Reviled Baseball Executive Resigns, Sparking Harsh Reactions From Fans

When the Oakland Athletics announced the franchise was relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada, it was widely assumed not all team employees would make the move with the team.

Ironically, one of those employees was revealed Friday to be the reviled face of the A's uprooting: team president Dave Kaval.

In a statement released by the team, Kaval announced his resignation, effective Tuesday, "to pursue new business opportunities in California."

A's owner John Fisher, in the same release, said, "We are grateful for Dave's contributions and leadership over the past eight years. He guided our organization through a period of significant transition, and we sincerely thank him for his unwavering commitment to the team."

The announcement that Kaval was staying in California was met with predictable disdain for those who hoped the A's would stay in the Bay Area.

"Good riddance to @DaveKaval, one of the disingenuous empty suits in Bay Area history," Bay Area media personality Damon Bruce wrote on his Twitter/X account.

"Dave Kaval should be unhirable," wrote Ben Ross of KRON, a Bay Area television station.

"Turns out even A's (former) President Dave Kaval doesn't want to go to Las Vegas," KXTV (Sacramento) sports anchor Matt George wrote on Twitter/X.

In 2017, Kaval introduced the A's "Rooted in Oakland" marketing campaign that promised to keep the team in the city it had called home since 1968. Yet within a few years, he was leading a "parallel path" of negotiations with Oakland mayor Sheng Thao and the city of Las Vegas for a new site to replace the Oakland Coliseum, which was badly in need of upgrades.

In April 2023, the A's purchased land in Las Vegas with the intent of building a new ballpark — a move that "blindsided" Thao. While Fisher remained effectively invisible to the public, Kaval defended his actions on behalf of the franchise.

While working lawmakers behind the scenes, Kaval appeared to dodge questions at a May 2023 public hearing in Las Vegas to answer questions from lawmakers about how the A's would pay their share of costs associated with a proposed $1.75 billion ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip.

Despite the public concerns, in Nov. 2023, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred announced the A's were relocating to Las Vegas.

Prior to his role with the A's, Kaval served as president of the San Jose Earthquakes.

Sandy Dean, a longtime business partner with the Fisher family, will replace Kaval on an interim basis.

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