As we noted was in the works last week, Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) has added the Oklahoma City Dodgers (Triple-A West) to its roster of 2021 acquisitions, putting the total at 10.
You can read our initial story about the debut of DBH, a subsidiary of entertainment giant Endeavor, here. Last week DBH announced the acquisition of these nine teams, including five teams being acquired in this first round:
- Hudson Valley Renegades (High-A East)
- Iowa Cubs (Triple-A East)
- Memphis Redbirds (Triple-A East)
- San Jose Giants (Low-A West)
- Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (Triple-A East)
In addition, these four teams are in the process of being approved for purchase:
- Augusta GreenJackets (Low-A East)
- Gwinnett Stripers (Triple-A East)
- Mississippi Braves (Double-A South)
- Rome Braves (High-A East)
We also noted that the OKC Dodgers and Springfield Cardinals (Double-A Central) were under discussion as well.
The sale of the OKC Dodgers is subject to industry approvals.
“The Oklahoma City Dodgers are the ideal addition to our portfolio of ten Clubs at Diamond Baseball Holdings,” said Mark Shapiro, President of Endeavor, in a press statement. “The Dodgers are a crown jewel in the OKC community with a national influence and one of the best farm systems in baseball. Needless to say, they will have a huge and immediate impact on our growth plan. Additionally, having Triple-A ownership across the most legendary franchises in baseball including the Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals is truly remarkable and will give us extraordinary reach and engagement.”
Following the closing of the transaction, the OKC Dodgers will continue to be led by President/General Manager Michael Byrnes and remain an affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Joining DBH is another step toward furthering our commitment to contributing meaningfully to the Oklahoma City community,” Byrnes said in a press statement. “Along with DBH, we will continue to deliver a next-level experience in Minor League Baseball, with the same traditions we know and love. I trust that joining DBH will serve everyone well into the future.”
Since September 2014, the Oklahoma City franchise was owned and operated by Mandalay Baseball LLC–a partnership between Los Angeles Dodgers ownership and an investor group led by Mandalay Entertainment Chairman and CEO and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Peter Guber. Mandalay Baseball LLC’s predecessor, Mandalay Baseball Properties, began operating the Oklahoma City franchise in the fall of 2010.
“For the past 11 seasons it has been an honor for myself and Mandalay Baseball to be associated with Oklahoma City’s Triple-A franchise, including the last seven as a partner with the Los Angeles Dodgers,” said Guber. “We feel our devotion and enthusiasm for both the team and city each and every day has left the franchise in a great position for success going forward and something that has instilled great pride in the Oklahoma City community.”
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