Dave Kaval, president of the Athletics, will leave the organization after being the main figure behind the team’s move from Oakland to Las Vegas.
Kaval has been president of the A’s for eight years and will step down on Dec. 31 to explore new business opportunities in California.
Sandy Dean, a longtime business partner of the Fisher family, which owns the team, will take over as interim president. A search for a permanent president will begin in 2025.
Kaval decided to step down after the team passed its final major steps toward building a stadium in Las Vegas. Earlier this month, the Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved important documents for the Athletics to build a $1.75 billion stadium on the Strip.
There are still some details to be worked out, like a development agreement with Clark County, but the groundbreaking is expected to happen in the spring. The team plans to be in the new stadium in Las Vegas for the 2028 season.
“We are grateful for Dave’s contributions and leadership over the past eight years,” said A’s owner John Fisher.
“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 struggled to get a new stadium built in downtown Oakland but eventually helped the team reach an agreement to move to Las Vegas, ending the A’s’ 57-year stay in Oakland. The team will play at least the next three seasons in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, California.
Before joining the A’s, Kaval was president of the San Jose Earthquakes, an MLS team also owned by the Fisher family. When he first joined the A’s, he was praised for his open-door policy with fans and for making changes at the Oakland Coliseum, such as bringing in food trucks and creating the “Treehouse,” a 10,000-square-foot area with a bar, lounge, and patio for fans to watch games from left field.
After the team announced plans to move to Las Vegas in 2023, Kaval took a less public role in the Bay Area.
