{{Short description|Sports ownership and management company}} {{Infobox company | logo = | logo_alt = | industry = Sports management | founded = {{Start date and age|2006 }} | founder = Jason Freier | hq_location_city = Atlanta | key_people = | parent = | website = https://www.hardballcapital.com/ }}
'''Hardball Capital''' is an American sports ownership and management company, which owns several Minor League Baseball teams.
== History == Jason Freier is the chairman and Chief executive officer of Hardball Capital, which is based in Atlanta.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jason Freier {{!}} ALSD |url=https://www.alsd.com/content/jason-freier |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=www.alsd.com}}</ref>
On February 20, 2006, Hardball Capital purchased the Fort Wayne Wizards.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Fort Wayne Franchise History |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-23940634 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref> Following the 2008 season, the Wizards were renamed to the Fort Wayne TinCaps, in reference to Johnny Appleseed who lived in Fort Wayne and was buried in the city.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Caputo |first=Paul |date=2015-01-10 |title=The Apple of Our Eye: The Story Behind the Fort Wayne TinCaps |url=https://news.sportslogos.net/2015/01/10/the-apple-of-our-eye-the-story-behind-the-fort-wayne-tincaps/baseball/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |language=en-US}}</ref>
In July 2006, Hardball Capital purchased the Salem Avalanche.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lawyer, company to buy second baseball team |url=https://www.law.com/article/almID/1202552491928/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Law.com |language=en}}</ref> The team was bought for $8 million from Kelvin Bowles who had owned the team for 20 years.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anderson |first=Robert |date=2025-08-29 |title=Salem honors 'the savior of baseball' in the Roanoke Valley |url=https://cardinalnews.org/2025/08/29/salem-honors-the-savior-of-baseball-in-the-roanoke-valley/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Cardinal News |language=en-US}}</ref> In December 2007, Hardball sold the team to Fenway Sports Group.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Bauer |first=A. J. |title=Fenway Sports Group gets minor league team |url=https://www.patriotledger.com/story/sports/2007/12/11/fenway-sports-group-gets-minor/40139832007/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=The Patriot Ledger |language=en-US}}</ref>
On March 20, 2008, Hardball Capital purchased the Savannah Sand Gnats of the South Atlantic League.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Manasso |first=John |date=2008-03-20 |title=Savannah Sand Gnats sold to Hardball Capital - Atlanta Business Chronicle |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/stories/2008/03/17/daily38.html |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=www.bizjournals.com |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Gnats announce ownership change |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-372094 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dominitz |first=Nathan |title=Sand Gnats to change ownership |url=https://www.savannahnow.com/story/news/2008/03/21/sand-gnats-change-ownership/13356199007/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Savannah Morning News |language=en-US}}</ref> In August 2015, Hardball moved the Savannah Sand Gnats to Columbia, South Carolina and they became the Columbia Fireflies and moved to the Carolina League.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-08-04 |title=New for 2016: Columbia Fireflies {{!}} Ballpark Digest |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2015/08/04/new-for-2016-columbia-fireflies/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |language=en-US}}</ref>
In March 2015, Hardball purchased the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Double-A (baseball) Southern League.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Group Completes Purchase of Chattanooga Lookouts |url=https://www.milb.com/news/gcs-111185250 |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=MiLB.com |language=en}}</ref>
== Sports properties == {| class="wikitable" |+Current Minor League Baseball Teams owned !Team !League !Year acquired !Notes |- |Chattanooga Lookouts<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-03-05 |title=Freier, locals close on Lookouts purchase {{!}} Ballpark Digest |url=https://ballparkdigest.com/2015/03/05/freier-locals-close-on-lookouts-purchase/ |access-date=2026-02-07 |website=Baseball Digest |language=en-US}}</ref> |Southern League (Double-A) |2015 | |- |Columbia Fireflies |Carolina League (Single-A) |2015 |Rebranded from Savannah Sand Gnats |- |Fort Wayne TinCaps |Midwest League (High-A) |2006 | |} {| class="wikitable" |+Former Minor League Baseball Teams owned !Team !League !Years owned !Notes |- |Salem Avalanche<ref name=":1" /> |Carolina League (Class A-Advanced) |2006-2007<ref name=":2" /> |Sold to Fenway Sports Group |- |Savannah Sand Gnats<ref name=":3" /> |South Atlantic League (Class A) |2008-2015 |Became the Columbia Fireflies |}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Sports management companies Category:Sports holding companies of the United States Category:Privately held companies of the United States Category:Minor League baseball owners Category:Entertainment companies of the United States