Oakland Panthers

The Oakland Panthers are a professional indoor football team based in Oakland, California.  They are a member of the Indoor Football League and are set to begin play in 2020 at Oakland Arena.   The Panthers are co-owned by Oakland native and NFL All-Pro running back, Marshawn Lynch, and by Roy Choi, who also owns the IFL's Cedar Rapids River Kings and San Diego Strike Force. 

The Panthers are Oakland's first arena/indoor football team, as well as the Bay Area's first since the San Jose SaberCats, who played in the Arena Football League from  until , and again from  until , winning four ArenaBowl championships.  They also ensured that pro football remained in Oakland after the National Football League's Oakland Raiders moved to Las Vegas in 2020, and that the Oakland Arena maintained a primary tenant after the Golden State Warriors moved to San Francisco in the 2019–20 season. 

History
On April 17, 2019, it was first reported that Roy Choi was in talks to bring an expansion Indoor Football League (IFL) team to Oakland for the 2020 season.  Choi had previously purchased the Cedar Rapids River Kings and launched the expansion San Diego Strike Force in the IFL. 

The Panthers were officially announced as an IFL expansion team on September 10, 2019, along with their logo, color scheme, and coaching staff by co-owners Roy Choi and former NFL All-Pro running back Marshawn Lynch.  The Panthers name references the indigenous Bay Area cougar, Oakland's involvement in the rise of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s, and the blockbuster Oscar-winning Marvel Studios movie Black Panther, directed by Oakland native Ryan Coogler.  A team of the same name had originally been announced to play in the proposed Freedom Football League in December 2018, though no news had come from that league after the initial announcement.  Because of the rising cost of living in the Bay Area, the Panthers will provide lodging and meals to their players in addition to their regular salary. 

Head coach Kurt Bryan is best known for devising the A-11 offense. 

Current roster

Current staff

Broadcasting
On February 27, 2020, it was announced that the radio home of the team would be KNBR AM 1050 out of San Mateo.  KBCW broadcasts all home games on television.  Dave Lewis is the play by play voice on the television broadcasts with Arena Football League Hall of Famer Darren Arbet on color commentary.  Scott Reiss calls the games on radio. 

References

External links
 

Category:American football teams in the San Francisco Bay Area
Category:Indoor Football League teams
Category:Sports teams in Oakland, California
Category:American football teams established in 2019
Category:2019 establishments in California