San Francisco (Dec. 11, 2023) – Bay FC, the new women’s professional soccer franchise representing the Bay Area in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), is hosting a Watch Party in Oakland, CA for the NWSL Expansion Draft, in partnership with Women’s Sports Takeover, on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 4 p.m. PST. The Bridge Brigade, Bay FC’s Supporter Group, is also hosting a Watch Party for the Expansion Draft in San Jose, CA.
Join us at our Watch Parties to celebrate new players drafted to the club and get excited for non-stop action, heart-pounding goals, and unforgettable memories which are sure to come. There will be exclusive Bay FC giveaways available to win through fun games and Bay FC merchandise for sale available on-site. For the Watch Party in Oakland, Bay FC is partnering with Women’s Sports Takeover. The Bridge Brigade will be activating the Watch Party in San Jose. For full details on each event, please visit www.bayfc.com/all-events/.
WHEN: Friday, December 15, 2023, 3:30 p.m. PST Doors | 4 p.m. PST Draft
WHERE: Fluid510, 1544 Broadway, Oakland (Family Friendly until 8:00 p.m.) & JTown Pizza Co., 625 N 6th St., San Jose (Family Friendly)
About the NWSL Expansion Draft
Bay FC is entering its first season in the NWSL and will have the first pick in the 2024 NWSL Expansion Draft, airing live on CBS Sports Network. Coverage begins at 4 p.m. PST and the “Attacking Third” women’s soccer show will also provide additional coverage and analysis during the week of the expansion draft on CBS Sports Golazo Network and across @AttackingThird social accounts.
Prior to the expansion draft, clubs will submit a list of protected and unprotected players which will be distributed to all clubs on December 12. Except as noted below, teams must designate all players as either protected, meaning they are ineligible for selection by Bay FC and Utah Royals FC in the expansion draft, or unprotected, meaning they are eligible for selection by either club, according to the following requirements:
- Teams are permitted to protect a total of nine players. All other players must be unprotected.
- A team is permitted to protect one additional player after the first expansion team selects a player from its roster.
- Unsigned unrestricted and restricted free agents are not eligible to be selected in the expansion process.
- Under-18 players are not eligible to be selected in the expansion process.
- Individuals on the Discovery List of any term are not eligible to be selected in the expansion draft.
- Players with a “no trade” clause are required to be protected by their current club.
- Teams are required to disclose to the league, along with the protected/unprotected designation, any players who a team believes will be unavailable to play by January 1, 2024, due to injury, retirement, loan, or any other reason. This information will be shared with the expansion teams.
- Each incumbent team may lose no more than two unprotected players throughout the expansion draft.
Bay FC will kick off its inaugural season in March 2024 at PayPal Park in San Jose. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC’s inaugural season and new merchandise can be purchased 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. Ticket deposits are now open for Bay FC at https://bayfc.com and fans can follow Bay FC’s social channels (@wearebayfc) for the latest news, merchandise, and events.
