Former Ryan Sanders Sports and Entertainment and Round Rock Express CEO (Triple-A East) JJ Gottsch is leaving MiLB and will head up the Austin Gamblers team in the new PBR Team Series.
Under Gottsch, the Express team and the Ryan Sanders Sports and Entertainment organization was one of the most success across all of Minor League Baseball. During his 24 years with the company, he played instrumental roles in the establishment of two of MiLB’s most successful teams–the Express and the Corpus Christi Hooks–as well as serving as the executive director of “Big League Weekend,” a Major League Baseball spring training exhibition series at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Gottsch is also the current chairman of the Austin Sports Commission.
He’ll be heading to the Austin Gamblers, part of the expansion by PBR (Professional Bull Riders) into team sports launched by Texas natives Egon and Abby Durban.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to bring new and old fans together to enjoy a sport of grit, dedication, and Texan-style entertainment,” Gottsch said in a press release. “Whether it’s the love of food, music, or sports, Austinites’ passion and loyalty is unmatched. We are so excited to not only bring another professional sport to Central Texas but also bring in top talent as our coaches and riders for our team.”
The new Gamblers team will have an audacious home debut as the first sports event at the University of Texas’s Moody Center, scheduled for August 26-28.