Posted
April 02, 2026
Men of Hope • Alumni Interview
For many sports fans, working in Major League Baseball is the dream. For Ted Baugh ’87, that opportunity came through years of building relationships, gaining experience across industries, and a foundation formed at St. Edward.
Today, Baugh serves as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Premium Hospitality for the Cleveland Guardians, where he leads efforts that directly support the organization’s success both on and off the field. From developing those partnerships to enhancing the fan experience at Progressive Field, his work sits at the intersection of business and baseball—an essential part of building a winning franchise, and one most fans never see.
His path there, however, was anything but predictable.
Q&A with Ted Baugh ’87
Can you start by sharing a bit about your background and how you ended up at St. Edward?
I grew up in West Park and went to Our Lady of Angels for grade school. I’m one of seven kids, and my older brother, Tom, graduated from St. Edward—he was actually the 1976 Man of the Year. He loved it, and I think that had a big influence on me choosing to become an Eagle.
My parents really emphasized education and had high expectations that I would take advantage of the opportunities in front of me. When I got to St. Ed’s, the atmosphere—academically, athletically, and socially—really reinforced that. I’ve never regretted the decision. St. Ed’s shaped a lot of who I am.
What stands out most when you look back on your time at St. Edward?
I played football all four years and was part of the 1986 team that went to the state championship. I’m still close with a lot of those guys today. I also threw discus for the track team, which gave me another outlet outside of football.
Academically, I was really drawn to the humanities. I had Br. Bennet Nettleton for history two years in a row and I remember being in his classroom with all of the artifacts that made learning interesting. I had Br. Joseph Chvala for English, and both men had a lasting impact on me. They challenged us to think critically and communicate effectively.
The structure and expectations were important too. Wearing the same tie every day and being held to a standard builds discipline. You come in as a nervous freshman and grow into a confident senior. And the all-boys environment creates a level of accountability and brotherhood that stays with you long after graduation.
You’ve built a career in professional sports—but that wasn’t always the plan. What did your path look like after graduation?
I thought I wanted to be a lawyer. After graduating in 1987, I went to Miami University and was really just figuring things out. Like a lot of people, my path wasn’t linear. I even spent some time backpacking through Europe, trying to get a better sense of what I wanted to do.
Things started to click when I landed an internship in broadcasting. I was basically a gopher—early mornings, late nights at a radio station—but I really enjoyed being around it. That’s where I found sales, and it turned out to be a great fit for me. It combined relationship-building with creativity and strategy, and no two days were the same.
From there, I moved into a wide range of sales roles. I sold fertilizer and golf course equipment, worked in college sports sponsorships, and handled advertising for the Browns’ radio and television network. When I was about 27, I took a TV sales job in Iowa, thinking it would be a short-term move—maybe a couple of years. It ended up being nine years because I met my wife, Kristin, on a blind date. We got married in 1999 and started our family there.
We eventually moved to Philadelphia in 2005, and then in 2008 I got the call to come back to Cleveland and join the organization that’s now the Guardians. That was a big moment—both professionally and personally—to be able to come back home.
What does your role with the Guardians involve on a day-to-day basis?
I lead a group responsible for corporate partnerships, broadcast sponsorships, and premium hospitality. Anytime a company wants to leverage the Guardians’ brand, it comes through my team.
At the end of the day, our job is to generate revenue—and every dollar we bring in helps put a better team on the field. That’s the connection people don’t always see. The business side directly supports winning.
What might surprise people is how relationship-driven it is. Some partnerships take a year or two to develop. It’s a lot of listening, understanding what a partner needs, and then building something custom. There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, which is what makes it interesting. And no two days are ever the same—that’s something I’ve always valued.
How did your experience at St. Edward prepare you for that kind of work?
It shows up every day, especially in how I work with people. St. Edward teaches you how to communicate—how to listen, how to engage, how to collaborate. Those are skills I use constantly.
The school also brings together students from different backgrounds. I was learning how to build relationships with all kinds of people, and that carries over directly into what I do now.
What has it been like to experience St. Edward both as an alumnus and as a parent? Tell us about your family.
We live in Avon Lake, and Kristin and I have two children. Our daughter Kate is 21 and a senior at NYU, and our son, Sam ’20, graduated from St. Edward—which was especially meaningful for us as a family.
Sam was always drawn to science and went on to earn his IB Diploma before studying chemical engineering at The Ohio State University. My wife and I were incredibly impressed by the IB program. Watching him go through that experience—seeing how it challenged him, shaped the way he thinks, and broadened his perspective—was really special.
At the same time, it’s been great to see how the school has grown. The Holy Family Chapel is beautiful, the Kahl Center is outstanding, and the IB program is one of the clearest ways you can see that growth. What stands out most, though, is that the core of what makes the school special hasn’t changed.
Looking ahead to this Guardians season, what excites you most?
On the field, we have a young, talented team. Our pitching is strong, and if the bats come along, we’re going to be very competitive. We’ve been in the playoff mix consistently—seven of the last 11 years—so expectations are high. With a leader like José Ramírez, we have a great core in place, and he’s in it for the long haul.
Off the field, we’re coming off a major ballpark renovation that has completely transformed the fan experience. We’ve reimagined the space into more of a collection of neighborhoods, with new social areas, a redesigned center field plaza, and more gathering spaces.
We’ve also introduced things like the Ballpark Pass, which has been really popular because it’s affordable and flexible, and expanded streaming so fans can watch games more easily. That’s something I worked hard on, and I’m really proud of it. As an alum, I hope students come down to the park with their families and friends and experience it.
What advice would you give to today’s students?
Keep trying new things. Take advantage of opportunities. Pay attention. And don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone—those experiences shape your path more than you realize.
Over time it all comes together—and you’ll be grateful for it!
