Fans react as Oakland Roots’ future at Coliseum remains uncertain after unpaid rent dispute

By CBS Bay Area

For generations, the Oakland Coliseum has been where the city’s biggest sports memories were made. Now, one of the last professional sports teams still calling the venue home is facing an uncertain future.

The Oakland Roots soccer club took on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at the Coliseum this weekend, but the match came just one day after a tense meeting over nearly $1.4 million in unpaid rent and fees.

Even though the Roots have only played at the Coliseum a short time, many fans say the team is rooted right where it belongs.

“I’ve been going here since I was like five years old, so it’s like my dad would always take me here. Shout out to my dad. And it’s just like, just, I don’t know, I get emotional sometimes talking about this is my — this is my roots,” fan Jose Rodriguez said.

Supporters say they don’t want to see the Roots leave the Coliseum because of the history and culture the venue represents.

“A lot of community comes together… a lot of good memories are here,” another fan, Iliana Medina, said. “We just saw they were having a dance battle. That’s only something I feel like you get in Oakland. It’s definitely rooted in Oakland.”

But while fans celebrated ahead of the weekend’s game, the mood was far less festive at the Coliseum Authority’s meeting one day earlier. Board members clashed over the club’s finances, with one exchange growing heated between officials.

“Some members of this board felt blindsided. I felt duped,” said Henry Gardner, executive director of the Association of Bay Area Governments.

Executives overseeing the Coliseum’s budget say the Roots are behind on rent, owing nearly $1.4 million.

“The first payment was due by noon two days ago,” said Gardner.

Eventually, both sides reached a temporary agreement, allowing the Roots to stay on the field while negotiations continue on. But the club has also said this is expected to be its final year playing at the Coliseum, citing the high cost of operating the aging stadium.

For supporters, keeping the club in Oakland matters just as much as keeping it at the Coliseum.

“It’s really nice for us to all come together,” Medina said. “It’s really sad that it’s ending now.”

Whether the Roots ultimately stay at the Coliseum or find another home, fans say Oakland has already lost too many teams — and they’re hoping this one can keep its roots where they believe it belongs.

“I feel like we always got to have an Oakland team here,” said Rodriguez. “I feel like it brings inspiration to everyone here.”

The Roots say they’ve paid for this weekend’s game and plan to repay the remaining debt by the end of the season.