Today! AASEG Announces Press Conference and Juneteenth Celebration of Proposal to Bring WNBA Team to Oakland

Hello Neighbor,

Today, I will join the African American Sports and Entertainment Group (AASEG) and several community leaders, in a celebration of Juneteenth and AASEG proposal to bring a Women's National Basketball Association (“WNBA”) team to the Oakland Arena.

WHEN: 12 noon - Friday, June 18, 2021

WHERE: Everett & Jones BBQ, 126 Broadway, Jack London Square, Oakland, CA

WHO: African American investors, civic leaders, local businesses, community advocates, and city representatives who will share details on the push to return pro sports to Oakland Arena, securing a Woman-led WNBA Team.

Bobbitt, AASEG’s spokesperson and key executive, will be joined by:

• Cathy Adams, Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce
• Amber Blackwell and Khariyyah Shabazz, Higher Ground Neighborhood Development Corp.
• Mario Wagner with African American Contractors
• Robert Bobb, Strategic Consultant, The Robert Bobb Group LLC
• Honorable Nate Miley, District 4, Board of Supervisors, Alameda County
• Honorable Rebecca Kaplan, Vice Mayor City of Oakland
• Honorable Noel Gallo, District 5 Councilmember, City of Oakland
• Oakland NAACP

WHAT: The African American Sports and Entertainment Group (“AASEG”), will commemorate this year’s Juneteenth celebration by honoring ancestors and their struggles for a better way of life for future generations, evidenced with progressive movement toward bringing a WNBA team to Oakland, Raymond “Ray” Bobbitt confirmed. AASEG will honor the occasion in true Texas tradition featuring a BBQ luncheon and press event.

AASEG’s due diligence includes meeting with more than 30 community groups of faith-based institutions, labor organizations, civic leaders, and job development organizations: all uniformly backing the mission of AASEG’s economic development plan.

Bearing out AASEG’s “Community First” commitment, collaborative discussions have begun with Lincoln University (LU), who recently named NBA Hall of Fame point guard and Oakland native, Gary Payton as its Men’s Basketball head coach. LU, established in 1919, sees tremendous benefit in utilizing the Oakland Arena as a home court venue for its sports teams, according to President Mikhail Brodsky and Athletic Director Desmond Gumbs, placing priority on its sports department. Equally, the university shares enthusiasm at the prospect of AASEG bringing a WNBA team to the Oakland Arena.

AASEG has already cleared a major hurdle in their quest to purchase 50% interest of the Oakland Arena, when the City Council Rules Committee voted to advance the AASEG Term Sheet to full City Council for vote before the summer recess.

Awarding the City’s largest public land site for development to an Oakland-based African American development group would be a first in City’s 169-year history--a sure sign of progress and a most befitting goal to highlight during the Juneteenth celebration.