(Rome Braves media release):
The Atlanta Braves have entered into an agreement to have the Rome Braves become a part of Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization dedicated to supporting, promoting, and enhancing the sport of baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. DBH is a subsidiary of Endeavor, the global sports and entertainment company. The sale of the Club remains subject to the Professional Development League (PDL) approval process.
Following the closing of the transaction (which remains subject to PDL approval), the Rome Braves will continue to be led by Vice-President and General Manager David Cross and remain an MLB affiliate of the Atlanta Braves.
“The Rome Braves are looking forward to joining Diamond Baseball Holdings as the High-A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves,” said Cross. “Our commitment to Rome and Floyd County will continue, and under the leadership of DBH we look forward to taking the fan experience to the next level.”
As part of DBH, Cross will work closely with Diamond Baseball Holdings’ leadership, Pat Battle and Peter B. Freund, to realize the club’s ambitions. Battle is Executive Chairman of DBH, bringing extensive experience at the local and national level, as well as ownership interest in two clubs. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Learfield and serves as an advisor to Endeavor across multiple companies. Freund is CEO of DBH, also bringing to the plate experience as a longtime Minor League Baseball owner and operator. Freund most recently consulted with the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on the transition of Major League Baseball’s licensed affiliates while spearheading the formation of the MLB Draft League.
“Diamond Baseball Holdings will be global in our ambitions and hyper-local in our approach, and creating incredible fan experiences will remain our number one priority,” said Battle and Freund. “Additionally, we look forward to providing opportunities for growth to the employees of PDL Clubs whose passion and ingenuity have built the sport through the decades.”
Diamond Baseball Holdings was formed by Endeavor, the global sports and entertainment company. DBH will support the Rome Braves with ticket sales, partnerships, naming rights, food & beverage, merchandise, content strategy, collectibles/authentics/NFTs and media rights, tapping into the broader Endeavor network for expertise across the various disciplines.
