It’s the end of an era for the Jacksonville Suns.
After 31 years of the Bragan family owning the minor league affiliate, Peter “Pedro” Bragan Jr. will sell the team to Ken Babby, owner and CEO of the Akron RubberDucks and founder of FastForward Sports Group.
The deal won’t go into effect until September, providing one final season for Bragan to run the Suns. Terms of the deal were not announced during a news conference Monday morning.
Bragan said he wasn’t trying to sell the team, but received some overtures after his father and longtime owner, Peter Bragan Sr., passed away more than two years ago. He rejected those overtures.
Babby, 35, came to town when Jacksonville hosted the 2014 Southern League All-Star Game. From there, conversations about a possible deal began.
Bragan called selling the team “bittersweet” but said Babby was the right new owner at the right time for Jacksonville.
Babby said he looked forward to continuing the building upon the winning foundation the Bragans have established both on the field and in the community. And, he said, the popular Thirsty Thursdays promotions will continue.
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