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A City that Loves a Winner

“Titletown USA.” That’s what Oakland has been called. And that’s because of its winners – winners on the field and on the court.

Oakland is the only city in California that has three professional sports franchises – the Oakland A’s, Oakland Raiders, and Golden State Warriors – and is one of the only cities in the country that has three pro teams playing in the same complex (McAfee Coliseum and Oracle Arena).

For more than five decades, the Oakland Raiders have been the most dominant team in professional football since Al Davis first pledged in 1963 to build one of the finest organizations in professional sports. And, from 1963 through 2003, playing in five Super Bowls, the Raiders had the best winning percentage of any team in pro football. The team has also produced five Pro Coaches of the Year and has had nearly 20 players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The 2007 baseball season marked the Athletics’ 40th year in Oakland, and the franchise has posted 24 winning seasons. They have advanced to the post-season 15 of those 40 years, won six American League championships and captured four World Series flags. Only the New York Yankees can boast a more successful track record over the same period.

The Golden State Warriors, which moved to Oakland for the 1971-72 season, won a championship in 1974-75 and have retired the numbers of five star players. And, of the list of 50 Greatest Players in National Basketball Association History, which was compiled by the NBA in 1996, six played for the Warriors, including Nate Thurmond, who is still associated with the team as a community relations ambassador.