Who Owns Major League Baseball?
A look at the different ownership groups of Major League Baseball teams and how they have changed over the years.
Introduction
This article will attempt to answer the question: who owns Major League Baseball? We’ll take a look at the ownership structures of the different teams, as well as the league itself. We’ll also examine how the ownership of baseball has changed over time.
Major League Baseball is composed of 30 teams, 29 of which are located in the United States and one in Canada. These teams are divided into two leagues, the National League and the American League. Each league is further divided into three divisions: East, Central, and West.
The teams in Major League Baseball are owned by a variety of different entities, including individuals, investment groups, and corporations. The majority of teams are owned by a single individual or family, though there are a few exceptions. For example, the Chicago Cubs are owned by a trusts controlled by the Ricketts family, while the San Francisco Giants are owned by a group of investors led by Charles B. Johnson.
There are also a few corporations that own multiple teams in Major League Baseball. The most notable example is Liberty Media, which owns the Atlanta Braves and a minority stake in the Boston Red Sox. Other examples include Comcast (which owns the Philadelphia Phillies), News Corporation (which owns the Los Angeles Dodgers), and Time Warner (which owns the Atlanta Braves).
The ownership structure of Major League Baseball has undergone a lot of changes over time. Prior to 2006, Major League Baseball was structured as two separate entities: one comprising the 30 major league clubs and another comprising Minor League Baseball, which includes all levels of professional baseball below the major leagues. In 2006, these two entities were merged into a single organization known as Major League Baseball Properties Inc., which is now responsible for all aspects of baseball at both the major and minor league levels.
The Teams
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization, and the oldest of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams play in MLB: 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. There are also 3 teams in Puerto Rico which are not affiliated with MLB. The teams are divided into 2 leagues: the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), each of which is further divided into 3 divisions: East, West, and Central.
The NL is composed of 15 teams, while the AL has 14 teams. Each league has 5 teams in its East division, 4 teams in its West division, and 6 teams in its Central division. The AL also has a designated hitter (DH) rule in effect for all games played in AL parks; the NL does not have this rule. Interleague play occurs throughout the season, but becomes more prevalent during July, when each team plays a series against a team from the other league.
As of 2020, here are the 30 MLB teams and their respective ownership groups:
-Arizona Diamondbacks: Ken Kendrick
-Atlanta Braves: Liberty Media
-Baltimore Orioles: Peter Angelos
-Boston Red Sox: John Henry
-Chicago Cubs: Ricketts Family
-Chicago White Sox: Jerry Reinsdorf
-Cincinnati Reds: Robert Castellini
-Cleveland Indians: Larry Dolan
-Colorado Rockies: Dick Monfort
-Detroit Tigers: Christopher Illitch
-Houston Astros: Jim Crane
-Kansas City Royals: David Glass
-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Arte Moreno
-Los Angeles Dodgers: Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC
-Miami Marlins: Derek Jeter
-Milwaukee Brewers: Mark Attanasio -Minneapolis Twins: Jim Pohlad Family Enterprises New York Mets : Wilpons/ Katz Family New York Yankees : Hal Steinbrenner Oakland Athletics : John J. Fisher Philadelphia Phillies : John S. Middleton & Partners Pittsburgh Pirates : Robert Nutting & family San Diego Padres : Ron Fowler & Peter Seidler San Francisco Giants : William Neukom & Charles Crocker Seattle Mariners : Nintendo St Louis Cardinals : William DeWitt Jr family Tampa Bay Rays : Stuart Sternberg Texas Rangers : Ray Davis & Bob Simpson Toronto Blue Jays : Rogers Communications
The Leagues
In Major League Baseball, there are two leagues – the American League and the National League. Each league is made up of three divisions: the East, Central, and West. In total, there are 30 teams in Major League Baseball. 29 of these teams are located in the United States and 1 team is located in Canada.
The American League was founded in 1901 and consists of 14 teams. The National League was founded in 1876 and consists of 16 teams.
The Players
Major League Baseball is unique among the major professional sports leagues in the United States in that it does not have a single owner. Instead, the 30 teams that make up MLB are owned by a variety of individuals, families, and corporations.
The largest shareholder in MLB is Liberty Media, a media conglomerate controlled by John Malone. Liberty Media owns the Atlanta Braves, and it also has a large stake in Sirius XM Radio, the satellite radio provider.
Other notable MLB owners include the families of George Steinbrenner (New York Yankees), Bill DeWitt (St. Louis Cardinals), and Tom Ricketts (Chicago Cubs). Former U.S. president George W. Bush was also once a part-owner of the Texas Rangers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear that no one single entity can be said to “own” Major League Baseball. Instead, ownership is spread out across a number of different individuals and groups, with each having their own particular stake in the game. However, it is worth noting that the Commissioner’s Office does exert a large amount of control over the sport, and as such could be said to be the closest thing to an “owner” that baseball has.
