Fisher Cats sold to out-of-state private equity group

The private equity firm buying up the minor league baseball world has made the New Hampshire Fisher Cats its latest acquisition.

Diamond Baseball Holdings, which is owned by California-based Silver Lake, announced the purchase of the minor league team on Wednesday for an undisclosed price.

The company is also acquiring the Worcester Red Sox and previously purchased the Portland Sea Dogs. According to its website, the firm now owns 29 minor league clubs across the country.

“I want to thank the city of Manchester, Mayor Joyce Craig and the Toronto Blue Jays for their support of this exciting partnership, which will preserve the Minor League Baseball experience in Manchester for the next generation,” said Tom Silvia, a co-owner of the Fisher Cats.

The deal is still subject to approval from Major League Baseball.

All current staff for the Fisher Cats will remain in place, as will the ballpark’s name, Delta Dental Stadium.

The new owners said that their long-term plans include “bringing more exciting events to Delta Dental, such as concerts, comedy tours, holiday and community events and other non-baseball experiences that open up the ballpark to the community year-round.”

The Fisher Cats, who are the Double-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays, last won the Eastern League title in 2018. In 2019, the club averaged more than 4,700 fans per game. This summer, the ballpark drew just 3,950 fans as the venue struggles to rebound from the pandemic.