Iowa Cubs Join Newly Formed Organization Diamond Baseball Holdings

Diamond Baseball Holdings will support the Iowa Cubs in every aspect of the fan experience, community involvement and partnership opportunities

DES MOINES, IA (DECEMBER 8, 2021)— The Iowa Cubs have entered into an agreement to become a part of Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), an organization dedicated to supporting, promoting, and enhancing the sport of baseball through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. DBH is a subsidiary of Endeavor, the global sports and entertainment company.

Following the closing of the transaction, the Iowa Cubs will continue to be led by GM/President, Sam Bernabe, and remain an MLB affiliate of the Chicago Cubs.

“My partners and I wish the new owners well, and we’re particularly pleased that Sam Bernabe will remain as president and general manager of the team,” said Michael Gartner, who has been chairman and principal owner of the Iowa Cubs for the past 22 seasons. “We hope Sam and his new colleagues have as much fun running the team as we have had."

As part of DBH, Bernabe will work closely with Diamond Baseball Holdings’ leadership, Pat Battle and Peter B. Freund, to realize the club’s ambitions. Battle is Executive Chairman of DBH, bringing extensive experience at the local and national level, as well as ownership interest in two PDL teams. He is currently Chairman of the Board of Learfield and serves as an advisor to Endeavor across multiple companies. Freund is CEO of DBH, also bringing to the plate experience as a longtime Minor League Baseball owner and operator. Freund most recently consulted with the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball on the transition of Major League Baseball’s licensed affiliates while spearheading the formation of the MLB Draft League.

“Diamond Baseball Holdings will be global in our ambitions and hyper-local in our approach, and creating incredible fan experiences will remain our number one priority,” said Battle and Freund. “Additionally, we look forward to providing opportunities for growth to the employees of PDL Clubs whose passion and ingenuity have built the sport through the decades.”

Diamond Baseball Holdings was formed by Endeavor, the global sports and entertainment company. DBH will support Iowa with ticket sales, partnerships, naming rights, food & beverage, merchandise, content strategy, collectibles/authentics/NFTs and media rights, tapping into the broader Endeavor network for expertise across the various disciplines.

ABOUT THE IOWA CUBS

The Iowa Cubs are a Minor League Baseball team in the Midwest Division of the Triple-A East, located in Des Moines, Iowa. They have been the Triple-A Affiliate of the Chicago Cubs since 1981, and have played their home games at Principal Park since 1992. Principal Park sits at the confluence of the Des Moines and Raccoon Rivers, offering spectacular views of both the Iowa State Capitol and downtown Des Moines.

ABOUT DIAMOND BASEBALL HOLDINGS

Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH) is a subsidiary of Endeavor, the global sports and entertainment company. DBH was formed in 2021 to support, promote, and enhance the Professional Development League (PDL) through professional management, best practices, innovation and investment. (DiamondBaseballHoldings.com)