A Historic Korean MLB Move
Park Chan-ho Leads Investment, Becomes First Korean MLB Stakeholder
Anonymous
Key Points
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Park Chan-ho's ownership pursuit is deeply rooted in his childhood admiration for MLB owners; he recalls Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley traveling to South Korea to recruit him, and he even pursued ownership in the San Diego Padres, though O'Malley cautioned it would be difficult to break into a team's ownership structure.
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Harbinger Sports Group, led by former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, announced a minority stake in the Athletics, adding another high-profile investor alongside Park's Team61.
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The Athletics are valued at roughly $2 billion, underscoring the scale of the investment as the team prepares to relocate to Las Vegas in 2028.
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Beyond this deal, Park has long operated philanthropic efforts in Korea, including the Park Chan-ho Scholarship Foundation and youth baseball initiatives like the Park Chan-ho National Little Baseball Competition and baseball camps, underscoring his commitment to developing Korean baseball talent.
Park Chan-ho, the first South Korean to play in Major League Baseball, has now become the first Korean to own a stake in an MLB team. His investment group, Team61, announced a $70 million deal to buy into the Oakland Athletics, with $55 million committed and up to $15 million more pending MLB approval, according to ESPN and WTOP.
Park will serve as a senior adviser to Athletics owner John Fisher. He will not run team operations but will help with scouting and player development. The A's are valued at roughly $2 billion and are set to move to Las Vegas in 2028, per Winnipeg Free Press.
From Korean Mound to MLB Ownership Suite
Park pitched 17 seasons in MLB from 1994 to 2010. He was the first Korean ever to play in the majors. Now, 32 years after breaking that barrier, he has done it again — this time as an investor, Korea JoongAng Daily reported.
Park's path to ownership started in his childhood. He admired how Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley traveled to South Korea to recruit him. He later tried to buy into the San Diego Padres, but O'Malley warned him it would be hard to break into an MLB ownership group. This deal with the A's finally made that dream real, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.
Hollywood Names and Mark Cuban Join the A's Deal
Park is not the only well-known name in this investment push. Actors Ken Jeong and Daniel Dae Kim are also part of Team61. Separately, Harbinger Sports Group — led by former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban — announced its own minority stake in the Athletics, per ESPN.
The moves show the A's are actively hunting high-profile investors as they build toward their Las Vegas era. Owner John Fisher stressed the international value of bringing in figures like Park. "The international benefits" of the deal were central to his thinking, according to WTOP.
Park Wants to Be a Bridge for Korean Baseball
Park sees himself as more than just a check-writer. He wants to connect Korean fans and players to the U.S. game. He has said he hopes to lift Korean baseball by helping develop young talent and pointing top prospects toward MLB opportunities, according to infonews.ca.
Park already runs major youth programs in South Korea. These include the Park Chan-ho Scholarship Foundation, the Park Chan-ho National Little Baseball Competition, and baseball camps across the country. His ownership role now gives those efforts a direct line to one of MLB's 30 franchises, per Korea JoongAng Daily.
A's Las Vegas Relocation Sets the Stage for This Deal
The Athletics are leaving Oakland for Las Vegas in 2028. The team is valued at about $2 billion. That backdrop makes the ownership group's international push make sense — a new city, a new stadium, and now a new global image built partly around Park's landmark investment, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Park called himself a "bridge" between Korean fans and the U.S. game. With MLB's growing Korean fanbase — fueled by stars like Ryu Hyun-jin and Kim Ha-seong — his seat at the table could help the A's tap into one of baseball's most passionate international audiences, ESPN reported.
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