The Oakland Ballers said Wednesday the team has passed $1 million in investments from more than 1,600 fans, who are mostly from the Bay Area.
The independent league baseball team, in its first year of existence in the independent Pioneer League, opened ownership to fans on Aug. 21.
The team said, in the first 48 hours of the campaign last week, a fan invested and joined ownership every 3.5 minutes.
"We are truly overwhelmed by our fans' incredible support -- our success shows that fans are hungry for a different kind of ownership model -- one where they truly have a voice," said Paul Freedman, Ballers' co-founder. "We're not just building a team; we're building a community where fans are partners, decision-makers, and integral to the future of the Oakland Ballers."
The team said interested fans should act quickly as the round will close when the team hits the $1.235 million limit and investments are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
The offering is done through DealMaker's state-of-the-art tech platform. Investors can participate by visiting invest.oaklandballers.com and can execute their transaction within a secure, private platform.
"Our goal was to challenge the traditional ownership structure and make sure our fans are heard," said Bryan Carmel, Ballers co-founder. "We're thrilled to see how quickly people have embraced the chance to own a piece of the team. This isn't just about buying shares; it's about being part of something bigger--giving fans the power to shape the future of the team they love. Fan owners will have the opportunity to control the game through the Ballers' partnership with Fan Controlled Sports. Leading up to and during the Ballers' Fan Appreciation Day game at 6:35 p.m. Aug. 31 at Oakland's Raimondi Park, fans can download an app and vote on key game day decisions, including choosing the Ballers' starting lineup, making pitch selections in critical game situations, and helping to set game day strategy."
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Fans can also participate in predictive picks and polls, such as guessing the total number of home runs hit in the game, for a chance to win unique prizes, including signed game merchandise and the opportunity to join the team in the dugout for an inning.
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