Burned out after more than three decades in legal practice and amidst a slumping technology market, former Twilio Inc. lawyer Mark Kahn has transitioned to a new chapter that reconnects him with an old passion: baseball. Kahn, who served as the general counsel for Segment Inc., a customer data company that was acquired by Twilio for approximately $3.2 billion, has taken on multiple roles with the Oakland Ballers, an independent minor league baseball team. Now an investor, legal chief, and stadium announcer, Kahn announced the lineups and performed ad reads for the Ballers’ 48 home games.
Before earning his law degree, Kahn managed ticket sales for Major League Baseball’s Oakland Athletics, a team that’s currently contemplating a relocation to Las Vegas, as reported in various media outlets. The departure of the Athletics is part of a broader exodus of professional sports teams from Oakland, including the NFL’s Raiders and the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
Kahn’s extensive experience in legal matters such as construction, land use, and real estate has been invaluable for the Oakland Ballers during their inception phase. The team faced substantial challenges, including the refurbishment of their home field, Raimondi Park, which required $1.6 million in private funding to transform from its previous state of disrepair, as described in a recent report.
The journey back to baseball was driven by several factors for Kahn, one of which was a lasting impression he made during his initial stint with the Oakland Athletics. Team promotions like the $1 tickets and hot dogs, better known as Double Play Wednesdays, left a mark on both colleagues and fans, which eventually worked in his favor when he pitched his involvement with the Ballers to the team’s co-founders.
Kahn’s vast network, from his time in Big Tech and other ventures, facilitated his transition back into the sports world. After the pandemic and a significant downturn in the technology market resulting in widespread layoffs, Kahn found himself drawn back to the community and in-person interactions that the Oakland Ballers offered. His responsibilities as the team’s legal chief have allowed him to cut external legal costs by handling many negotiations and legal issues in-house, although the team still retains outside counsel for specific needs.
“I enjoy being in person with folks,” said Kahn, who has no plans to leave his new life at the ballpark anytime soon. He humorously added that he doesn’t anticipate taking on any additional roles unless, of course, the team needs a “5-foot-6, over-the-hill second baseman.”
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