Vancouver’s popular minor league baseball club has been acquired by a U.S. firm, but the new owners are pledging no major shakeups.
The Vancouver Canadians announced Tuesday that the team had been sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), a U.S. company that owns more than a dozen league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB).
DBH is promising to keep the team in Vancouver, where it serves as the Toronto Blue Jays’ High-A affiliate.
“As DBH works to scale the baseball experience and enhance value for local fans, players, and visitors, we recognize and are committed to deepening this club’s important role in Vancouver,” Diamond Baseball Holdings executive chairman Pat Battle and CEO Peter Freund in a media release.
DBH was founded in 2021, and owns 16 A- through AAA-rated teams across the U.S. The company’s website pledges a “hyper local” approach, and that “creating incredible fan experiences will remain our number one priority.”
Outgoing co-owners Jake Kerr and Jeff Mooney, who have owned the club for the last 15 years, will stay on as chair of the club and chair of the Vancouver Canadians Baseball Foundation, respectively.
The club’s sale price was not made public.
The Vancouver Canadians’ first home game of the 2023 season takes place this Friday at 7:05 p.m. at Nat Bailey Stadium.