The potential sale of the San Jose Earthquakes by owner John Fisher might also be a way to entice the soccer club to play its games at an unspecified downtown San Jose site, the city's mayor says.

The Earthquakes have hired the New York-based investment firm Moelis & Co. to lead the sale. The Earthquakes, then known as the San Jose Clash, were a founding member of MLS in 1996.

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Earthquakes may be up for sale. KTVU has learned team owner John Fisher has hired investment bank Moelis & Co. to help him sell a controlling share of the club.

The San Jose Earthquakes are up for sale. They're an MLS soccer team that's currently owned by John Fisher, who also owns the A's. Now, he needs money to build a stadium for the A's in Las Vegas ...

The Earthquakes, then known as the San Jose Clash, were a founding member of MLS in 1996. The team won MLS Cup titles in 2001 and 2003.

San Jose Earthquakes owner John Fisher hires Moelis & Co. to sell controlling share of the MLS team. The franchise is valued at $540 million.

The San Jose Earthquakes have started the process of selling a controlling interest in the club, with the ownership group hiring global investment bank Moelis & Co. to lead the effort.