The Athletics haven’t had a winning season since 2020, and in 2025, not much has changed. Formerly known as the Oakland A’s, the team is stuck in a cycle of on-field struggles and off-field chaos. Their shift to Sacramento hasn’t eased the pressure; in fact, frustrations are boiling over, not just from fans, but from players, too. “This is not a big-league park,” pitcher Luis Severino told YES Network bluntly. And as the team tries to push forward with long-promised plans for a new stadium, help is now arriving, from a most unexpected place: South Korea.

The Oakland A’s have struggled in recent years, rarely making any real impact, and with a 36–53 record, they’ve established themselves as one of the worst teams in Major League Baseball. Why did they fall this far? Well, they have one of the lowest payrolls and naturally failed to build momentum with talent. Even after moving to Sacramento, they remain the team with the lowest attendance in the league. But good news might finally be on the horizon, possibly the best they’ve had all season.

Baseball is currently experiencing growing popularity in South Korea. And now, to further fuel that excitement, the A’s just got some headline-worthy news. Global superstar Suga of BTS and former MLB pitcher Chan Ho Park are reportedly investing in the Athletics. A $70 million fund is being raised to support the A’s relocation to Las Vegas and the construction of their new stadium. According to The Korea Economic Daily, the duo will receive approximately a 2–3% ownership stake in the franchise.

The $1.75 billion Las Vegas stadium project is expected to be completed by 2028. As the A’s look to reshape their image, they could benefit from a major fanbase boost thanks to the K-pop icon. Suga’s interest in American sports is no secret; he served as an NBA ambassador, too. It helped add even more momentum to the growing popularity of U.S. sports in Korea. As for Chan Ho Park, he is the pioneer of Korean baseball. The All-Star became the first Korean player to play in MLB when he debuted with the Dodgers back in 1994.

And it’s not just Suga and the Dodgers legend getting involved. Mike Joo, Chief Operating Officer of the investment banking division at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, is also investing. Other investors include Samchully Group chairman Yi Man-Deuk and Hwang In Seon, managing director and co-founder of Ascend Partners.

The future certainly looks more promising for the A’s. With Las Vegas already home to several major sports franchises, the A’s could soon be playing in a packed stadium that fuels their spirit. However, some recent revelations suggest this project may not be going as smoothly as it appears. It might not be time to put those concerns to rest just yet.

The A’s new stadium might already be in a financial crisis

The A’s announced their new stadium project with a flashy ceremony in June, giving everyone hope for a brighter future. With growing player complaints about the Sacramento stadium, this seemed like the ideal solution. Team owner John Fisher proposed that the stadium would be built on the site of the former Tropicana Hotel, directly across from the MGM Grand, branding it a milestone moment for the franchise. But is it really?

According to a report from The Guardian, the project may not be as secure as it seems. On the groundbreaking day, heavy equipment was staged behind Fisher during the ceremony, but the report claims it was all rented and won’t actually be used in construction. This raises a crucial question: even with grand plans, can the A’s actually build this stadium? The Guardian also interviewed sports economist C. Bradbury, who said: “It’s unclear what the endgame of John Fisher is—whether he miscalculated, doesn’t understand, doesn’t care about money, or there’s something I’m just totally missing in all of this.”

“Fisher has to realize he’s a d— man walking,” Bradbury added. This comes alongside Fisher’s recent admission that the stadium cost could exceed $2 billion. It’s increasingly clear he may not have the financial ability to complete the Las Vegas construction. Even the new investment from Suga and other South Korean parties might fall short of covering that figure. Unless Fisher finds a solution to the funding gap, a new stadium could remain out of reach for the A’s, as long as he’s still in charge.