Bay FC is playing its home games in the South Bay, but the club’s new training facility will be in the middle of the San Francisco Bay.
The team announced Tuesday that it plans to build a new privately financed training ground on Treasure Island, the human-made island built in the 1930s.
Construction is expected to begin next year and the team aims to operate from the facility beginning in 2027. The site will feature three full-size soccer fields, as well as team offices and player amenities.
“Having a permanent dedicated space that is built specifically for our players and football operations staff will allow us to continue to attract the best national and international talent and continue our club’s mission of being a catalyst for innovation and change for our athletes and the community,” team CEO Brady Stewart said in a release announcing the move.
The team intends to lease 8.5 acres on the island, which is already undergoing major redevelopment to make it more residential with housing, sporting fields and other neighborhood amenities.
“This also is another major success for Treasure Island, a future neighborhood that will be home to thousands of people, thriving businesses, iconic views, and now a new soccer destination that will bring together our professional players and community from across the Bay Area,” said San Francisco Mayor London Breed, whose city includes the island.
Stewart said last week at Sports Business Journal’s DRIVE Conference that Bay FC is still aiming to build its own stadium.
Bay FC has played games in its inaugural season at San Jose’s PayPal Park, owned by the San Jose Earthquakes. Bay has trained at San Jose State during the 2024 season, but that arrangement was billed from the start as temporary; the club renovated the Spartans’ former visiting football locker room at an estimated cost of $2 million.
The team has not announced where it will play home games after 2024. Breed last summer floated the idea of building a stadium in downtown San Francisco on the site of the Westfield mall on Market Street, where several big-box stores have closed, citing the rise of online shopping and security concerns in the downtown area.
On the field, Bay is in the middle of a playoff battle, tied for the final spot in the NWSL’s playoffs with five games remaining.
Originally Published: September 24, 2024 at 11:54 a.m.
