Dale and Jeff Hubbard, majority owners of Los Angeles Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate Tulsa Drillers, recently announced that businessman Arlo DeKraai purchased a minority stake in the franchise.
“We are excited to have Arlo become a part of our team,” Dale Hubbard said in a statement. “Arlo has a love for baseball and the city of Tulsa and is a great addition for the Drillers. Jeff and I look forward to working with him for many years.”
DeKraai first arrived to Tulsa nearly five decades ago and has enjoyed a long career in the city, primarily in the Energy Service business. He is quite familiar with ONEOK Field, the home of the Drillers, previously serving as chairman of the construction committee during the building of the ballpark from 2008-10.
Dekraai later went on to become chairman of the Tulsa Stadium Trust, the owner of ONEOK Field. “I am excited to become involved with Dale and Jeff and the entire Drillers organization,” he said in a statement.
“Tulsa is a fantastic city and the Drillers play an important part in the quality of life. The team provides a great entertainment option for Tulsans and for residents in the surrounding areas. The Hubbards have been great administrators of the Drillers, and it is an honor for me to partner with them and to be involved in Tulsa’s team.”
The Hubbards will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the club, with Mike Melega staying on as president and general manager, and the rest of the management team remaining in place.
“Jeff and I take our roles as stewards of Tulsa’s professional baseball team very seriously,” Hubbard said. “For over 100 years, so many people, including our father, have worked so hard to keep Tulsa’s baseball teams operating successfully, and it is our intention, as well as Arlo’s, to make sure that future Tulsa generations will have the opportunity to enjoy the great game of baseball in our city.”
Dodgers extend Minor League affiliate invitation with Drillers
Earlier this offseason, the Dodgers extended invitations to keep Minor League affiliates in Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Great Lakes and Rancho Cucamonga.
While those affiliates remain unchanged, the organization has moved the Loons up to High-A and re-classified the Quakes to Low-A as part of MLB’s new player development structure.
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