A’s owner looking to sell MLS’ Earthquakes amid Las Vegas relocation
Athletics owner John Fisher is looking to sell his majority ownership stake in his Major League Soccer club as the MLB team’s Las Vegas relocation process plays out.
Fisher has hired investment bank Moelis & Company to assist in selling the San Jose Earthquakes, a person with knowledge of the situation said Wednesday.
Fisher has considered selling the Earthquakes for some time, the person indicated, adding that the decision to do so is independent of the A’s Southern Nevada stadium process.
The $20 million expansion fee that Fisher paid to MLS in 2007 could yield a high return if the team is sold. Sports business publication Sportico, which first reported the potential sale, values the Earthquakes at $600 million.
Fisher led the investment of $100 million to construct the Quakes’ 18,000-seat stadium, PayPal Park, which opened in 2015 in San Jose, California.
The A’s ballpark on the Strip, expected to cost $1.75 billion, will be paid for by a mix of public and private funding and debt. The Fisher family is responsible for $1.4 billion of the cost.
The Athletics are scheduled to host a groundbreaking ceremony Monday for the ballpark, expected to be ready for the start of the 2028 season.
Contact Mick Akers at [email protected] or 702-387-2920. Follow @mickakers on X.
