Who Owns The Oakland Athletics?

Who Owns The Oakland Athletics?

The franchise Oakland Athletics is owned by John J. Fisher, who bought the team in 2005 for $180 million. He is the son of Gap Inc. founder Donald Fisher. The current ownership group has made it clear that they are committed to keeping the team in Oakland but have come under pressure due to the lack of a stadium deal.

The Origins of The A’s 

The Athletics were founded in 1901 by a group of Philadelphia businessmen led by Connie Mack, who purchased a minor-league team from Baltimore and moved it to Philadelphia. The name “Athletics” was chosen to tribute Philadelphia’s athletic clubs.

The team quickly established itself as one of the most successful teams in baseball history, winning nine pennants and five World Series titles between 1902 and 1914. Unfortunately for the A’s, their success began to decline after the Great Depression, and they were forced to sell off some of their players. 

The Move To Oakland 

The decline continued until 1955, when Charlie Finley purchased the franchise and moved them to Kansas City. After another period of decline, Finley moved the team again, this time to Oakland in 1968.

The move paid off almost immediately as they won three consecutive World Series titles from 1972-1974 with a roster full of young talents such as Reggie Jackson and Rollie Fingers. That era came to an end in 1976 when Finley sold the franchise.

Still, it was soon followed by another period of glory under new owners Walter Haas Jr. and Roy Eisenhardt, who helped lead the A’s back into contention with stars such as Rickey Henderson and Mark McGwire during the late 1980s and early 1990s. 

Recent Years 

Since then, however, the A’s have struggled mightily on the field due mainly to their limited budget, preventing them from signing big-name free agents or retaining key players like Jason Giambi or Miguel Tejada. Despite these struggles, they have remained competitive due largely to smart drafting decisions by general manager Billy Beane.

Stadium Issues/Possible Relocation

In recent years, the Oakland A’s have faced a unique problem: An inability to find a stable, long-term home. The team has bounced from stadium to stadium in search of better facilities, their most recent venture being at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum since 1968 — making due with renovations and makeshift accommodations.

Attempts to move to San Jose have been thwarted by the San Francisco Giants, who have blocked relocation efforts based on territorial rights. Consequently, the A’s announced plans for a new ballpark near Laney College, but this scheme is stalled due to legal issues.

As such, the fate of the Oakland A’s remains to be determined once the problems with their current and proposed locations are resolved. This includes the possibility of relocation to another state.