We have a transaction to report in the summer-collegiate world, as veteran operator Brad Smith has closed on a purchase of the New Britain Bees (Futures League).
Smith signed an agreement to buy the Bees earlier this month, then received approval from both the Futures League and New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart to complete the purchase.
“I would like to thank Frank Boulton, Mike Pfaff, Anthony Iacovone, Tony Amin and Vic Picone for helping us getting to this point,” said Smith. “It was Frank and Mike who got me back into the baseball business four years ago, and I will be forever grateful,” Smith said via press statement. He also announced Founding Partner Pfaff will stay on board as a senior advisor to the club.
“This is the fulfillment of a promise Frank and I made when we arrived here in New Britain back in 2015,” said Pfaff. “Our promise was to bring – and keep — baseball alive in New Britain Stadium for the long term, and to find solid local ownership to make sure it stays here for years to come. Our ownership group felt very strongly that we have found the perfect person to do that in Brad Smith.”
A long, successful track record in the baseball world has led Smith to this point. His first 10 years in the industry, from 1995-2005, were with the Chattanooga Lookouts (Class AA; Southern League). In 2005, along with his late father Dale Smith, he purchased the Kannapolis Intimidators (Low A; Sally League). Smith served as the Intimidators team president through the 2015 season, when he sold the club. Additionally, from 2014 to 2016, the Smith family owned the Wilmington Sharks (summer collegiate; Coastal Plain League.