The Atlanta Braves are a professional Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. They compete in the National League (NL) East Division and are one of the oldest continuously operating professional baseball franchises in America. The Braves have won multiple division titles and four World Series championships, most recently in 2021.
Since 1966, the team has been based in Atlanta after relocating from Milwaukee. Over their long history, they’ve been known for iconic players, passionate fans, and a strong organizational culture.
Ownership Status of the Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are not owned by a single individual like some private teams. Instead, the franchise is owned corporately through a publicly traded company:-
Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.
- Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. is the current entity that owns the Atlanta Braves franchise.
- This company holds ownership indirectly through its wholly owned subsidiary Braves Holdings, LLC, which operates the baseball club.
- The common stocks of Atlanta Braves Holdings trade on the NASDAQ stock market under symbols BATRA and BATRK, while Series B shares trade on the OTC Markets as BATRB.
Because the Braves are now structured as a publicly traded corporation, the “owners” are essentially shareholders who own stock in Atlanta Braves Holdings. These shareholders include institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual investors who buy and sell shares on public markets.
Chairman & Control Person
While no single person owns the team outright, a key leader is:
- Terry McGuirk – Chairman, President & CEO of Braves Holdings, LLC, and the Control Person of the Atlanta Braves. He is responsible for overall leadership of the franchise, including baseball operations and business activities.
McGuirk has a long history with the Braves organization and significant influence in team decisions, but he does not personally own the Braves—his role is executive leadership on behalf of the ownership group.
Major Shareholders (Corporate Structure)
Since the Braves are publicly traded through Atlanta Braves Holdings, the team’s “owners” are its stockholders. Some of the largest shareholders typically include:
| Shareholder / Entity | Ownership Status |
|---|---|
| Institutional Investors (Mutual Funds, ETFs) | Hold significant shares traded on NASDAQ/OTC |
| Individual Investors | Retail shareholders who own Braves stock |
| Corporate Entities (through investment accounts) | May hold shares with voting/economic rights |
Note: Exact percentages vary over time based on public trading activity and stock holdings.
Brief History of Braves Ownership
Understanding the current ownership becomes clearer when viewed in historical context:
- Liberty Media owned the Braves from 2007 until 2023, when it completed a spin-off that created Atlanta Braves Holdings as an independent public company.
- Prior to that, media mogul Ted Turner bought the Braves in 1976, famously broadcasting games nationally on his WTBS superstation.
- Before Turner, the franchise went through various private owners dating back to the 19th century.
Key Leadership Highlight
Terry McGuirk
- Chairman & CEO of Braves Holdings, LLC (the parent company).
- Acts as the control person for the Atlanta Braves franchise.
- Oversees baseball operations, business strategy, and major decisions for both the team and surrounding developments (like The Battery Atlanta).
Although McGuirk does not “own” the Braves in the traditional sense, he is the principal executive who represents the ownership’s interests in the franchise and MLB.
FAQs
1. Who actually owns the Atlanta Braves?
The Braves are owned by Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company whose shareholders collectively own the franchise through common stock.
2. Is there a single individual owner?
No. There isn’t one individual owner. Instead, ownership is shared among many shareholders.
3. Who leads the team’s ownership group?
Terry McGuirk serves as the Chairman & CEO and is the Control Person responsible for the Braves organization.
4. How did the Braves become owned by a public company?
Liberty Media spun off the Braves into a separate publicly traded company — Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. — in 2023.
5. Where do the Braves’ stocks trade?
Shares of Atlanta Braves Holdings trade on the NASDAQ Global Select Market and OTC Markets under tickers like BATRA, BATRK, and BATRB.
The Atlanta Braves are owned by a publicly traded corporation — Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. — rather than one single owner. The company’s shareholders collectively own the franchise, while Terry McGuirk acts as the key leader overseeing operations. This modern ownership structure allows fans and investors to indirectly hold part of one of baseball’s most historic and successful teams.