The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that Craig Unger, a five year veteran of the Cardinals front office, will become the new General Manager of the Memphis Redbirds as the Cardinals take over the daily management of the Redbirds.
“Craig played a key role in our acquisition of the Memphis Redbirds which made him a natural fit for the position,” said Bill DeWitt III, President of the Cardinals. “He brings a lot to the table with his experience in sales, marketing and management. We’re very happy for both Craig and his family as they embark on this exciting opportunity.”
Unger, an Account Executive in Corporate Sales and Marketing department who has spent the last few months in Memphis assisting with the ownership transition, will permanently relocate to the community as he takes over the daily management of the Redbirds.
“I’m very excited to join the Memphis Redbirds and be part of this great community,” said Craig Unger, the newly appointed Redbirds’ General Manager. “This is a special moment in our team’s history, with the best days ahead of us. I look forward to working with our devoted staff, city leaders and our loyal fans to ensure we continue to improve the fan experience and develop a model family-friendly franchise that will be the envy of minor league baseball.”
Unger, who joined the Cardinals in 2008, played an essential role in returning the team’s radio broadcasts to KMOX (1120 AM), served as the field producer for the 2009 All-Star Game at Busch Stadium, coordinated the 2011 World Series Victory Parade and secured last year’s long-term partnership with St. Louis-based Mercy as the Official Medical Provider of the St. Louis Cardinals.
To assist Unger in managing the ownership transition, Ben Weiss, the Redbirds’ General Manager since 2009, has been named Senior Advisor to the club. Weiss will assist Unger in daily management and ensure that the team continues to build on strong foundation laid by Global Spectrum, the management group credited with stabilizing the financial condition of the club and enhancing the fan experience at AutoZone Park.
“Global Spectrum helped turn the Redbirds franchise around,” said John Mozeliak, Sr. VP & General Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals. “We’re fortunate to have such solid footing and our goal is to simply build on that success.”
“We are particularly proud of what we have been able to accomplish here in Memphis,” said Global Spectrum President John Page. “We feel we are leaving the Redbirds in a better place than when we arrived in 2009. We’re excited to see the St. Louis Cardinals, a team rich in tradition, will continue to bring their winning legacy and spirit to the City of Memphis. We know the team is in good hands. We would like to thank the Redbirds Foundation, AutoZone, the City of Memphis, John Pontius, the Fundamental Advisors and our Global Spectrum staff.”
The Memphis Redbirds are now the third minor league team owned and operated by the St. Louis Cardinals. The Palm Beach Cardinals, purchased in 2002, and the Springfield Cardinals, purchased in 2005, have each won their respective division championships under the leadership of the St. Louis Cardinals. Overall, the Cardinals have won a championship at every minor league level since 2000 including two in Memphis (2000, 2009) and one in Springfield (2012), Palm Beach (2005), Quad Cities (2011), Batavia (2008) and Johnson City (2010-11).
