Over 200 Supporters pack Xingones for Hysteria Sports Bar launch as Oakland’s first women’s sports bar goes official

Local officials, reps from the Golden State Valkyries, Bay FC, Oakland Soul, and Golden State Storm, Stanford and UC Berkeley turn out for women-founded venture

OAKLAND, CA, UNITED STATES, June 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Hysteria Sports Bar officially launched last night to a packed crowd of more than 200 supporters at Xingones Cantina in Oakland’s Jack London Square. The event drew local elected officials, representatives from four professional sports organizations, and leaders from two of the Bay Area’s most prominent university athletic programs, all gathering to celebrate Oakland’s first bar and restaurant dedicated to women’s sports.

Oakland Councilperson Rowena Brown was among the local officials in attendance. Representatives from the Golden State Valkyries, Bay FC, Oakland Soul, and the Golden State Storm joined the evening, reflecting the professional sports community’s support for the venture. The Stanford Alumni Association and UC Berkeley’s Women’s Basketball team were also represented, underscoring the depth of institutional interest in what Hysteria is building.

“We hoped people would show up. Over 200 did,” said co-founder Erin Waddell. “That room last night was proof that Oakland is ready for this. The energy, the community, the excitement, it confirmed everything we’ve believed from the start.”

Hysteria Sports Bar is founded by four Oakland women: Erin Waddell and Meadow Holmes (co-founders), alongside co-owners Mayra Velazquez, founder of Xingones Cantina, and Audacious Wilson, the community organizer behind the People’s Watch Party and Watch Her Ball. The event was held at Velazquez’s restaurant, where Hysteria has hosted watch parties throughout the past year and where the bar’s food program was born.

The launch caps a year of community building that has included 15 watch parties across Oakland and partnerships with Bay FC, the Bay FC Bridge Brigade, Cal Women’s Basketball, ValQueeries, American Outlaws Oakland, and other organizations. The team has grown to over 1,100 Instagram followers and 370 newsletter subscribers, all before securing a permanent location. The presence of professional sports team representatives at the launch signals a deepening relationship between Hysteria and the Bay Area’s women’s sports ecosystem.

“Seeing this many people in my restaurant, celebrating women’s sports together, is exactly why we’re doing this,” said Velazquez. “This proves people want a place to gather and watch women’s sports We’re excited to create a place all people can gather and cheer on their favorite women’s teams.”

Hysteria Sports Bar is actively scouting for an approximately 2,000-square-foot location in one of Oakland’s walkable neighborhoods and continues to raise funds through its Starting Squad campaign.

Supporters who want to help bring Oakland’s first women’s sports bar to life can contribute at givebutter.com/hysteria-sports-bar-starting-squad. Every donation goes directly toward opening the doors of a space where women’s games are always the main event.

Media Contact:

Jamie Grabert
The Consultancy Group
+1 213-479-5215
jgrabert@theconsultancygroup.co

Hysteria Sports Bar launch video

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