Freeman to Buy San Jose Earthquakes From Fisher
Major League Soccer's board of governors unanimously approved the sale of the club, with closing expected within weeks.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Soccer
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Heath Freeman agreed to purchase the San Jose Earthquakes from John Fisher, pending closing expected in a matter of weeks. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Why it matters
The sale changes ownership of a Bay Area club that finished fourth in the Western Conference this season and last reached the playoffs in 2020. Freeman is president of Alden Global Capital, whose subsidiary owns the Bay Area News Group.
Forbes ranks the Earthquakes No. 24 of 30 MLS teams at a $550 million valuation, compared with the $20 million expansion fee paid by Fisher and Wolff. The final sale price has not been disclosed and the transaction has not closed.
The players
Heath Freeman
Freeman is president of Alden Global Capital and became executive chairman of the Association of Volleyball Professionals in 2024.
John Fisher
Fisher sold the Earthquakes and, with Lew Wolff, paid the $20 million expansion fee when the club was awarded.
The details
Major League Soccer's board of governors unanimously approved the sale earlier this week, and the league announced the approval on Friday. The deal includes PayPal Park, which the club owns and operates in San Jose.
Timeline
Nov. 13, 2026: Major League Soccer's board of governors unanimously approves the sale.
Nov. 24, 2026: Earthquakes begin a three-game playoff series against the Houston Dynamo.
Season Trajectory
The Earthquakes' fourth-place Western Conference finish and playoff return set up a new ownership group to inherit a club that last reached the postseason in 2020. Unlike the Athletics, which moved from Oakland to Sacramento in 2025, the Earthquakes keep their San Jose home at PayPal Park.
The Earthquakes enter the playoffs as a fourth-place Western Conference club, with the ownership change pending before the series opens. Fans with playoff tickets for PayPal Park should check with the club for any operational changes after the sale closes.
The takeaway
The sale puts the Earthquakes under new leadership just before a playoff run, a reminder that franchise ownership can shift quickly even for clubs with stable home venues. Readers following the team should watch for closing confirmation from the league.
What happens next
The transaction is expected to close in a matter of weeks, and the Earthquakes begin a three-game playoff series against the Houston Dynamo on Nov. 24, 2026.
Further reading
Follow more local coverage in San Jose Soccer for updates on the Earthquakes' ownership change.
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