# A Baseball Startup with Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel

- Show: [Oxide and Friends](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends)
- Published: 2024-04-17
- Length: 1h 13m
- Episode: 11
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel
- Listen: https://share.transistor.fm/s/a8b34a66

## Summary

Paul Freedman and Bryan Carmel, founders of the Oakland Ballers, explain how they launched a new independent baseball team in response to the Oakland Athletics' departure. They discuss the strategic decision to join the Pioneer League, the logistical challenge of launching two teams (the Ballers and the Yolo High Wheelers) to meet league requirements, and their focus on community engagement and historical reverence. The conversation highlights their innovative approach to branding, player recruitment, and stadium development at Rimondi Park.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=0) Introduction and Baseball Fandom
- [7:18](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=438) The Genesis of the Oakland Ballers
- [13:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=788) The Reverse Boycott and Market Validation
- [18:02](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=1082) Joining the Pioneer League and Rule Innovation
- [30:06](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=1806) Launching Two Teams: Ballers and High Wheelers
- [34:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=2071) Branding, Merchandise, and Community Engagement
- [50:50](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=3050) Recruiting Talent and Open Tryouts
- [1:03:57](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel#t=3837) Stadium Development and Season Launch

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Validation & product-market fit](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/validation-and-product-market-fit)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- Oakland Ballers (product)
- Yolo High Wheelers (product)
- Pioneer League (other)
- Oakland Athletics (product)
- Rimondi Park (other)
- Oaklandish (company)
- BART (company)
- Dustin Canelan (other)
- JT Snow (other)
- Don Wakamatsu (other)
- Kelsey Whitmore (other)
- Laney College (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Strava: Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2022-05-02-strava-mark-gainey-and-michael-horvath) (How I Built This)
- [Dude Perfect: Cory Cotton and Tyler Toney](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2021-09-20-dude-perfect-cory-cotton-and-tyler-toney) (How I Built This)
- [EO Products: Susan Griffin-Black & Brad Black](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-07-15-eo-products-susan-griffin-black-brad-black) (How I Built This)
- [Zumba: Beto Perez & Alberto Perlman (January, 2017)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2017-12-04-zumba-beto-perez-alberto-perlman-january-2017) (How I Built This)
- [Outdoor Voices: Tyler Haney](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2019-11-25-outdoor-voices-tyler-haney) (How I Built This)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/oxide-and-friends/2024-04-17-a-baseball-startup-with-paul-freedman-and-bryan-carmel. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Oxide and Friends.