Oakland Athletics president Dave Kaval will resign at the end of the calendar year, the team announced Friday.
Kaval has served as president for eight years. Upon his resignation on Dec. 31, he will pursue new business opportunities in California, according to the A’s.
Athletics executive Sandy Dean will serve as interim president. Dean is a business partner of the family of owner John Fisher.
Kaval oversaw the franchise’s search for a new home. The team hopes to open a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028. The A’s will play in Sacramento the next three seasons.
“We are grateful for Dave’s contributions and leadership over the past eight years,” Fisher said in a statement. “He guided our organization through a period of significant transition, and we sincerely thank him for his unwavering commitment to the team.”
Dean said the team will likely use a search firm to help find a new president. Dean has worked for the A’s since 2005.
“We are going to start the search in the new year and the search will take as long as it takes,” Dean said. “The most important thing for us will be to get the right candidate for the position.”
Kaval has been the public face of the franchise during the unsuccessful efforts to get a new ballpark in Oakland.
At the same time, the caliber of the on-field play took a nosedive, as did attendance. Fans were vocal around their displeasure with the way the franchise handled things.
Last season, the Athletics completed their 57th season in Oakland. The team went 69-93 after losing 112 games in 2023 and 102 in 2022.
