sports.
“I think we are barely scratching the surface of what we’re going to accomplish in the next five to ten years. That’s what’s really exciting. Everyone’s finally seeing and buying into how amazing it is and kind of being able to see that investment, the love, the support, the fan engagement, the community rally behind the team,” Ionescu continued.
Bay FC was pleased to welcome a generational talent to PayPal Park. Her active participation helped make the match a memorable celebration of Bay Area fans and the ongoing growth of women’s athletics.
