REV Entertainment buys Kane County Cougars, team to keep playing in Geneva
Following approval by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, which owns the team's stadium, the American Association of Professional Baseball – the league the Cougars are part of – approved the sale of the team last week, according to a press release from REV Entertainment.
This is REV's second American Association franchise, according to Monday's statement from the Arlington, Texas-based sports and entertainment company. It became the majority ownership partner of the Cleburne Railroaders, who play in Cleburne, Texas, in 2023.
Bob Froehlich, who owned the Kane County Cougars for more than 10 years until the sale was finalized, said in a statement on Monday that REV Entertainment officials are 'baseball people,' and that it is a company that 'understands what it takes to successfully operate minor league franchises.'
He noted REV's experience managing events at Globe Life Field, home of Major League Baseball's Texas Rangers, as well as at the Rangers' former stadium.
'REV's proven track record in baseball and live events positions them perfectly to build upon the Cougars' rich tradition and ensure continued success for years to come,' Joshua Schaub, commissioner of the American Association of Professional Baseball, said in Monday's announcement from REV.
Froehlich will no longer act as the team's chairman, CEO and president, according to the team's vice president and general manager Curtis Haug, though he expects Froehlich to continue attending games and sharing expertise with the team's new owner.
Haug said he anticipates REV will select the team's new chairman, CEO and president, although the details are yet to be announced.
Froehlich's reasons for deciding to sell the team were personal, according to Haug.
The sale will not move the team, however, meaning the Kane County Cougars will continue to play at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva, officials said.
'Cougars baseball has got a great reputation, a great image, not just here in the community but nationally,' Haug said of the team's remaining in the county. 'REV definitely wants to continue that success.'
In February, the Forest Preserve District, which owns the stadium, agreed to reassign the lease to REV Entertainment, said Forest Preserve Commission President and Kane County Board member Bill Lenart. The current lease extends until 2034.
'There's no plans to go anywhere,' Haug said about the Cougars on Tuesday.
The Cougars franchise has been around since the 1880s, according to the announcement from REV Entertainment. The minor league team relocated from Wausau, Wisconsin, to Kane County in 1991.
The team will be holding an announcement event on April 2 at Northwestern Medicine Field to introduce REV as the new owners, according to Monday's announcement.
Amid the ownership shake-up, the team is still set to begin its season on schedule, Haug said on Tuesday. The team's first game is on May 8, according to Monday's release, with the Cougars playing at home against the Sioux City Explorers.
'We start our defense,' Haug said of the upcoming season, referring to the team's 2024 Miles Wolff Cup Championship win. 'We're looking forward to, you know, (getting) the season started and defending our championship and hopefully making it two in a row.'
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