St. Paul Saints Ownership has Transitioned from Goldklang Group to Diamond Baseball Holdings

Jeff Goldklang was still in college and playing for his baseball team when the St. Paul Saints played their first season in 1993. He’s worked at every type of position a minor-league team can offer from concession stand sales to his current role as president of Goldklang Group. Goldklang shared his memory of seeing the Saints in 1993 shortly after his college career ended. 

“I had heard all of this hoopla about these St. Paul Saints,] and I couldn't wait to get there. I remember showing up the first day and thinking that I was dropped off at the wrong ballpark when we were at Midway. I thought, ‘This isn't a minor-league stadium. This is a high school ballpark. We’ve come very far from our humble beginnings there, which were probably the most enjoyable times of most of our lives in baseball,” said Goldklang. 

Goldklang is the son of Saints Chairman and CEO, Marvin Goldklang, and he spoke on what brought the parties together after the Goldklang Group originally declined an offer from another party to purchase the Saints in the summer of 2022. 

“We talked internally, after we said no, and decided that if an offer came from a group or an individual that we felt could continue the Saints along the same path as we built it. Effectively fans first entertainment first, with baseball, obviously as the backdrop that that we would consider it,” said Goldklang.

The right partner came around with Peter Freund, founder, and CEO of DBH, who has been affiliated with the Goldklang Group for several years as a partner owner in the Charleston Riverdogs and a limited partner in the Group’s stake in the New York Yankees. 

“He gets it. He knows who the Saints are and when they [DBS] came along and made us what we felt was a reasonable offer at the time. That was when we decided this was the right opportunity,” said Goldklang. 

Freund was unavailable for comment on this story, but a quote from him in a March 15 press release was provided by the St. Paul Saints to Twins Daily. 

“The Saints are an iconic franchise, unquestionably one of the jewels of Minor League baseball, and the club’s incredible legacy cannot be understated in St. Paul. DBH’s primary objective is to continue building on what my friends and partners of over a decade, Marv, Mike, Bill, and Jeff, have already created, and to continue supporting the incredible Saints staff, players, fans, and [the] entire St. Paul community,” Freund said. 

Many of the in-game fan experiences that make the Saints, the Saints, are still planned to occur for the 2023 season. The annual Name the Pig contest put on by the Star Tribune, concluded yesterday, but the Saints Ball Pig will still be at every home game for the 2023 season. 

“DBH knows who the Saints are and they recognize that we're one of the few minor league teams in a Major [League] market. And in order to not just survive, but to be as successful as we've been the fans have to be in on the joke. You go to a Saints game, you are part of the action, you're part of the fun. DBH understands that and they have indicated to us that they're going to let the staff do what they do,” Goldklang said. 

There is nothing but optimism from the Goldklang Group on the future of the Saints under the ownership of DBH. Jeff Goldklang has said that Freund sees the Saints as a ‘royalty’ type franchise among Minor League clubs, and wants to continue what makes the team a constant source of fun for the city of St. Paul. 

The St. Paul Saints open their season on the road for a three-game against the Toledo Mudhens on March 31. Their home opener is Tuesday, April 4, against the Iowa Cubs. 

DBH has come into ownership of 14 Minor League Baseball teams since launching in 2021, the Saints, are their 15th franchise now under their ownership. The Saints are also the second Minor League affiliate DBH has come into ownership of. The Wichita Wind Surge being the other that DBH purchased in December.