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Akron RubberDucks

Rubberducks Owner Ken Babby Named Chairman of Birco Board of Directors

December 4, 2014 - Eastern League (EL1)
Akron RubberDucks News Release


ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Minor League Baseball's Baseball Internet Rights Company (BIRCO) announced today that Ken Babby, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of the Akron RubberDucks, has been elected Chairman of its 10-member Board of Directors. BIRCO manages the digital and interactive media rights of its member Minor League Baseball clubs and leagues. Babby will succeed Art Matin as Chairman, who was elected in late 2010 and has served in the role for the past four seasons. Matin joined the Mandalay Baseball Properties board of directors in 2007, and has acted as its Director and Chief Executive Officer.

During his first season with the then Akron Aeros, Babby emphasized the improvement of the fan experience at Canal Park, which resulted in an 11.9 percent increase in attendance. He was also instrumental in adding a privately-funded $1.65 million HD video board, one of the largest in Minor League Baseball.

At the completion of his first season as owner, Babby announced that the Akron Aeros would become the Akron RubberDucks under an organization-wide identity change. This change brought with it the addition of a year-round, high-end restaurant, The Game Grill + Bar, at Canal Park as well as other stadium improvements, all of which proved to be successful when in 2014, the RubberDucks increased their attendance 15.7 percent.

Babby's experience with internet rights and media advertising began in 1999 as a summer intern for The Washington Post. He climbed the ranks and eventually attained the position of Vice President of Advertising, and most recently, the Chief Revenue Officer of Washington Post Media and General Manager of Washington Post Digital, its online and social media counterpart. Babby is the founder of Fast Forward Sports Group.

About BIRCO

Baseball Internet Rights Corporation (BIRCO) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues (NAPBL), d.b.a. as Minor League Baseball, which was formed in December 2008 to manage the digital and interactive media rights for Minor League Baseball clubs and leagues across the United States and Canada. MLB Advanced Media (MLBAM), the interactive media and Internet company of Major League Baseball, is the exclusive provider of interactive media services, including web development, online ticketing, content, and advertising and sponsorship for the official sites of Minor League Baseball (MiLB.com), 14 domestic MiLB leagues and 159 Minor League clubs per a partnership agreement with BIRCO. The MiLB network of team and league sites is expected to attract more than 140 million baseball fans. The network also includes MiLB.TV streaming video and the First Pitch and Inside the Park apps. For more information about the network, visit www.MiLB.com.

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