LAS VEGAS — Baseball history was made when former pitcher Chan Ho Park became the first Korean person to acquire an ownership stake in a Major League Baseball franchise, joining the Athletics as the team prepares for its upcoming relocation to Las Vegas in 2028.
Park, who holds the distinction of being the first Korean-born player in the major leagues, spent 17 seasons on the mound from 1994 to 2010, finishing his career with a 124-98 record. In addition to his ownership stake, Park will serve as a senior adviser to team owner John Fisher.
The investment group behind the deal, called Team61, made the announcement Sunday evening. The group’s total investment is set at $70 million — $55 million of which has already been committed, with an additional $15 million pending approval from Major League Baseball. Actors Ken Jeong and Daniel Dae Kim are also members of the investment group.
In a prepared statement, Park reflected on what the partnership means to him and the sport. “During my playing career, I introduced Korea to Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball to Korean fans, and I saw firsthand how even a small point of connection can create meaningful change,” he said. “Korea is now a baseball powerhouse with outstanding fans and a strong player-development system.”
Park added: “Through exchanges with Las Vegas, which is opening a new era in Major League Baseball, I hope more opportunities will be created for the next generation of players. We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with the Athletics to lift up Korean baseball to the next level.”
Owner John Fisher praised the international significance of the partnership. “South Korea is an exciting country for baseball, and we are thrilled to partner with Chan Ho Park and Team61 to support their continued future success,” Fisher said. “Just as he pioneered and broke ground for Korean and Asian baseball players in America, we believe that this partnership with Chan Ho to pioneer Korean ownership in baseball will have long and lasting positive impacts.”
This announcement comes just days after another notable ownership development. Harbinger Sports Group — which includes former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — revealed Thursday that it had also acquired a minority stake in the Athletics. While financial specifics of that deal were not disclosed, Harbinger stated it has raised more than $460 million in under six months.
The Athletics are currently in the second of three planned seasons playing in West Sacramento, California, while a new $2 billion, 33,000-seat domed stadium is being constructed on the Las Vegas Strip.
