Fresh off adding a WNBA expansion franchise to his portfolio, Golden State Warriors owner Joe Lacob reiterated that he would be interested in buying the Oakland A’s — if current owner John Fisher were selling.
“We’ve over the years been obviously very interested,” Lacob said during a press conference announcing the Bay Area WNBA team that will begin playing in 2025. “You all know that I’ve said it, and if for whatever reason [Fisher] decided it wasn’t going to work, sure, we might be interested.”
With the A’s move to Las Vegas all but official, it would take a near miracle for the MLB franchise to not move and Fisher to sell the club to Lacob, who could theoretically keep it in the Bay Area.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred hopes that a formal vote will take place in November, amid petitions from some Las Vegas groups trying to prevent local funding for a new A’s ballpark. MLB’s relocation committee was scheduled to meet this week to discuss further details about the A’s impending move.
“You have to have someone who wants to sell something to be interested in buying it,” added Lacob, who noted he wasn’t “throwing my hat in the ring,” but rather speaking broadly about his longtime infatuation with the A’s.
Forbes most recently valued the A’s at $1.18 billion. The Warriors have a $7 billion valuation, and Lacob is investing $50 million for the new WNBA team.
