A new name breaks a barrier in Las Vegas
The Athletics found their second big-name backer in under a week. On Sunday night, investment group Team61 announced a $70 million stake in the club, and the headline belongs to Chan Ho Park. The former pitcher becomes the first Korean-born owner and investor in Major League Baseball history.
Park spent 17 seasons in the majors and wore 61 for his entire career, which is where the group takes its name. Of the $70 million, $55 million is committed now, with another $15 million to follow if MLB signs off on the deal.
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Star power behind the money
Team61 is not short on recognizable faces. Reports place actors Ken Jeong and Daniel Dae Kim in the group, along with Suga, the rapper from BTS. Park will also step in as a senior adviser to A’s owner John Fisher, focused on player development and the club’s push into Asia.
“During my playing career, I introduced Korea to Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball to Korean fans,” Park said in a statement. He called Korea “a baseball powerhouse” and framed the tie-up with Las Vegas as a bridge for the next generation of players.
The A’s keep building toward 2028
The move follows Thursday’s news that Harbinger Sports Partners, a group that counts Mark Cuban and Falcons minority owner Rashaun Williams, bought its own slice of the team. Park reached the majors with the Dodgers in 1994, made an All-Star team in 2001 and finished 124-98 across 476 games with six franchises. The A’s, playing out of West Sacramento for now, are due to open a $2 billion domed stadium on the Strip in 2028.
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