Oakland Athletics President Dave Kaval
In a major shake-up for the Oakland A’s, team president Dave Kaval announced Friday that he will be stepping down from his role effective December 31. Kaval, who has been with the A’s since 2016, is resigning to “pursue new business opportunities in California,” marking the end of an era with the franchise. Board member Sandy Dean will step into the role of interim president while the A’s conduct a search for a new leader in early 2025.
“We are grateful for Dave’s contributions and leadership over the past eight years,” said A’s owner John Fisher in a statement. “He guided our organization through a period of significant transition, and we sincerely thank him for his unwavering commitment to the team. As we look ahead to the next chapter of our franchise, the team will continue to grow under new leadership, driving the organization toward success during our interim years in West Sacramento and at our new home in Las Vegas.”
Kaval’s resignation marks the latest turn in the A’s turbulent journey under his leadership. Having joined the team in 2016 after Fisher took control of the A’s, Kaval was tasked with overseeing a major shift in the franchise. His tenure has been marked by bold plans for a new stadium, though none of the proposals ever came to fruition.
Perhaps most notably, Kaval was the public face of the A’s efforts to build a new ballpark in Oakland. The team pursued multiple sites, including Howard Terminal and Jack London Square, in hopes of securing a state-of-the-art stadium. Unfortunately, these efforts faced heavy opposition from local officials and fans, with the team ultimately failing to get approval for a new facility in Oakland.
Throughout this period, Kaval and Fisher’s vision for a new stadium in Oakland drew heavy criticism from A’s fans. Many questioned the team’s commitment to staying in the Bay Area, with some perceiving the stadium efforts as a stalling tactic as the franchise began to look toward a future outside of Oakland.
In 2023, the A’s made their intentions clear when they announced plans to relocate to Las Vegas. With the team now planning to build a 33,000-seat stadium on the site of the former Tropicana Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Kaval’s leadership has played an instrumental role in the organization’s transition. The A’s are set to play their next three seasons in West Sacramento at Sutter Health Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, while the Las Vegas stadium is set to be completed by 2028.
Despite the ongoing stadium saga, Kaval’s background in sports infrastructure is noteworthy. Before joining the A’s, he played a crucial role in the construction of PayPal Stadium in San Jose, which serves as the home of Major League Soccer’s Earthquakes, another team owned by Fisher. Kaval had pledged to bring a “world-class ballpark” to Oakland when he took the helm, but those plans were ultimately dashed amid mounting opposition and delays.
As Kaval moves on to new opportunities, the A’s now face a crossroads. The relocation to Las Vegas is a major shift in the franchise’s history, and the team will need strong leadership to navigate this transition successfully. With the future of the team now tied to Las Vegas, the A’s are entering a new chapter — one that will be defined by their efforts to build a new stadium and establish themselves in a fresh market.
In the meantime, Sandy Dean’s interim leadership will be pivotal as the franchise looks to complete its search for a new president in early 2025. The A’s have already begun preparations for their eventual move to the Silver State, and the new leadership will need to continue the momentum toward a new home while also handling the day-to-day operations of the team in the interim.
As the Oakland era comes to an end, the A’s now look toward the future — and the challenges that lie ahead in Las Vegas.
