If you build it, they will come…
…and on a record-breaking day at Oracle Park, they came in numbers. 40,091 fans filled the ballpark and proved Bay FC is, in fact, Built for the Moment.
On August 23, Bay FC and San Francisco forged a resounding bond at Oracle Park and turned a single match into a shared piece of history. Fans came from all corners of the Bay and waved their commemorative Bay FC poppy flags in support of their home team. Although the club fell 3-2 against Washington Spirit, Bay FC gained far more. They won the heart of San Francisco, and with it, the promise of even greater moments ahead.
The Show Begins Before Kickoff
The ballpark gates opened at 11:00 a.m. PT, two hours before Bay FC’s kickoff. Upon arrival, fans were greeted with free, exclusive Bay FC poppy flags as their first memento of the event. The Show at Oracle Park, presented by Visa, guaranteed fans excitement long before the first whistle. A full slate of pre-match entertainment and activities created a sense of anticipation toward the main event on the pitch. Fans played games, walked around the festive concourse and jammed out to Mistah F.A.B., Junie Ma and DJ Shellheart.
Tailor Made for the Ballpark
Bay FC partnered with Levi’s and brought an elevated look to the players arrivals. Select players arrived on match day in custom Levi’s outfits for their walk-ins, spotlighting the new partnership.
Check out how Levi’s styled Bay FC at Oracle Park:
More Than Spectators
Bay FC aimed to blur the line between the ballpark and the stands. Their goal was to invite attendees to step inside the history while it was being written. Fans weren’t simply spectators at the match; they were woven into the event itself.
Supporters joined the players on the pitch and shared the same stage where some of the top NWSL players etched their legacy. Fans watched warmups from the sidelines and stood hand-in-hand with the players during the national anthem. Others gained a behind-the-scenes perspective when they stood steps away from the Bay FC players as they walked out to the crowd’s collective chants. After the match, fans connected directly with their idols by collecting autographs and taking photos with players, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
The mutual moments between the players and the supporters truly defined the day and transformed The Show at Oracle Park from an event to be watched into an experience to be lived.
Bay Area Legends at Halftime
When the crowd took a collective breath for halftime, Bay Area icons P-Lo and Too $hort took center stage. Instead of a lull, halftime became the centerpiece of the event. The artists enriched the ballpark with Bay Area hits that brought the crowd to its feet. The performance of Bay Area hip-hop classics was an authentic homage to the city’s renowned music scene and a nod to the community in the stands.
A Match Worthy of the Moment
Bay FC kicked off against Washington Spirit at 1 p.m. PT during a sun-drenched 66-degree day. An iconic setting paired with the camaraderie of a record-breaking crowd created an exhilarating atmosphere, and Bay FC delivered a performance worthy of it.
Bay FC fell behind early with goals from Washington Spirit’s Kate Wiesner and Croix Bethune and a third goal scored just before halftime. But Bay FC refused to fold. Racheal Kundananji put Bay FC on the board by heading home a Caroline Conti free kick just before halftime. And following the break, Kelli Hubly headed in her first goal of the season to bring the team within striking distance.
Bay FC dominated possession in the second half and outcrossed Washington Spirit as they tried to create chance after chance. They pressed hard for an equalizer and tallied more total shots and shots on target than their opponent. Bay Area native Joelle Anderson helped nearly tie the match late with a long-range strike. Goalkeeper Jordan Silkowitz even joined the attack in the final minutes and headed a cross toward goal in what looked like a potential equalizer, only to be denied by a last-second save from Washington Spirit’s goalkeeper. Though the scoreboard read 3-2 in favor of the visitors, Bay FC’s performance demonstrated their resilience and refusal to quit.
“The team never gave up, and that’s something you have to be proud of as a coaching staff and as an organization,” said Head Coach Albertin Montoya.
The Beginning of Something Bigger
The Show at Oracle Park will be remembered not only for the match, but for the atmosphere that made the ballpark feel like home to women’s soccer. For the players, that atmosphere was impossible to miss and fueled them with every second on the clock.
“Anytime you get a chance to play in front of 40,000 people, its incredible. We just wanted to put on a good show, show up for our fans and do the best we possibly could,” said forward Caroline Conti.
What set the day apart was how seamlessly sport and community came together. Bay FC discovered the magnitude of its support with every wave of the flag. The Show at Oracle Park lived up to its name and became a memory shared by thousands of Bay Area fans.
While the match came to a close on August 23, the true scale of Bay FC’s legacy has only just begun. And it stretches far beyond the 40,091 fans who entered through Oracle Park’s turnstiles on that history-making afternoon.
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