Terry McGuirk has officially taken the reins of Atlanta Braves Holdings, marking a monumental shift in leadership and signaling a new era for the Braves organization. After a strategic decision by Liberty Media Chairman John Malone, McGuirk now holds “sole and exclusive” voting power over 44% of the Braves’ Series B shares—essentially giving him total control over team operations, finances, and future decision-making.
This change comes as part of a larger reorganization at Liberty, which saw most Liberty executives, including CEO Greg Maffei, stepping down from their Braves roles. Tim Tucker from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out that the shift consolidates power within Atlanta’s local leadership, with McGuirk now serving as president and CEO of Atlanta Braves Holdings. The move ends the longstanding oversight from Liberty’s Denver-based management team and puts the power to guide the Braves squarely in the hands of McGuirk and his Atlanta team.
McGuirk, a steady figure in Braves leadership since Ted Turner’s days, now has complete autonomy over team operations and its highly successful entertainment district, The Battery Atlanta. His message to fans? This shift will only strengthen the Braves’ focus on creating value through one thing: winning. “The playoffs are the goal each year… It’s just part of our DNA,” he told Tucker, reinforcing the Braves’ commitment to staying competitive.
Rumors of a potential team sale have circulated since Liberty first took control of the Braves, but McGuirk’s new authority may quiet these speculations. He now has the right of first refusal if any major ownership changes were to occur, meaning he could have a say in maintaining the Braves’ independence and direction should Malone ever consider transferring shares.
More importantly, McGuirk now wields complete control over the Braves’ finances, a crucial development for a team known for its calculated yet ambitious spending. With McGuirk at the helm, along with Braves CEO Derek Schiller and CFO Jill Robinson, the team’s leadership can make financial decisions free from external Liberty influence.
This autonomy enables the Braves to adjust payroll as needed, enhancing the team’s ability to remain competitive without bureaucratic delays. For the past two years, Atlanta has reached MLB’s second luxury tax threshold, and McGuirk hinted that the budget might expand even further in 2025.
As Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos works on building a team capable of winning a World Series, this financial flexibility gives him the resources he needs to keep the Braves a powerhouse in the league. According to McGuirk, there’s already a plan in place to increase spending in strategic areas, ensuring that the Braves can maintain a high-caliber roster.
Fans owe much of this success to John Malone, who allowed the Braves to break free from Time Warner’s sinking ownership and grow into a powerhouse organization. Under Liberty’s ownership, the Braves have consistently boosted their payroll, built a world-class ballpark, and developed The Battery Atlanta into one of the league’s premier entertainment complexes.
Now, fans finally have a local leader who shares their passion for the team—a leader with the freedom and authority to guide the Braves into the future without outside influence. This change is a huge win for Braves supporters, and it seems McGuirk is prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the Braves at the top of their game for years to come.
