Ken Babby

Ken Babby is an American businessperson. He is the former chief revenue officer and general manager, Digital for The Washington Post. Presently, he is the owner of the Akron RubberDucks baseball team of the Eastern League and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp of the Southern League. Babby is the founder of Fast Forward Sports Group.

Ken Babby
Alma materWheaton College
Johns Hopkins University
OccupationOwner of the Akron RubberDucks and the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp
Board member ofJacksonville University Board of Trustees
Wheaton College Board of Trustees
Parent(s)Lon Babby (father)

Early life

In his youth, Ken Babby was a fan of the Baltimore Orioles. He often attended this games with his father, Lon Babby, who was general counsel for the team, and was later president of basketball operations for the Phoenix Suns. His mother is author Ellen Babby. Babby attended Wheaton College (Massachusetts) where he graduated with a dual degree in Computer Science and Economics. Babby later graduated with an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.[1][2]

The Washington Post

Babby began working at The Washington Post as of 1999, beginning as an intern in the IT department, and joined the IT department full-time in 2002. He then began working in advertising, eventually becoming vice president of advertising for the Post. He remained with the Post until 2012, when he retired from his position as chief revenue officer and general manager, Digital.[3] He was the youngest senior official in the company’s history.[4]

Minor League Baseball

In 2012, at the age of 32,[5] Babby acquired the Akron Aeros Double-A minor league baseball team of the Cleveland Indians organization,[6] and renamed the team the Akron RubberDucks in 2014. In 2016 the team won the Eastern League championship,[7] and that same year they hosted the Eastern League All-Star Game. The team’s stadium also underwent a $6.8 million privately funded renovation since Babby’s ownership.[8]

In 2015 Babby acquired the Jacksonville Suns Double-A minor league baseball team of the Southern League,[9] a part of the Miami Marlins organization, and renamed the team the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in 2016. Additionally, Babby invested $1.8 million renovating the team’s home, the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.[7]

Both his teams are operated by his company the Fast Forward Sports Group.[10] For both, he reduced ticket prices and revamped the concession stands, with the goal of providing a family friendly environment.[11][12] In 2016 Babby was also named to the Sports Business Journal’s 40 under 40 list,[13] and a regional Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year recipient.[14]

Boards

In 2016 Babby was voted to the Jacksonville University Board of Trustees.[10] He has also served on the boards of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission,[15] the Positive Coaching Alliance,[13] and Wheaton College Board of Trustees.[16]

Personal life

Ken is married to Liz Bryan, a senior vice president of Spectrum, and has a 11-year-old son, Josh.

References
  1. "RubberDucks owner Ken Babby has a 'Field of Dreams' moment in Akron and remains on the go as All Star game nears (video)".
  2. "Anatomy of a sale: How Ken Babby came to purchase the Jacksonville Suns".
  3. "Washington Post digital revenue officer Ken Babby to leave". 2 March 2012.
  4. "Ann Curry speaks at Wheaton College...but which one?".
  5. "Aeros officially introduce Ken Babby as new owner".
  6. Staff, News4Jax.com (5 July 2017). "Jumbo Shrimp owner Ken Babby is Entrepreneur of the Year finalist".
  7. TEGNA. "Suns changing name to Jumbo Shrimp".
  8. "One-on-one with Ken Babby".
  9. "Ken Babby is at it again: RubberDucks owner rebrands Jacksonville team as Jumbo Shrimp". 9 November 2016.
  10. "JU Board of Trustees elects Jacksonville Suns owner and CEO Ken Babby - Wave Magazine Online". 12 July 2016.
  11. "Ken Babby had busy first season as Jacksonville Suns owner - Jax Daily Record - Financial News & Daily Record - Jacksonville, Florida". 8 September 2016.
  12. "RubberDucks owner Ken Babby's rebranding effort made a major splash - Smart Business Magazine".
  13. "Forty Under 40: Ken Babby". www.sportsbusinessdaily.com.
  14. "news - EY Announces Winners for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2017 Northeast Ohio Region Award". www.ey.com.
  15. "Greater Cleveland Sports Commission has 'new blood,' same vision". 1 February 2015.
  16. "Ken Babby Named to Sports Business Journal's 2016 "40 Under 40" Class". www.myjaxchamber.com.
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