A's Pursuit for an Appropriate Successor to Fill Dave Kaval's Position May Require Patience
On a Friday announcement, the A's disclosed that Dave Kaval, their president for eight turbulent years, would be stepping down. Here's the explanation behind his departure and the team's upcoming plans as they prepare to play in Sacramento while awaiting construction in their Las Vegas home.
Kaval's last day is set for December 31st. The club announced in a press release that he's leaving to explore new business ventures in California.
"We appreciate Dave's significant contributions and leadership during the past eight years. He steered our organization through a phase of substantial change, and we thank him sincerely for his unwavering dedication to the team," A's Owner John Fisher commented. "As we move forward to the next phase of our franchise, the team will continue to develop under new leadership, with the objective of achieving success during our temporary stint in West Sacramento and our eventual move to Las Vegas."
Sandy Dean, who has collaborated with Fisher for the MLS Earthquakes and holds a key minority ownership stake in the A's, will temporarily assume the president role in Kaval's absence.
Kaval's tenure was marked by numerous challenges, including the quest for the A's long-desired new ballpark, which faced issues in both Oakland and Las Vegas, along with the backlash from an irritated Oakland fanbase after the team promoted "Rooted in Oakland" only to relocate to Las Vegas. According to the club, the move to Vegas was necessary to avoid being financially disqualified from revenue sharing after the league and MLBPA reached an agreement in their latest labor deal that required the club to have a new stadium deal in place by January 15th, 2024. Despite their best efforts, the A's believed it was not feasible to strike a deal in Oakland within that timeframe due to a series of circumstances, including legal challenges related to the Howard Terminal location. Notably, in 2025, the A's will be eligible for full revenue sharing after being disqualified for a decreasing percentage since 2022. However, due to nearly $154 million in Luxury Tax penalties, it is believed that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred will not distribute any of the funds to the A's heading into the 2025 season.
Speaking to Dean on Friday, he confirmed that Kaval's departure was indeed his decision.
"I will be exploring new opportunities at the intersection of business and government in California," Kaval said in his statement. "I am grateful to A's ownership for the opportunities they have provided me."
In terms of Kaval's permanent replacement, Dean mentioned that the A's would take a meticulous approach to selecting the next club president. "I will be here for some time to ensure we find the best person for the job," Dean said. He noted that the perfect candidate would emerge as the process progresses in Las Vegas. "You want someone who is the right fit," Dean commented. As the process unfolds in Las Vegas, it's unlikely that a candidate will be identified as Kaval's successor in the short term.
In relation to the A's, preparing Sutter Health Park in Sacramento for MLB is their immediate concern. While the narrative varies depending on whether you speak to representatives in Oakland or the A's themselves about why they chose to leave Oakland for a temporary stay in Sacramento, Dean remained firm in explaining that the economic terms of the lease agreement made it unviable for the A's to remain in Oakland until the ballpark was finished in Las Vegas.
Regarding Las Vegas, the implosion of Tropicana Las Vegas has cleared the nine-acre plot for development. According to Dean, the design of the ballpark will become more precise as the design phase progresses. "The ballpark seating capacity has already shifted," he said. Initially announced as 33,000, it will now be 30,000 with 3,000 designated standing room only.
In terms of the critical factors for Kaval's replacement, given that Las Vegas presents new business opportunities, Dean emphasized that a strong focus would be placed on the sponsorship sales side. "The candidate will be successful on the sponsorship sales side, but the market will also provide numerous other possibilities," he said.
- The Oakland Athletics announced that Rob Manfred, the MLB commissioner, was involved in the A's decision to relocate temporarily to Sacramento due to their need for a new stadium to avoid financial disqualification from revenue sharing.
- During his time as president, Dave Kaval faced numerous challenges, including the quest for a new ballpark in both Oakland and Las Vegas, and backlash from the Oakland fanbase over the team's promotions and relocation plans.
- In a statement, the new president of the Oakland A's, Sandy Dean, mentioned that the club will take a meticulous approach to selecting Dave Kaval's permanent replacement, focusing on finding the right fit for the role, particularly in terms of sponsorship sales for their upcoming move to Las Vegas.
- The latest on the Oakland A's ballpark plans indicates that they are preparing Sutter Health Park in Sacramento for MLB play, while their permanent home in Las Vegas is under development on a nine-acre plot made available by the implosion of the Tropicana Las Vegas.
