On Friday afternoon, the Oakland Athletics made a surprising announcement: team president Dave Kaval has resigned, with Sandy Dean stepping in as interim president. Dean, who has been instrumental in leading the A’s proposed relocation to Las Vegas, now faces the daunting task of navigating the team through a period of immense uncertainty.

The press release emphasized the construction of a new stadium in the heart of Las Vegas—a vision that remains far from reality. Despite repeated declarations and elaborate plans, ground has yet to be broken on the project. With no formal investors committed, the stadium’s future—and that of the Athletics—remains precarious. Will the A’s successfully complete their move to Las Vegas? Or is this yet another chapter in the franchise’s tumultuous history?

Oakland Athletic’s president of baseball operations resigns

Dave Kaval’s departure hints that things aren’t moving forward as smoothly as promised. In fact, it may be a sign that the move to Nevada is falling apart. The delay in the construction of the “Armadillo Dome” (the proposed new stadium), raises its price tag day-by-day. Without any external investors, the financial burden is falling on the Fisher family. This abrupt departure might be their way of saying that they’ve reached a financial and economic dead end.

If things don’t start working out soon, the dream of a new stadium in Vegas might remain nothing more than just a dream. There are rumors going around that Joe Lacob, owner of the Golden State Warriors, may have recently met with members of the Fisher family. We still do not know the details, but it is tough to rule out the possibility.

Is this the start of negotiations about the Athletics’ possible sale? Fans have expressed their dissatisfaction and unhappiness with the ongoing story of the Athletics on social media.

Fans react to social media post about the resignation

MLBonFox took to Instagram to announce the resignation by Dave Kaval. And as expected, fans flooded the comment section just moments after. These observations all reflect frustration and disappointment with the current ownership of the Oakland Athletics, specifically targeting John Fisher, the team’s owner.

One of the first comments said, “Now John Fisher needs to sell the team.” Fisher has owned the A’s since 2005 and during his ownership period, the team has encountered some financial issues and failed attempts at getting an Oakland stadium. Therefore, for many fans, Fisher never cared about the long-term success or stability of the team.

This next comment asks for Fisher to sell the team and is highly critical of the state of the A’s under his ownership: “Sell the team, Fisher! The A’s belong in Oakland. I bet Kaval has seen the writing on the wall and knows the ship is sinking. #rootedinoakland #rickeyhendersonfield” The hashtag #rootedinoakland refers to the desire of many fans to keep the team in Oakland, where it has been for over 50 years.

Another user brought in the sentimental value that the fans feel about the shift. “Bring the team back to Oakland.” It reflects the fan’s desire to keep the A’s in Oakland, especially after the team announced plans to move to Las Vegas. There is significant public support in Oakland for keeping the team in the city. Oakland has been home to the A’s since 1968, and the team has deep ties to the local community.

“Bro jumped out of a sinking ship 😂.” This comment refers to Kaval’s move away from Oakland due to the team’s financial and stadium issues. “Jumped out of a sinking ship” refers to the fact that Kaval is refusing to be part of a failing situation. The team has been going through a pattern of cost-cutting measures. On top of that, the Athletics have a payroll that is among the lowest in Major League Baseball.

The call came directly for change from another fan in ownership, saying: “They need a new owner.” It seems many A‘s fans feel the struggles with their team come directly at an ownership level. Fisher was criticized not only for an unwillingness to put some financial muscle into the team on the field but also failed to deliver a new stadium in Oakland. Fisher was even accused of prioritizing more about immediate rather than long-term franchise prosperity.

These comments reflect a combination of frustration with ownership and the A’s ongoing struggle with their stadium situation in Oakland. Many fans are dissatisfied with Fisher’s management, perceiving him as uninterested in the long-term success of the team or the city. There’s also a strong desire to see the A’s stay in Oakland, but many feel that under Fisher, the situation is beyond repair and that the team would be better off with new ownership. Will Oakland’s fortune turn around or the worst is yet to come? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!