On March 21, Bay FC is drawing the Bay Area together for a match that honors the origins of professional women’s soccer. To understand this moment, one needs to look back 25 years.
In 2000, the Bay Area CyberRays were established as one of the founding clubs of the Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA), the first professional women’s soccer league in the United States. From the start, the club immediately made its mark on the league, inspiring generations of Bay Area fans who fell in love with the beautiful game.
In 2001, the CyberRays became the first-ever Founders Cup Champions after defeating the Atlanta Beat in a dramatic 4-2 shootout. Their win was a declaration that women’s professional soccer had arrived in the United States, that it belonged, and that the Bay Area would be at the center of it.
The CyberRays competed not just for themselves, but for every young girl watching from the stands and dreaming of one day taking the pitch as a professional athlete.
Although the CyberRays ended play in 2003, their impact on the Bay Area community never faded, laying the foundation for professional women’s soccer to thrive today. Twenty-three years later, Bay FC arrived to carry the torch forward for a new generation of Bay Area fans.
Brandi Chastain, USWNT legend and former CyberRays captain, is now a founding member of Bay FC and was instrumental in bringing professional soccer back to the region. She understands that the impact of soccer goes well beyond the pitch
When asked what that night will look like, Chastain didn’t hesitate: “we’ll look into the stands at the thousands of fans, young girls and remember those who aren’t here any longer and be filled with an enormous debt of gratitude to all of them for their fandom and continued passion to this day for Bay FC and women’s soccer.”
Bay FC exists because of what the CyberRays started, and that legacy is the spirit of the Women’s Empowerment Match at PayPal Park.
Women’s Empowerment Match at PayPal Park, March 21
Bay FC is proud to commemorate the 2001 CyberRays’ championship during Women’s Empowerment Match against in-state rival Angel City FC. The evening will begin with an exciting pre-match ceremony honoring the Women’s Coaching Alliance and the Bay Area Women’s Sports Initiative (BAWSI) for their commitment to advancing opportunities for women and girls in sports.
Fans can enjoy pre-match performances by local dance companies Volaré Studios and On One Studios. At halftime, Bay FC will honor the 2001 San Jose CyberRays on the field, in front of the fans who never stopped believing in what they started.
On the pitch, Bay FC takes on Angel City FC in a fierce NorCal SoCal rivalry. Two passionate fanbases, two talented rosters, and one lively atmosphere at PayPal Park.
Heading into its third season, the momentum surrounding Bay FC is something truly special. Every fan who walks through those gates is part of a movement the CyberRays helped ignite over two decades ago.
Join Bay FC at PayPal Park on March 21 for a celebration of the past, the present, and the future of women’s soccer in the Bay Area. The legends paved the way. Show up and let them know it meant everything.
