Theo Epstein is back in familiar territory. A place where he started his front office career in baseball. As Sportico’s Brendan Coffey reports , the one-time Boston Red Sox general manager is returning to the organization as part owner of the Fenway Sports Group. Epstein will also serve in the role of senior advisor.
Theo Epstein Returns to Fenway
“The vision is about investing into blue chip brands—blue-chip franchises, clubs, and sports—that matter a great deal to their supporters and their fan bases,” Sam Kennedy, a partner in FSG and president/CEO of the Red Sox, said on a video call. “To have Theo as an advisor in that endeavor is a very unique opportunity, given all he’s done is win everywhere he’s gone.”
The news of Epstein’s role will have him leave his post as a special consultant to MLB. He will continue to serve as the league’s competition and on-field committees on top of his role in Boston. The special advisor role is a part-time position. That will give Epstein every opportunity to be an operating partner to sports-focused private equity group Arctos Partners. They have an investment with the Fenway Sports Group.
“It’s a great honor, something I’m really excited about,” Epstein tells Coffey. “It’s just exciting to be joining such a dynamic, groundbreaking company across multiple sports, doing so many innovative things at the cutting edge of everything going on in sports these days. For me, it’s perfect, I was looking for a pathway into ownership.”
Epstein’s Baseball Background
The Brooklyn native was the Red Sox general manager from 2003 through 2011. Epstein assembled two World Series-winning teams in 2004 (the year Boston broke its 86-year title drought) and 2007. After a dramatic end to his tenure in 2011, Epstein left the organization in ways no one imagined. But it didn’t take long for the Chicago Cubs hired him a few weeks later. Epstein went on to build another winner in Chicago, orchestrating a Cubs team that won the World Series in 2016, the franchise’s first championship since 1908.
Now, Epstein finds himself back in familiar territory. He’ll be back as an ear and voice for the Red Sox brass. He does have a strong relationship with Craig Breslow, the newly hired chief baseball officer of the Red Sox. Epstein hired him as the team’s director of strategic initiatives during his time in Chicago. It’s not to feel optimistic about the journey ahead for the Red Sox, who had an underwhelming offseason following two last-place finishes in the AL East division.
Epstein said this regarding Breslow, who joined the Red Sox in October. “With the other sports, where I have a lot to learn, hopefully my experience not only with teams but with Major League Baseball and with private equity will come in handy, at least as a supportive resource for the people at FSG.”
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