Park & Battery’s co-founder and CEO, Ted Kohnen, has joined the ownership group of the Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul, men’s and women’s teams that seek to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sports as a force for social good.
Investing in the future of Bay Area community and sports culture
The Oakland Roots Sports Club is the first purpose-driven professional sports team in the US. It was founded in 2019 and has since launched a women’s team, the Oakland Soul. The club’s commitment to advancing social justice has been central to its emergence as one of the fastest-growing brands in American sports, attracting investors such as NFL star-turned-entrepreneur Marshawn Lynch and recording artist G-Eazy.
“We’re thrilled to have Ted join the ownership group and be a part of this movement we are creating in Oakland and beyond. We are building a successful and sustainable pro soccer club to drive social impact and create pride in Oakland, be competitive and entertaining on the field, and be a world-leading model for community-focused development through sport,” said President Lindsay Barenz. “With a passion for sports and the community, Ted is a great fit within the ownership group and the entire organization.”
“I’m proud and excited to be a part of this remarkable organization that is dedicated to social good through the power of sports,” said the new investor, Ted Kohnen. “With our HQ in Oakland and as a Bay Area resident, I’ve seen the remarkable impact that Oakland Roots and Soul are having on the local community, and how they’re inspiring fans nationwide. When I was approached by the club, I knew I had to be a part of it.”
“We were very intentional in choosing to base our agency in Oakland,” Ted adds. “The energy, the creativity, and the spirit of The Town felt like exactly what we needed to build a thriving creative enterprise like Park & Battery.”
“With our HQ in Oakland and as a Bay Area resident, I’ve seen the remarkable impact that Oakland Roots and Soul are having on the local community, and how they’re inspiring fans nationwide. When I was approached by the club, I knew I had to be a part of it.”
Bringing our passion to the pitch
Ted is a life-long sports fan and competitive athlete, having run cross country and track and field at Dickinson College, and he has completed the New York City Marathon three times. As a dot com founder in the early 2000s, he launched the first digital coaching service for athletes, which he grew from a living room in Pennsylvania to offices in New York and Boston and customers around the world.
Ted says the intersection of his passions, as well as the recent loss of Oakland sports institutions, fueled his decision to join: “The Warriors moved to San Francisco, the Raiders moved to Las Vegas, and the A’s may follow. It breaks my heart to see such beloved teams go, and to see the impact that this will have on our fans and our economy. Investing in the Oakland Roots and Soul is an opportunity to help preserve and expand the traditions of professional sports in Oakland, while also advancing community development via the organization’s robust social impact programs. At the same time, I’ve coached my daughters’ soccer teams and fallen deeply in love with the sport in the process. Being a part of these teams means everything to me.”
The “pitch” usually has a very different meaning for us at P&B – but you can bet we’ll be bringing our same passion to supporting Ted’s club on their pitch. We’re Roots and Soul, all the way. #LFG
