The Oakland Ballers have won the Pioneer League championship in just their second season since they were founded in Oakland, taking the series all the way to game five for a dramatic finish. They celebrated their record-breaking season (73-23) with a rally at Oakland City Hall and a parade around Raimondi Park on Sunday, Oct. 5.

The championship celebration started with a rally at City Hall, where a sea of fans gathered to hear representatives from the team, the city of Oakland and the state of California speak on the significance of this championship win.

Casey Pratt, the Oakland Ballers Vice President of Communications and Fan Entertainment, was the first to address the lively crowd, “This day is so special for us. It means everything because they tried to take baseball away from us in Oakland, and the fans said ‘No.’” He went on to say, “They said you can’t get anything done in Oakland. That’s wrong. We proved it. We promised a championship, we did it!”

Mayor Barbara Lee also congratulated the Ballers and the city of Oakland, “The Oakland Ballers won this championship and proved something that we all know – that Oakland doesn’t quit.” Mayor Lee continued, “So to every single player who put on that Baller’s uniform, you played hard. You played hard for a city that needed this. You played for every single child here who deserves to see champions that look like them, and who come from communities like ours and theirs.

Mayor Lee concluded her speech by presenting a proclamation declaring October 5, 2025 as Oakland Ballers Championship Day to team founders Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel. The co-founders were also gifted a symbolic key to the city, forged locally at The Crucible, a nonprofit industrial arts school located in West Oakland.

“When our children get wronged, when they’re treated unfairly, sometimes we have to tell them life’s not fair. And that’s a lesson that Oakland sports fans have told their children too often,” began Freedman. “Today, the lesson for our children is that when you do a good thing, when you go about it the right way, when you involve good people, and when you do it in the right place, magic can happen.”

Team manager, Aaron Miles; hitting coach, James Harris; and fan favorite catcher, Tyler Lozano, also took to the podium to show their appreciation for the fans in attendance, and the city at large. Also in attendance was state senator, Jesse Arreguin, an Oakland resident. “This is a great day for Oakland, it’s a great day for the East Bay, and it’s a great day for California,” he said.

After the rally concluded, fans were led by the Hyphy Bus to the nearby Raimondi Park in West Oakland for a celebratory parade. The pre-determined parade route stuck close the Baller’s home park, where fans and Bay Area residents of life gathered along the sidewalks and the surrounding green spaces in eager anticipation.

The parade was a true celebration of not just the Ballers, but East Bay culture as a whole. The Hyphy Bus led the charge, gas, breaking, and dipping its way down the street, blasting Mac Dre and other iconic Bay Area artists. What followed was a stream of beautifully maintained cars, classic and modern, carrying the championship players and prominent members of the community. Among the procession were VIP fans on foot, local dance squads, cycling clubs, and a 15 foot tall, fire breathing metalwork snail. The scene was raucous, celebratory, and above all, filled with the joy of community.

The joyous procession ended at the nearby Prescott Market, home to local favorite food offerings like Almanac Brewing and Fast Times smash burgers. Fans and families of all types packed the small outdoor area where a live band played funk and R&B classics for all to hear. The celebration carried on into the twilight hours, leaving no doubt that the city of Oakland knows how to party when given the opportunity.

With this win, the Ballers bring the first baseball championship to Oakland since the Athletics won the World Series in 1989.