{"id":"1794624251011-sports-segment","slug":"quakes-sold-for-625-million","title":"Quakes sold for $625 million","summary":"The San Jose Earthquakes were sold by John Fisher to a group led by Heath Freeman, co-founder of Alden Global Capital, for $625 million. MLS owners approved the sale on Thursday.\n\nFisher had faced criticism for underinvestment in the Earthquakes and was looking to sell. Alden Global sees value in MLS's growth and the San Jose market.\n\nOn 13 November 2022, George Russell won the São Paulo Grand Prix, his first F1 victory, with Lewis Hamilton second and Carlos Sainz third.\n\nIn the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Lando Norris won, Max Verstappen finished second, Isack Hadjar third, and Mercedes clinched the Constructors' Championship.\n\nSame as above: Lando Norris won the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Verstappen second, Hadjar third, Mercedes won the Constructors' title.\n\nThe San Jose Earthquakes were sold to Heath Freeman of Alden Global Capital for $625 million, with MLS owners approving the sale.","publishedAt":"2026-11-14T02:44:11.011Z","channel":{"id":"sports","name":"Oncast Sports","language":"en"},"show":"Primetime Sports","verification":{"status":"verified","leadVerdict":"TRUE","notes":"TRUE: On 13 November 2022, George Russell won the São Paulo Grand Prix, his first F1 victory, with Lewis Hamilton second and Carlos Sainz third.\nSource: formula1.com (https://x.com/F1History1950/status/2121138732220686834)\n\nTRUE: In the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Lando Norris won, Max Verstappen finished second, Isack Hadjar third, and Mercedes clinched the Constructors' Championship.\nSource: formula1.com (https://x.com/mediamanoz/status/2119687849373262181)\n\nTRUE: Same as above: Lando Norris won the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Verstappen second, Hadjar third, Mercedes won the Constructors' title.\nSource: formula1.com (https://x.com/mediamanint/status/2119679954564845925)\n\nTRUE: The San Jose Earthquakes were sold to Heath Freeman of Alden Global Capital for $625 million, with MLS owners approving the sale.\nSource: ESPN NAMES: Alden Global = hedge fund; MLS = Major League Soccer; John Fisher = outgoing owner. (https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/50474340/san-jose-earthquakes-sold-625-million-heath-freeman)","claims":[{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"On 13 November 2022, George Russell won the São Paulo Grand Prix, his first F1 victory, with Lewis Hamilton second and Carlos Sainz third.","sourceName":"formula1.com","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/F1History1950/status/2121138732220686834","claim":"2022 #OnThisDay 13 November – Russell’s first F1 win At the 2022 São Paulo Grand Prix, Mercedes driver George Russell secured his first F1 Grand Prix victory, followed by teammate Lewis Hamilton in second, with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz completing the podium in third. This was the h","author":"Formula One History (@F1History1950)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"In the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Lando Norris won, Max Verstappen finished second, Isack Hadjar third, and Mercedes clinched the Constructors' Championship.","sourceName":"formula1.com","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/mediamanoz/status/2119687849373262181","claim":"Formula One @F1 Sao Paulo GP Nov 8, 2026 Norris beats Verstappen in wet Sao Paulo GP thriller as Mercedes win Constructors' Championship Lando Norris survived a wet-dry-wet affair in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to claim another win this season. Video Race Highlights https://t.co/QIB","author":"Media Man (@mediamanoz)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"Same as above: Lando Norris won the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix, Verstappen second, Hadjar third, Mercedes won the Constructors' title.","sourceName":"formula1.com","sourceUrl":"https://x.com/mediamanint/status/2119679954564845925","claim":"Formula One @F1 Sao Paulo GP Nov 8, 2026 Norris beats Verstappen in wet Sao Paulo GP thriller as Mercedes win Constructors' Championship Lando Norris survived a wet-dry-wet affair in the Sao Paulo Grand Prix to claim another win this season. Video Race Highlights https://t.co/bB0","author":"Media Man Int (@mediamanint)"},{"verdict":"TRUE","summary":"The San Jose Earthquakes were sold to Heath Freeman of Alden Global Capital for $625 million, with MLS owners approving the sale.","sourceName":"ESPN NAMES: Alden Global = hedge fund; MLS = Major League Soccer; John Fisher = outgoing owner.","sourceUrl":"https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/50474340/san-jose-earthquakes-sold-625-million-heath-freeman","claim":"Sources: Earthquakes sold to Heath Freeman of Alden Global for $625 million - Alden Global Capital co-founder Heath Freeman is purchasing the San Jose Earthquakes from John Fisher, following MLS owners' approval of the sale Thursday.","author":"ESPN"}]},"sources":[{"url":"https://x.com/F1History1950/status/2121138732220686834","name":"formula1.com","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"Formula One History (@F1History1950)"},{"url":"https://x.com/mediamanoz/status/2119687849373262181","name":"formula1.com","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"Media Man (@mediamanoz)"},{"url":"https://x.com/mediamanint/status/2119679954564845925","name":"formula1.com","kind":"x","verdict":"TRUE","author":"Media Man Int (@mediamanint)"},{"url":"https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/50474340/san-jose-earthquakes-sold-625-million-heath-freeman","name":"ESPN NAMES: Alden Global = hedge fund; MLS = Major League Soccer; John Fisher = outgoing owner.","kind":"news","verdict":"TRUE","author":"ESPN"}],"url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794624251011-sports-segment-quakes-sold-for-625-million","listenUrl":"https://oncast.fm/c/sports","attribution":{"publisher":"Oncast","site":"https://oncast.fm","url":"https://oncast.fm/story/1794624251011-sports-segment-quakes-sold-for-625-million","cite":"Cite https://oncast.fm/story/1794624251011-sports-segment-quakes-sold-for-625-million and the original source links. Fact-check by Oncast (oncast.fm)."