Address: 400-408 Gilman St, Berkeley, CA 94710
Hours Of Operation:
8 am to 11 pm, 7 days a week
Just two days after we announced our expansion into California’s capital in April 2024, Plei doubled down by launching in another huge West Coast market: the San Francisco Bay Area! 🌉
Beyond our partnerships with private pickup facilities, we also work to have a presence at the fields found at local public parks! Tom Bates Sports Complex in Berkeley is one of those. As part of our ongoing blog series, we will be highlighting all of our partner fields in every region where Plei has touched down. 🛬
Keep reading to learn more about all things Tom Bates Sports Complex before you head out to play. 👇
That should be all the proof you need to put this gem of a soccer park as your next destination, assuming you aren’t already one of the tens of thousands of players that visit on a yearly basis.
Behold the Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex, located in West Berkeley and opened in 2008. The main appeal here is pretty self-explanatory; the views of the San Francisco Bay are absolutely to die for. If you are someone that loves a good atmosphere and backdrop while enjoying some pickup footy, then you’ve found your holy grail.
Even if you don’t value prime vistas such as these, don’t turn your head away just yet. Tom Bates is a multi-sport facility, but the soccer fields available here are nothing short of incredible.
We can best describe them as state-of-the-art; the complex offers a pair of full-size synthetic fields that are optimal for classic 11-a-side matches. As a bonus, each pitch can be divided in half, offering a smaller space for some 8v8 or 9v9 pickup.
Sign-ups for pickup matches on these outdoor fields are live on Plei now, so don’t wait to secure your spot. Download it from the App Store or Google Play today. 📲
As we’ve probably made very clear by now, Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex is a hotspot for the beautiful game. But we would’ve ended the blog already if that’s all they had to offer, though.
Immediately to the left of the southernmost turf field is a baseball field, which is connected to a large natural grass open space. This area is multi-purpose, so the opportunities are virtually endless when it comes to the sports that can be played here.
Remember how we said that Tom Bates Sports Complex isn’t even a complete project yet? We aren’t joking. Despite having opened well over a decade ago, the facility is still only 30% of the way to its final design. Final construction is expected to begin in 2025, which will inevitably bring much-anticipated upgrades to an already fan-favorite destination for Bay Area athletes.
Plei first hosted a pickup game at Tom Bates Regional Sports Complex on August 20, 2024, and we continue to play here today.
Check out Tom Bates Sports Complex and other great Bay Area public soccer parks on Plei. Download it from the App Store or Google Play today! ⚽🌉
