Brewers manager Craig Counsell has signed a five-year deal worth over $40m with rivals Chicago Cubs after leading the baseball team to five playoff appearances in their last six years. His contract expired at the end of the season, and his decision to swap the Brewers for the Cubs has sparked fury among Milwaukee fans. The team’s owner, Attanasio, spoke to the local media and expressed his frustration over Counsell’s departure, stating that the manager has also lost the community.
Meanwhile, Ben Knapper has accelerated his arrival at Norwich amid the football team’s poor run of form. Attanasio, who owns both the Brewers and Norwich City, was involved in board meetings that resulted in changes at City, with Stuart Webber departing as sporting director after the team’s game with Cardiff on Saturday. Additionally, Attanasio’s led group, Norfolk FB Holdings, is set to increase their shareholding in the club to 40%, on a par with current majority shareholders Delia Smith and Michael Wynn Jones. Ratification of the increase is expected to come shortly, as the EFL conducts their checks before approving the transaction, and Attanasio plans to attend Norwich’s Annual General Meeting scheduled for later this month.
Attanasio’s involvement with both the Brewers and Norwich City has led to criticism from some supporters of the franchise. However, he has reaffirmed his commitment to the cause and expressed his desire for his family to be stewards for the community for a long time, stating, “our goal for our family is for me and my sons to be the stewards for the community for a long time,” and expressing hope that someone else will continue to have the same emotion for the team and the community that is very special past 2050. Knapper’s accelerated arrival at Norwich, among other changes at the club, is due to their struggles on the pitch, further highlighting the challenges and changes happening across both of Attanasio’s sporting ventures.
