Date: February 4, 2021 To: Sports/News/Community ​ Media Contact: Curtis Haug at [email protected] For Immediate Release ​ Cougars To Join Major League Baseball Partner League, The American Association For 2021 Season GENEVA, Ill. – The Kane County Cougars are pleased to announce that they will be joining the American Association for the 2021 season. Through Major League Baseball’s One Baseball initiative, the American Association will be under the umbrella of Major League Baseball for the first time this year. The American Association plays a 100 game schedule which will include 50 games at beautiful Northwestern Medicine Field, beginning in May. The 11 team league includes teams in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Canada. “The Kane County Cougars have been associated with Major League Baseball for the past 30 seasons. We are pleased that relationship will continue with the Cougars joining one of Major League Baseball’s “Partner” Leagues. We look forward to working with Dr. Bob and the Kane County Cougars for many years to come” said Morgan Sword, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations for Major League Baseball. “We look forward to welcoming our loyal fans back to beautiful Northwestern Medicine Field this spring. After a year without baseball we know how much everyone is looking forward to enjoying a summer night at the ballpark with the crack of the bat, a pork chop sandwich, a cold beer and the crazy antics of Ozzie and Annie, capped off by a spectacular fireworks show” said Cougars Vice President and General Manager Curtis Haug. “We are so excited to be joining the American Association, a well established league playing in great midwestern cities. We are honored that they have selected us,” added Cougars Owner Dr. Bob Froehlich. “Our fans can look forward to watching more mature, experienced players than they have seen at Kane County in the past. Our roster will feature players who have AA, AAA and MLB experience and are now entering ​ their prime years.” ​ “It’s my honor to welcome the Kane County Cougars to the American Association. The Cougars are a storied ballclub in professional baseball and they will add to our story in the American Association,” said American Association Commissioner Joshua Schaub. “We believe the fans of the Kane County Cougars will embrace the higher level of play and our culture of playing to win. I promise the fans of Kane County the temperature around our playoff chase will be like nothing they’ve experienced before in affiliated baseball. In the American Association, we focus on competition and playing to win each game.” An announcement of the 2021 schedule will be forthcoming in the weeks ahead. Tickets for the cancelled 2020 season will be honored for 2021. Please contact [email protected] with any questions regarding 2021 tickets. ​ ​ About the Kane County Cougars The Cougars have been at the forefront of family-friendly entertainment since 1991. In 2015, the franchise became the first Class-A team in Minor League Baseball history to welcome 11 million fans through the gates. A total of 180 former Cougars have reached the Major Leagues including Miguel Cabrera, Nelson Cruz, Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez and Willson Contreras. .