Sean Decker, president of the new ownership group, on Kane County Cougars: ‘This is the class of the league.'

Chicago Tribune

03-04-2025

Every summer, Sean Decker does what many other fathers do with their children.
He takes them on a trip to watch baseball. Decker — the president of Dallas-based REV Entertainment, the new owners of the Kane County Cougars — did that again last July.
REV also owns the Cleburne Railroaders, fellow members of the American Association with the Cougars. Decker and his 7-year-old son came up for three games between the two teams.
That was right when talks of acquiring the Cougars were just starting.
'The place was amazing,' Decker said of Northwestern Medicine Field. 'It was an afternoon game. The place was slammed with kids, people who loved being here. I was like, 'These guys get it.'
'This is the class of the league.'
Heading up a business that continues to add assets, mostly in baseball, one thing dawned on him.
'At its basic root, that's what we do,' Decker said of his father-son moment. 'We create places that families come to. If nothing else, I can prove that I practice what I preach with my kids.
'I didn't come here on a fact-finding mission to buy a team. I came here with my son to watch one of the teams we own play. We started sitting around saying, 'Gosh, wouldn't it be cool if we could someday own that team?''
That day came in March, and on Wednesday, REV Entertainment was formally introduced as the successor to Dr. Bob Froelich as the owners of the Cougars.
Froelich, the owner since 2014, said he was approached in early 2024 by a group of former minor league owners about acquiring the team.
Word travels fast in baseball circles, and at the American Association All-Star Game, Froelich talked to Tom Vander Veen, a senior advisor at REV that oversees Cleburne's operations.
'He said, 'Dr. Bob, I'm hearing through the grapevine that you're having discussions with someone,'' Froelich said. 'He said, 'If you're having discussions about selling the team, we want to take a run on it.' From that to here, it just worked.'
Froelich hosted members of REV Entertainment for a five-game series shortly after the All-Star Game. What started as a conversation between two owners and a father-son trip turned into more.
'I really think the fans sold the team for me,' Froelich said. 'I didn't sell the team.
'Sean was having a father-son outing and they picked here to do it. His son fell in love with the team. Sean fell in love with the team. Literally, it was that home stand. I'm not sure the deal would have happened if Sean's son wanted to go somewhere else. Who knows?'
Decker was quick to point out his company didn't buy the Cougars as a line item in their portfolio.
'The Kane County Cougars aren't going anywhere,' Decker said. 'We love this place. We invested in this place and we want to be here until the end of time.'
He even said discussions about extending the lease with the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, owners of Northwestern Medicine Field, would be explored.
'REV Entertainment coming in here is the very best option for the Kane County Cougars,' said Bill Lenert, Forest Preserve District of Kane County president. 'We are thrilled they are the new owners.'
Decker said he doesn't want to come in and make wholesale changes.
He said REV Entertainment just wants to enhance what is already a successful and well-respected operation, which he saw firsthand last summer.
'For the first year, you're not going to see any meaningful difference,' Decker said. 'As we get into 2026 and beyond, this has to be a community asset for more than just the 50 home games.
'We're hoping to bring a group in that kind of pours gasoline on a small fire and makes a big one.'