The Braves are selling off their minor-league teams in Mississippi, Gwinnett and Rome.
The buyer is a global company called Endeavor Group Holdings. The price is undisclosed.
Despite unloading the teams, the Gwinnett, Mississippi and Rome teams will continue to serve as the Braves’ Triple-A, Double-A and High-A affiliates, respectively, under the new ownership. These teams will operate pretty much the same in regard to on-field matters. The Braves will still manage player development, However, the business side of everything will NOT be managed by them.So no responsibility for ticket sales, other revenue streams, broadcasting and sponsorships.
As a Braves fan, the announcement (pardon the pun) came out of “left field.”
The Braves decided to sell because they felt they no longer saw a great number of advantages to owning their minor league Professional Development Leagues.
“With Major League Baseball’s recent realignment of the Professional Development Leagues (PDL), the Braves organization is assured of optimal geographic location for our affiliates for the foreseeable future, and we felt the timing was right (for the sale),” the Braves said in a statement Wednesday. “We support and are encouraged by Endeavor’s investment into the PDL, and the teams are in good hands with some (of) the best staffs in the PDL system.”
The Braves have not commented on the transaction beyond the statement. Some are wondering if this had anything to do with renewing Freddie Freeman.
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