GRAND CHUTE (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers are now under new ownership.
Third Base Ventures, which previously purchased the T-Rats in 2020, has agreed to sell the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers to Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH). They say the team will remain in the Fox Cities as the Milwaukee Brewers' High-A affiliate.
"As their rising attendance suggests, the Timber Rattlers are a cornerstone of the Fox Cities community and we’re honored to welcome them to our roster,” Pat Battle and Peter Freund, Executive Chairman and CEO of DBH, said in a press release. “This is a club with a storied history, strong community roots and a bright future in Appleton under Rob Zerjav’s continued leadership. We’re excited to support him and the team as we kick off our new partnership with the Brewers.”
Diamond Baseball Holdings owns and operates more than 40 minor league teams across the country.
The group is also purchasing the Timber Rattlers' home ballpark, Neuroscience Group Field at Fox Cities Stadium. The existing front office staff will continue to operate the club under the leadership of Rob Zerjav, the team's President & CEO.
“It has always been our goal to ensure baseball remains a part of the fabric of Northeastern Wisconsin and we are excited to be joining DBH, who shares our passion for baseball and community,” Zerjav, who is in his 23rd season leading the club, said in the release. “Their commitment to preserving what makes the Timber Rattlers special, while helping us grow into the future, made this the right move for the organization and the Fox Cities."
The T-Rats have been a Brewers affiliate since 2009 and have played in the Midwest League since 1962.
