All those die-hard Oakland Athletics fans chanting, “Sell the team! Sell the team!” at games this season will be disappointed to know team owner John Fisher has never considered that option.
Fisher broke his long silence on the A’s situation and their planned relocation to Las Vegas. In an interview with the Las Vegas Journal-Review, the longtime team owner said selling the team has never been a consideration.
“I have not considered selling the team,” Fisher said. “I’ve now owned the team with my partner Lew Wolff, it’s shocking really how the time flies, but since 2005. Our goal since then has been to find a new home and build a new home for our team.”
Hence the planned relocation to Las Vegas. Fisher says the team recently officially submitted its relocation application to MLB. After years of trying to get a new stadium built in Oakland, the team has plans for a new $1.5 billion facility off the Las Vegas Strip that could be ready in time for the 2028 season.
Fisher said the A’s are on track to lose $40 million this season, that despite having the lowest payroll in baseball. A new stadium is essential to making the team successful, he said.
“Long-term, I think we’ve understood, and looking at the great success stories of new ballparks throughout baseball, I think all but four ballparks in baseball are new since the early ’80s,” Fisher said. “Led by [Baltimore’s] Camden Yards, going through the great facility Atlanta has built. It’s been clear to us that we need a new home, but it’s taken us a long time.
“We’re super excited about where we are today with the new stadium we’re going to build, which I think is going to be iconic for the Strip. We think it’s going to be great for the community, and which we think is going to be great for not only the A’s and our fans, but for all of baseball and really of sports.
Fisher defended his long silence during the Athletics’ uncertain times, saying he preferred to let team executives “to be the voice of the team.”
The A’s team owner also addressed the perception among some fans and observers that the franchise has been “tanking” the past couple of seasons.
“Nothing could be further from the truth. The A’s this year will lose $40 million with a $60 million payroll,” Fisher said. “And the losses that the ownership has had here with this team over the last several years have been very significant. We have done everything we can to try and build ourselves back up to being a highly competitive team again.”
