Although it’s been in the news for quite some time, the Cleveland Guardians officially announced on Monday that billionaire David Blitzer has purchased 25-30% of the team. This will eventually lead to a majority ownership in the team, meaning current owner Paul Dolan is most likely on his way out. This leadership change is expected to occur within the next six years. If you are a fan of the Guardians, like me, you know that this is a welcomed and exciting change.
Now what does this have to do with NASCAR?
Not only is there a new minority owner within the Guardians, there is also a new local investor. A name many Cleveland and NASCAR fans alike will recognize – Matt Kaulig. Owner of Kaulig Companies (including Kaulig Racing, Kaulig Media, LeafFilter, Kaulig Giving, and more), Matt Kaulig has a hand in just about everything, both locally and nationally.
A native of Columbus, Ohio and graduate of the University of Akron, Kaulig has always been an active participant in Ohio sports. He combined his love of sports and background in business in 2014 when he began to sponsor the number 32 of Go FAS Racing driver Blake Koch. In 2015, Kaulig started his own team, Kaulig Racing, with Koch driving the only entry. The, now famed in Kaulig history, 11 LeafFilter Chevy was driven by Koch and led by veteran crew chief Chris Rice.
Looking for a more in depth history of Kaulig Racing? Check out this article from 2021 on how Kaulig Racing got it just right.
Four years later, Kaulig expanded his involvement in Ohio sports by teaming up with the Cleveland Guardians (then Indians) to host a give-a-thon to raise money for Cleveland Guardians Charities. Since then, the company has raised over $750,000 for the charity with the money going to local businesses such as the Cleveland Metropolitan School District and the Northeast Ohio Boys & Girls Clubs.
If you’ve been to Progressive Field in Cleveland, Kaulig’s presence is known. There is a suite sponsored by the company, ads for Kaulig Racing, and Matt Kaulig himself makes appearances from time to time. However, he has recently wanted his involvement with the team to grow even further which is what pushed him to make the jump into investment.
“Our goal has always been to champion those who are creating a positive impact in Northeast Ohio, and we are thrilled to take our involvement to the next level as we further our commitment to the Cleveland Guardians organization,” Kaulig stated in an Instagram post.
It’s been a big year for Kaulig, who is in his first full Cup Series season with the 31 of Justin Haley and 16 of AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric, and Noah Gragson. Now with hands in NASCAR and Major League Baseball, it’s clear to see just how deep Kaulig’s devotion to Ohio sports runs.
That is wonderful news to this Kaulig Racing and Cleveland Guardians fan.
Featured photo from @mattkaulig on Instagram.
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