Bay FC is celebrating diversity, inclusion, and a shared love for football along with dad-inspired activations when the club takes on Utah Royals FC on Father’s Day at PayPal Park
San Francisco (June 11, 2024) – Bay FC, the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), will celebrate Pride Month at the club’s home match on Sunday, June 16 as the team takes on fellow expansion club Utah Royals FC at 7 p.m. PDT. In addition to Pride, fathers across the Bay Area can end their special day by spending time with family and enjoying endless entertainment at PayPal Park.
“We are so excited to celebrate Pride and honor the LGBTQIA+ community as so many of our fans, staff, players, and community partners are active members and allies,” said CEO Brady Stewart. “The Bay Area is such an inclusive and diverse place that celebrating this community happens every match, but being able to dedicate a specific game to its members is a special moment for our club. We are also excited to celebrate Father’s Day and thank all of the dads whose support is paramount not only to women’s sports but to their families and communities as well.”
Pride Night will provide fun for all with added Father’s Day activations showcasing just a few of the LGBTQIA+-owned small businesses and community members. These events include:
- Tailgating with Bay FC Supporters Groups Pre-Match: The most dedicated of fans can tailgate with Bay FC’s two supporter groups – Bridge Brigade and Big Poppies – or S.F. Spikes, an LGBTQIA+ led, non-profit soccer club beginning at 3:30 p.m. Dads can enjoy special Father’s Day events with Big Poppies, the Supporter Group led by dads, which will feature multiple live DJ’s including DJ Jay Sumabat plus father/son duo Lord Blakely and DJ Rock. The Big Poppies will also have their popular supporter scarves on sale.
- Pumping up the Crowd with the FanFest Stage: Entertainment abounds at the FanFest stage where fans can watch a drag show, laugh with a Big Poppies-led dad joke contest, and recognize S.F. Spikes for the non-profit’s work in the community pre-match.
- Grabbing Cheer Cards at the Spirit Station: B Loud, B Proud co-branded S.F. Spikes and Bay FC cheer cards will be available at the Spirit Station to use while cheering on Bay FC players during the match.
- Cheering on Bay FC Players While They Sport Pride Jerseys: Fans can cheer on Bay FC while they warm up in custom pre-match tops hand-designed for NWSL players across the league by queer visual artist Sophia Yeshi and during the match with special-edition Pride jerseys.
- Honoring Local LGBTQIA+ Community Members: Bay FC will recognize influential LGBTQIA+ community members of the Bay Area throughout the match on the videoboard.
- Spreading the Love at the Free Mom Hugs Booth: Fans who want to initiate a hug can do so at the Free Mom Hugs booth which will be located in the FanFest station pre-match.
- Listening to the National Anthem: Members of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus will be performing the National Anthem.
- Watching Competitions at Halftime: S.F. Spikes players will put on a competition that fans won’t want to miss during halftime.
- Buying the Latest Bay FC Pride Merchandise: Fans who haven’t already purchased the latest Pride Collection will be able to peruse the hottest trends at the match. Ten percent of net profits from the sale of Pride Collection items will go to LYRIC, a local center for LGBTQIA+ youth.
In addition to the above, Bay FC will be giving away special-edition Pride Pins to the first 2,000 fans in attendance. Fans who are not part of the first 2,000 through the gates will be able to purchase in-venue at all of the merchandise locations inside PayPal Park, while supplies last.
Bay FC is hosting its inaugural home season at PayPal Park in San Jose and tickets are now available for purchase at bayfc.com. Fans can also follow @wearebayfc on social channels for more exciting announcements to come.
About Bay Football Club
Bay Football Club (Bay FC) is the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area and the 14th team to join the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). Bay FC was established in April 2023 and co-founded by USWNT legends Brandi Chastain, Leslie Osborne, Danielle Slaton, and Aly Wagner in partnership with global investment firm Sixth Street and an investor group of leading tech, business and sports executives. Sixth Street’s investment is the largest institutional investment to date in a women’s professional sports franchise. Bay FC is changing the face of women’s soccer as we know it. Beginning play in the 2024 season, we are building a squad that will play the beautiful game with power, passion, energy, and creativity. Tickets are now on sale for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
