Pioneer Stadium

Pioneer Stadium
Location	Hayward, California, U.S.
Coordinates	37°39′26″N 122°03′38″W / 37.6572968°N 122.0606697°W
Public transit	University Shuttle from; Hayward: G O ; AC Transit: 60
Owner	California State University, East Bay
Operator	California State University, East Bay
Capacity	5,000
Field size	118 x 75 yards
Surface	Fieldturf
Construction
Opened	1964
Renovated	2010
Construction cost	$1.9 million (renovation)
Project manager	Jim Zavagno (renovation)
Tenants
	Cal State East Bay Pioneers soccer and track & field (NCAA D-II) (1964–present); Cal State East Bay Pioneers football (NCAA D-II) (1965–1993); Golden Gate Gales (American Soccer League) (1980); Bay Area Seals (A-League) (2000); FC Gold Pride (WPS) (2010); Bay Area Breeze (W-League) (2014); East Bay FC Stompers (NPSL) (2016–present); Oakland Roots SC (USLC) (2023–present)

Pioneer Stadium is a soccer and track & field stadium owned and operated by California State University, East Bay in Hayward, California, United States. It currently hosts the East Bay Pioneers soccer and track & field teams.^[1] The stadium also hosts the East Bay FC Stompers of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) since the team's debut season at this stadium in 2016.^[2]

History

Pioneer Stadium hosted the Cal State Hayward Pioneers football (back when the school was called California State University, Hayward). While the football team has historical success, most notably the 1969 team with a 9–1 record,^[3] the team later discontinued in 1993 due to financial issues and poor attendance. Since then, the stadium and the school have been without a football team. There has been talk of bringing football back to California State University, East Bay, but the possibility of it is unclear.^[4]^[5]

In 1980, the stadium was the initial home field for the Golden Gate Gales of the American Soccer League (ASL).

In 2010, the stadium hosted the short-lived, but successful FC Gold Pride of the Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) league, until the team discontinued in November of that year.^[6]

In April, 2023, due to field conditions at Laney College Stadium, Pioneer Stadium hosted a number of USL Championship games as the home stadium of the Oakland Roots SC,^[7] in addition to the Roots' US Open Cup game on April 4 against El Farolito.^[8] On May 1, Oakland Roots announced they would play their games at Pioneer Stadium full time for the 2023 season.^[9]

Transportation

The stadium is accessible by the CSUEB Shuttle bus and AC Transit bus route 60. Both of which go from the Hayward BART Station to the bus stop next to the stadium at the intersection of Carlos Bee Blvd. and W. Loop Road.^[10]^[11]^[12]