The Harrisburg Senators, minor league baseball team for The Nationals is set to change hands. The team's management announced on Wednesday that the Senators have been sold to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), a group that owns and operates 30 other Minor League Baseball teams.
DBH, led by executive chairman Pat Battle and CEO Peter Freund, also owns teams such as the Altoona Curve and the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Rail Riders. The purchase price for the Senators was not disclosed.
The Senators, who are the double-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Washington Nationals, will continue to play at FNB Field on Harrisburg’s City Island. The front office staff and Team President Kevin Kulp will remain in their current positions.
The sale is expected to close promptly, subject to the consent of the Eastern League and other standard closing conditions.
The Senators were previously owned by the late Mark Butler, former owner of Ollies Bargain Outlet, who purchased a majority stake in the Senators in 2014. After Butler's death in December 2019, the Butler family continued to operate the baseball club with Kulp promoting and operating the club.
Kulp expressed gratitude for the Butler family's support and leadership, and he is optimistic about the future under DBH. He said, "DBH will provide long-term stability for the franchise and help write the next chapter of Senators history while building incredible experiences offered at FNB Field."
DBH’s Battle and Freund also expressed their intentions to build on the legacy left by the Butler family. They said, "We intend to build upon Mark’s legacy by continuing to engage the community and provide the best fan experience at one of the most unique ballparks in the country."
Local ownership will continue as Dan and Michael Schwab, co-presidents of D&H Distributing, along with their sister, Amy Silfen, will retain a minority interest in the team.
Harrisburg Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams noted that the Senators sale to DBH ensures that minor league baseball will continue in the city. She said, "Welcoming DBH to Harrisburg ensures that minor league baseball will continue to prosper at FNB Field with the dedication, investment and expertise they bring to our community.”
The Senators are off to a 1-3 start to the season. The team returns to FNB Field Tuesday, when the club begins a six-game series with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. The Senators play in the 12-team Double-A Eastern League. The 2024 season is their 37th since returning to the Eastern League in 1987 and the club has won the league championship six times, including four consecutive times occasions from 1996-99. The Senators set their all-time single-season attendance record in 2015 drawing 301,588 fans through the FNB Field gates.