Oakland A’s COO Chris Giles has resigned from his position with the team in order to launch his own venture, according to an announcement issued by the A’s on Monday.
Giles assumed his position with the A’s in 2017, bringing with him a background in sports business that included time as an executive with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers. He has resigned his post as COO of the A’s effective January 6, according to the team, which said in a statement that he is leaving the organization to launch his own venture, Greenfield Sports Group.
During his time with the A’s, Giles played a major role in launching initiatives that were seen as successes in terms of how they were received by the team’s fans, including the A’s Access ticketing plan. More from the San Jose Mercury News:
Though only with the team for three seasons, Oakland A’s fans made clear Giles made a mark on the Coliseum experience. Year-over-year, the A’s doubled their membership numbers.
“Last year, under the traditional model, we were just around 9,000, and we’re up over 18,000 members this year,” Giles told the Mercury News in July.
“We thank Chris for his contributions to the A’s and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” A’s President Dave Kaval said in a press statement.
Notably, some of the initiatives that the A’s launched under Giles came amidst their ongoing pursuit of a new ballpark at Oakland’s waterfront Howard Terminal. While with the 49ers, Giles was credited as one of the executives that played a role in the organization’s planning for Levi’s Stadium, the Santa Clara-based venue that opened in 2014.