Josh Harris may be the top candidate to buy the Commanders, but he and partner David Blitzer have started with some younger inroads into the DMV sports scene: they have come to an agreement to merge The Cal Ripken Experience with Cooperstown All-Star Village, combining two of the leading brands in youth baseball.
The Ripken Experience, which runs in three states including Maryland, and the All-Star Village based in upstate New York, host more than 10,000 players in the 10-12 age range for tournaments each summer.
“We can maybe explore newer complexes in other parts of the country at a much faster rate than it was going,” Ripken told the Associated Press. “Our growth has really come along the last few years. When we started talking, it just became obvious, why kind of compete in the same space? Why don’t we merge, because we’re very much alike.”
Harris and Blitzer had invested in Cooperstown All-Star Village last year, adding that to a portfolio that includes majority ownership of the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia 76ers, and their top minor-league affiliates (the AHL’s Binghamton Devils and Delaware Blue Coats, respectively).
The two also each own 18 percent of English Premier League side Crystal Palace, giving them and chairman Steve Parish (who also owns 18 percent) a majority stake in the club, and Blitzer also has a 25 percent stake in the Cleveland Guardians purchased last year.
As part of the deal, the combined youth baseball entity pledged to grow inclusion efforts in baseball, with Blitzer saying the Guardians will sponsor one underserved Cleveland-area team to attend the All Star Village this season.
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“By accelerating the growth of our youth baseball platform, we plan to not only enhance the quality and experience of Ripken Baseball and Cooperstown All Star Village, but also to expand its reach to bring Big League Experiences to significantly more young athletes, especially those who may have otherwise not had access,” Blitzer said in a release announcing the merger.
That’s something near and dear to Ripken’s heart, as the foundation named for his father was formed to assist at-risk youth programs in underserved areas.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN