New ownership for Sharks in 2015

WILMINGTON, NC (NEWS RELEASE) — The Wilmington Sharks are pleased to announce that Brad Smith and Smith Family Baseball have agreed to terms with current Sharks ownership to purchase the baseball club. After a tremendous season for the Sharks, which saw a full rebranding, a surge of almost 30% in attendance and hundreds of thousands of dollars invested into Buck Hardee Field, the Sharks’ success didn’t go unnoticed.

“When I purchased the Sharks in 2013, I certainly was intending to operate them for the long term,” owner Peter Freund commented, “but the opportunity to fold the team into Smith Family Baseball made too much sense for the organization and the people of Wilmington. Brad and his group bring with them a tremendous history of operating in the state of North Carolina and I am confident they will continue the trend that we started last year.”

“Wilmington is an exciting and vibrant market and the support of the Sharks from its fan base is one of the many reasons we were drawn to the city,” said Brad Smith, President of Smith Family Baseball. “We are incredibly excited to add the Sharks to our portfolio and can assure everyone that we will continue on the path that Peter and his team started. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and preparing for the 2015 season.”

About the Wilmington Sharks:

Set in the picturesque Cape Fear region of North Carolina, the Wilmington Sharks are one of the charter members of the Coastal Plain League. Providing affordable family entertainment in a minor league atmosphere, the Sharks have been consistently in the top 25 in attendance in all of summer-collegiate baseball.

About the Kannapolis Intimidators:

The Kannapolis Intimidators are the Class-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox and one of 14 teams of the South Atlantic League. The Intimidators call CMC-NorthEast Stadium home. The 4,700-seat facility was built in 1995 and is conveniently located off Interstate 85 at Exit 63. The Kannapolis Intimidators are owned and operated by Smith Family Baseball. Brad Smith is the team’s President, and Randy Long is the General Manager.