Durham, N.C. — Directorship groups in the American Association include a growing number of connections to Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association and Major League Soccer.
League commissioner Miles Wolff commented, “The fact that so many of our owners have strong ties to major league organizations shows the strength of the American Association. These owners recognize the value of ownership in our league. But it is not only those owners with ties to big-league organizations that give us strength, as all of our owners are successful businessmen in their respective fields.”
Listed below are members of American Association ownership groups with ties to big league teams:
– St. Paul Saints chairman Marv Goldklang has been a limited partner of the New York Yankees since 1979, while club president Mike Veeck, son of former Major League Baseball owner Bill Veeck, previously worked with the Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Florida Marlins.
– The Cleburne Railroaders and Texas AirHogs have two major league co-owners. Donnie Nelson, the president and general manager of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, and Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez are two of the principal investors in those teams.
– Wichita Wingnuts owner Nate Robertson had a nine-year big-league career as a pitcher with Florida, Detroit and Philadelphia, making 187 starts and appearing in the 2006 World Series with the Tigers.
– Sioux Falls Canaries CEO Tom Garrity has held executive positions in both Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, working with the Houston Astros, Minnesota Wild, and Phoenix Coyotes.
– The league’s new Rosemont club is owned by Steven Gluckstern and Shawn Hunter. The club will begin play in May 2018 in a new $55-million, 6,300-seat stadium. Gluckstern was previously a co-owner of the National Hockey League’s New York Islanders and Phoenix Coyotes. Hunter was president of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche and Phoenix Coyotes, as well as Major League Soccer’s Chivas USA.
