Key Takeaways
- • John Fisher has agreed to sell the San Jose Earthquakes and their home stadium, PayPal Park, to Heath Freeman, co-founder and president of Alden Global Capital, for $625 million, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
- • Fisher paid a $20 million expansion fee to acquire the franchise in 2007; the Earthquakes were a founding MLS member in 1996.
- • Major League Soccer's Board of Governors approved the sale, and the deal is expected to close in "the coming weeks," per the team's release.
- • Freeman purchased the club as an individual, not on behalf of Alden Global Capital, which owns the Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News.
- • The Earthquakes finished fourth in the Western Conference in 2026 with a 14-10-10 record and 52 points, and host No. 5 seed Houston in a best-of-three first-round playoff opener on Nov. 24.
Summary
John Fisher has agreed to sell the San Jose Earthquakes and PayPal Park to Heath Freeman, co-founder and president of New York-based private equity firm Alden Global Capital, the team announced Friday. The Chronicle confirmed the purchase price of $625 million. Major League Soccer's Board of Governors approved the transaction, and the deal is expected to close in "the coming weeks," according to the Quakes' news release. Fisher, who previously moved the A's from Oakland, acquired the franchise in 2007 for a $20 million expansion fee.
In his statement, Fisher said he and his family had owned the club for almost 20 years and thanked fans, coaches, players and staff. He said Freeman "shares our belief in this club and this community." Freeman, in his own statement, said he and his family were "honored and humbled" to become the next generation of owners and that the vision is "winning on and off the field for San Jose and the entire region."
Freeman bought the club as an individual rather than through Alden. His sports background includes serving as managing partner of the Florida Freedom of Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and executive chairman of the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the main beach volleyball league in the U.S., according to the release. Alden owns several newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News. The Chronicle notes that Alden is known for aggressive cost-cutting at its newspapers, citing a 2024 Chronicle story titled "How American newspapers have been 'Stripped for Parts.'"
On the field, the Earthquakes had an uncommonly strong 2026 season, finishing fourth in the Western Conference with 52 points and a 14-10-10 record. They open a best-of-three first-round playoff series against No. 5 seed Houston on Nov. 24.
In his statement, Fisher said he and his family had owned the club for almost 20 years and thanked fans, coaches, players and staff. He said Freeman "shares our belief in this club and this community." Freeman, in his own statement, said he and his family were "honored and humbled" to become the next generation of owners and that the vision is "winning on and off the field for San Jose and the entire region."
Freeman bought the club as an individual rather than through Alden. His sports background includes serving as managing partner of the Florida Freedom of Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and executive chairman of the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), the main beach volleyball league in the U.S., according to the release. Alden owns several newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, Denver Post and San Jose Mercury News. The Chronicle notes that Alden is known for aggressive cost-cutting at its newspapers, citing a 2024 Chronicle story titled "How American newspapers have been 'Stripped for Parts.'"
On the field, the Earthquakes had an uncommonly strong 2026 season, finishing fourth in the Western Conference with 52 points and a 14-10-10 record. They open a best-of-three first-round playoff series against No. 5 seed Houston on Nov. 24.
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