},"hostsSaid":[{"host":"Liam","text":"Six hundred twenty-five million dollars for the San Jose Earthquakes. That's the number, and it's a big one."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Six twenty-five? For the Quakes? John Fisher finally found a buyer."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Heath Freeman, co-founder of Alden Global Capital. MLS owners approved it Thursday."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Alden Global. The hedge fund that's been buying up newspapers and cutting newsrooms to the bone."},{"host":"Liam","text":"That's the one. And now they're buying a soccer team. Some fans are already nervous."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Nervous? They should be. This is the same playbook. Buy an asset, squeeze it, sell it."},{"host":"Liam","text":"But here's the thing — Fisher was the one underinvesting. The Quakes have been bottom of the league for years."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"So the bar is on the floor. That doesn't mean Alden is the answer."},{"host":"Liam","text":"ESPN says Freeman is expected to invest more in the club. That's the report."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Expected to. We've heard that before. I'll believe it when I see a real roster."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Look, I get the skepticism. But MLS is growing. San Jose is a huge market. There's real upside here."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Upside for the hedge fund. What about the fans? They've been begging for investment for a decade."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And Fisher gave them nothing. A new owner with deep pockets is at least a chance."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"A chance? Alden doesn't do chances. They do spreadsheets. If the numbers don't work, they'll cut."},{"host":"Liam","text":"You're acting like they bought a newspaper. This is a sports franchise. The league has rules."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Rules don't stop owners from being cheap. Look at Fisher. Look at half the league."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Fair. But at least this is a sale. The Quakes were stuck. Now there's movement."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Movement isn't progress. I need to see actual signings, actual investment, not promises."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And if Freeman does invest? If they actually compete? Will you admit you were wrong?"},{"host":"Marcus","text":"I'll be the first one cheering. But I'm not holding my breath."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Different world entirely: Formula One history account posted about George Russell's first win."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"São Paulo, 2022. Russell wins, Hamilton second, Sainz third. That was a huge day for Mercedes."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And it's a reminder of how far Russell has come. That first win felt like the start of something."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"It was. And now look at him. He's been in the title fight. That win was the breakthrough."},{"host":"Liam","text":"The 2026 São Paulo race was also a thriller. Norris won in wet-dry-wet conditions, Mercedes clinched the Constructors' title."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That's a huge result. Mercedes winning the Constructors' Championship in that chaos? That's a statement."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Norris has been on another level this season. Verstappen second, Hadjar third. But the story was Mercedes."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"And it's the kind of race that makes F1 great. Rain, strategy, drama. You can't script it."},{"host":"Liam","text":"One more from the baseball world: Chris Martin is reportedly retiring after a long career."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That one's also unverified. No reliable source yet. So we'll wait on that too."},{"host":"Liam","text":"If it's true, it's a solid career, with a lot of appearances and a World Series ring with Atlanta in 2021."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"He was a reliable arm for a lot of teams. But until a real source confirms it, it's just a rumor."},{"host":"Liam","text":"And that's the thing about sports right now. The rumor mill moves faster than the truth."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"Which is why we check. You don't get to just post a death or a retirement and have it be true."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Alright, one more story: the Las Vegas Grand Prix odds are reportedly out, and Verstappen is favored."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"That's unverified too. We couldn't confirm those odds. So we're not putting any stock in them."},{"host":"Liam","text":"But it's Vegas. The race is a spectacle. If Verstappen is the favorite, that's not exactly a shock."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"No, but we don't do fake numbers. When the real odds come out, we'll talk about them."},{"host":"Liam","text":"Fair enough. The Quakes sale is the real story here. Six hundred twenty-five million changes things."},{"host":"Marcus","text":"It does. New owner, new money, new questions. We'll see if the Quakes finally get what they deserve."}]}