Earlier today, Bob Bowman, President, Business & Media of Major League Baseball, informed Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. that he would not seek to renew his current contract upon its expiration next month.
Bowman said: "With the recent completion of the sale of a majority stake in BAMTech to The Walt Disney Company, and recognizing the enormous talent pool that exists at MLB and MLB.com, it is an ideal time for new leadership. Of all that we have accomplished, I am most proud of the people I have worked with, many of whom have been with me each step of the way over the past 17 years.
"I want to especially thank Commissioner Manfred for his leadership and support. He has made MLB the most partner-friendly league, expanded the game by solving in-market streaming and pushed for RSN distribution on VMVPDs. He had the courage to invest in BAMTech and has overseen substantial revenue distribution to the Clubs. I am forever in his and this great game's debt."
Commissioner Manfred said: "I understand Bob's desire to step away and respect his decision. Like the owners of our 30 Clubs, I am grateful for the groundbreaking work that he and his team have performed for our sport. Bob's vision made our game even more accessible and enjoyable to millions of fans. He and I will work closely to ensure a smooth transition in the weeks ahead, and our talented staff at MLB, MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network will continue to build on his many accomplishments. I thank Bob for a job well done and wish him the very best."
Bowman was MLBAM's first and only CEO, beginning his MLB career in 2000. Under his guidance but driven by the talented team at MLB.com, they have created the league's digital strategy that has placed first in every SportsBusiness Journal poll since the polling began. In 2002, they created MLB.TV, the first, the largest and the most successful out-of-market live streaming service. The team then created At Bat, the highest-grossing sports app of all time. The live-streaming technology required for MLB.TV ultimately spawned BAMTech, the global content distribution system that was recently sold to The Walt Disney Company.