CRESTWOOD, IL — A group of Cincinnati, OH-based businessmen has purchased the Windy City ThunderBolts. David DelBello and his partners finalized the sale on Friday afternoon. The new owner and his partners have owned the Frontier League’s Florence Y’alls since 2019.
“We want to bring an elevated baseball experience to Windy City while also focusing on building a strong community and having fun,” DelBello said in a news release.
The new ownership group is taking over the ThunderBolts from Brian Kahn, who had owned the team for the last four years.
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“I want to thank Brian Kahn for his commitment to our organization and wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors,” Windy City GM Mike VerSchave said in the announcement. “The Windy City ThunderBolts couldn’t be more excited to have David DelBello and his ownership team lead our club into its next chapter.”
DelBello would not divulge the final purchase price, stating it was a private transaction. The lease for Ozinga Field, owned by the Village of Crestwood, was also transferred to DelBello and his partners.
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The sale of the team places the ThunderBolts underneath the same baseball umbrella as the Florence Ya’lls based on Florence, KY, outside of Cincinnati. Both teams play in the Frontier League’s West Conference and will see each other nine times during the 2025 season.
“The Florence Y’alls are one of the most successful franchises in our league, known both for their promotional creativity and dedication to their community,” VerSchave said. We look forward to the new ideas and fresh approach that comes with new leadership.”
DelBello told Patch in an email that he plans to continue building on the Bolts’ strong foundation in the south suburbs. He credited his group’s success in Florence due to the team’s focus on the community and the customer.
“An independent league ballpark should be a neighborhood destination, a place where the community congregates,” DelBello said. “That starts with providing outstanding experiences to everyone that walks in the ballpark for a ThunderBolts baseball. But it also extends beyond baseball to other events.”
He also wants the stadium used more for amateur tournaments, high school games, festivals and other sporting events and the like.
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“The more [Ozinga Field] is used the more it provides entertainment to the community. That is how we define success,” DelBello added.
Calling the Windy City ThunderBolts’ front office team “excellent,” no changes are planned in the current leadership, except DelBello plans to partner the Y’alls and ThunderBolts staffs “to make baseball even better in Crestwood and Florence.”
Both teams are roughly five hours apart from each other and in the hunt for their fourth championship in their respective franchise histories. Florence last won the league in 2002, while the ThunderBolts hope to return the title to Crestwood for the first time since they went back-to-back in 2007 and 2008.
“The ultimate hope is that both franchises can form a strong partnership that can produce many championships and lifelong memories for years to come,” DelBello said.
In 2019, DelBello, formerly of Proctor & Gamble and president of DelBello Holdings; Brian Bortz, president of Towne Building Group; Danny Heilbrunn, owner of DJH Management; and Matt Kappers, managing director at Concordia Financial Group purchased the Florence Freedom, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer. The team, which was already part of the Frontier League, underwent a name change from the Florence Freedom to the Florence Ya’lls.
For now, the team will remain the Windy City ThunderBolts.
“However, we strongly believe in branding and are evaluating the team brand, name, colors, logos, etc.,” DelBello told Patch. “There likely will be changes but it is likely the name stays the same, too.”
And yes, White Sox World Series legend Bobby Jenks is coming back as manager in 2025, too.
The Windy City ThunderBolts, part of the MLB Partner League Frontier League, have been providing affordable family fun to the Chicago Southland for over 25 years at beautiful Ozinga Field, 14011 S. Kenton Ave., Crestwood. The 2025 season information will be released in the coming weeks. For more information, please call 708-489-2255 or visit Windy City ThunderBolts. Be sure to follow the team in the off-season on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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