CLEVELAND — It's official: David Blitzer is now a minority owner of the Cleveland Guardians.
The team confirmed the news Monday morning, which comes nearly two weeks after reports first surfaced of the Major League Baseball deal.
“I am thrilled to join the ownership group of the Cleveland Guardians, a storied Major League Baseball franchise with a loyal, engaged fanbase,” Blitzer said Monday. “Our goal is to support Paul and the incredibly talented Guardians leadership team in delivering to Cleveland a team that can contend for a World Series. We also look forward to assisting the Guardians in their mission of using the platform of baseball to drive positive change in the communities our team serves. I thank Paul and the Dolan family, as well as our partners in this investment, for this amazing opportunity.”
The Associated Press previously reported that Blitzer will initially have 25-30 percent ownership and will have the right to increase his stake to a controlling interest in several years. Their sources had spoken on condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been finalized.
Blitzer also owns shares in other sports teams as well, including the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.
“I am very excited about bringing on David Blitzer and his group as our partners," said Guardians Owner, Chairman and CEO Paul Dolan. "David brings a wealth of experience in the sports industry that we believe will be a complementary addition to our organization. I look forward to collaborating with David for years to come to achieve our goal of winning a World Series.”
The Guardians currently hold second place in the American League Central Division at 36-32 after being swept by the Boston Red Sox.
Joining Blitzer’s group as a local investor in the minority stake of the Guardians is LeafFilter owner Matt Kaulig, the founder of Kaulig Companies in Northeast Ohio. The former Akron Zips quarterback currently owns Kaulig Racing in NASCAR and is an occasional 3News contributor.
Kaulig made more sports headlines earlier this month in the world of golf after it was announced that Kaulig Companies is taking over the naming rights of Bridgestone Senior Players Championship in Akron next year.
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