SAN JOSE — 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 owner of the San Jose Earthquakes announced Wednesday that he has begun the process of selling the Major League Soccer club.

John Fisher, who also owns the Athletics, confirmed that he is selling the San Jose Earthquakes, which he paid about $20 million for in 2007 and is now valued at $540 million.