Momentum Bank Ballpark, home of the Midland Rockhounds, is located at 5514 Champions Dr, Midland.
Rockhounds announce new ownership, will remain in Midland as Oakland A’s affiliate
The Midland Rockhounds have announced new ownership, but the club is reportedly staying in Midland as the Double-A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, according to a team statement.
Diamond Baseball Holdings (DBH), which was formed in 2021 and owns and operates select minor league clubs affiliated with Major League Baseball, is set to acquire the club in a transaction expected to be completed by the end of the year. Under new ownership, longtime General Manger Monty Hoppel and his staff will continue to work with the club, according to the Rockhounds’ statement.
Moving forward, the Rockhounds will continue to focus on fan engagement and community partnerships, according to DBH. In addition, DBH said it will leverage its national scale to enhance the Rockhounds, investing in technological innovation and “working directly with MLB on opportunities like sponsorship and merchandising.”
“We are confident that this is the right time and that DBH’s passion for baseball and community engagement makes them the right partner for the Rockhounds.”
DHB’s current roster of clubs include all four affiliates of the Atlanta Braves, along with the Iowa Cubs, Memphis Redbirds (Cardinals), Scranton/Wilkes Barre Railriders (Yankees) and Hudson Valley Renegades (Yankees).
The Rockhounds’ current owners Miles Prentice and Bob Richmond said the decision to pass the baton to DBH is emotional.
“We are confident that this is the right time and that DBH’s passion for baseball and community engagement makes them the right partner for the Rockhounds,” they said in a statement.
Prentice and Richmond called it an honor to have watched future big league players develop in Midland over the last three decades.
“But what stands out the most is the relationships we have built with our staff, city officials, sponsors and fans,” they added.
Pat Battle, executive chairman of DBH, said the club will continue to emphasize Midland’s “unique attributes and winning traditions while tapping into learnings and opportunities from DBH’s national network of clubs can take the Rockhounds to the next level.”
Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company, announced the creation of DHB last year with the aim of operating and enhancing minor league clubs.
