The British rock band Sports Team were robbed at gunpoint halfway around the world from their London home base.

Sports Team are on tour in the US right now in the lead-up to next year’s new album Boys These Days. In a press release today, they announced that this morning at about 8 a.m. PT, their van was “ransacked and robbed” by armed thieves in a Starbucks parking lot in Vallejo, CA outside San Francisco. Here’s their statement:

This morning, at approximately 8AM local time, British band Sports Team were robbed at gunpoint in Vallejo, CA outside of San Francisco. The band had just arrived from the UK to begin a round of West Coast tour dates. They stopped in a Starbucks when someone alerted them that their tour van was being ransacked and robbed.

The band attempted to intervene but were met with a gun being brandished and took cover. The band called the police, and were shocked to hear they would not attend the scene of the crime. Instead, they were told by police to file a report online, which they have done. Laptops, personal items, passports and other valuables were stolen. The band took phone camera footage of the incident, which can be found here.

Sports Team, undeterred, are continuing their tour. Whilst understandably shocked and shaken, they are coming back to the San Francisco area to play at The Chapel on December 7. Tonight, they play in Sacramento, CA at Goldfield Trading Post.

It’s rough enough for a touring band in 2024 before you even factor in all the robberies. Hopefully Sports Team are able to bounce back as well as Spirit Of The Beehive.

UPDATE: On Thursday (Dec. 5) Sports Team shared an update:

Thanks to everyone who has reached out checking in on us, and with offers to help. We’re all ok. Would take too long to reply to everything but has been very appreciated. The main takeaway of this has been how kind people in the Bay Area have been. Strangers offering to help lend equipment, and places to stay, and support. Have had a lot of questions also about Gofundmes to cover losses. We’re covered. But there are some local, and national charities that we will list at the end that could use the funds. We will be carrying on with the tour on Saturday in San Francisco at The Chapel. Looking forward to being back.

https://www.guitarsnotgunsmarin.org
https://www.everytown.org/