Who is Catie Griggs, new Orioles' President of Business Operations?

On Monday, the Baltimore Orioles announced that Catie Griggs will be their new President of Business Operations. Griggs is the first female to hold this position in franchise history, making her hire a significant step for the Orioles and for MLB as a whole.

Griggs brings a long and impressive educational and work background to the O's. She received both her BA and MBA from Dartmouth College. Griggs then worked at Turner Sports, overseeing business development and strategy across many sports and platforms.

She later worked as SVP / General Manager at Futures Sports + Entertainment, a global sports and entertainment strategy consultancy. In that role, she helped grow the company from zero to 30 clients across a wide range of sports.

Then, in 2017, she took on a new role with Atlanta United FC as their Chief Business Officer. After joining MLS in 2017, Atlanta won the 2018 MLS Cup in just their second season. Moreover, Atlanta United led the MLS in fan attendance every season during Griggs' tenure.

In 2021, Griggs made the move to baseball. She was hired as President of Business Operations for the Seattle Mariners, becoming the first woman to hold that position in team history. In that role, she helped make T-Mobile Park the first venue to host the All-Star Game and the NHL Winter Classic in the same calendar year.

The events generated more than $80 million in revenue for Seattle, a huge success for Griggs and her team. She also helped the Mariners end a 21-year playoff drought when they made the ALDS in 2022.

Catie Griggs will transition to an even better team, an Orioles squad that is blossoming into one of the best in baseball

When she resigned from her position with the Mariners last week, it came as a surprise. But less than a week later, the Orioles made the announcement. The move makes sense for Griggs, who will now be closer to her family on the East Coast.

As a small market team with the sixth lowest payroll in MLB, there is plenty of room for growth. Based on her proven track record for improving ballpark and fan experience, it will be exciting to see what Griggs brings to the Orioles, to the fans, and to the city of Baltimore more widely.

Finally, and most notably, Griggs serves as an inspiration to women in sports. She has guided both soccer and baseball teams to success. She was the first female president in both Mariners' and Orioles' franchise history. She has won several Sports Business Journal awards throughout her career, including 40 under 40 in 2022.

It is promising to see teams hiring more female talent, but Griggs is only one of two female presidents in MLB right now. So, Griggs and her success story will hopefully pave the way for more women to enter and thrive in the sports world.