Bravehearts

WORCESTER, Mass.  一 The Worcester Bravehearts today have announced a sale of the team from John Creedon, Jr. and his family to Frank Vaccaro and his family. The team will remain in Worcester, continuing to call historic Fitton Field on the campus of the College of the Holy Cross home for its games in the Futures League.

With their upcoming 11th season beginning in late May, the Bravehearts will tie the American Hockey League’s former Worcester IceCats (1994-05) as the longest running sports organization in the city’s history.

The Vaccaro name is already synonymous on the Central Massachusetts baseball scene, as Frank, along with sons’ Matt and Frankie, coach Shrewsbury American Legion Post 397. The Post has 6 times hosted the Northeast Regional Tournament at Fitton Field and advanced to the American Legion World Series in 2017, 2019 and 2022.

The family also owns and operates Masis Staffing Solutions, a reputable full-service, family-owned staffing firm headquartered in Worcester. With a passion to provide a variety of staffing solutions, Masis has successfully expanded its operations to encompass over 60 branches across 25 states and continues to grow. Masis Staffing has been a corporate sponsor of the Bravehearts since 2017.

“We are honored to continue the tradition of the Worcester Bravehearts and will strive to deliver a product that the city can be proud of, both on and off the field,” said Bravehearts New Team President Matt Vaccaro

Regarding the transfer of the team, Creedon said, “My family and I could not be more excited to pass the Bravehearts’ torch to our friends and neighbors, the Vaccaro family. They will continue the incredible run that the Bravehearts have enjoyed over the last decade, and will no doubt enhance it with their own style and touches. Frank, Matt, and the entire Vaccaro family are absolutely first-class in business, in baseball, and in the community. Bravehearts fans and the Bravehearts franchise are in the best hands moving into the future.”

Creedon continued saying, “My family and I want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the entire ‘Hearts Fam’ which includes the thousands of fans; hundreds of players, coaches, ballpark staff, and concessions staff; the incredible host families; our years-long sponsors, suppliers, and supporters; and also our landlord Holy Cross College. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to have been the stewards of the national pastime here in our hometown. The Bravehearts’ decade of excellence has never been about any one person, rather it was built by a team of supremely talented folks who worked their tails off, quietly operated with respect, defied the odds, cheerfully overcame adversity, enjoyed some wins, set some records, and pulled it all off with aplomb. It is no small feat for the Bravehearts to have started in 2013 as the only sports team in the city, and to now be the longest running sports team in Worcester history with an immensely bright future ahead. My family and I could not be prouder of the Bravehearts’ past,

and eagerly look forward to the team’s future success under the leadership of the Vaccaro family.”

The Bravehearts launched in Worcester in October of 2013 一 filling a one-year baseball void left by the Worcester Tornadoes, who played at Fitton from 2005-12 一 and have since become a model organization across the country in all of summer collegiate baseball, both on and off the field.

The Bravehearts have welcomed more than 505,000 fans through the Fitton Field gates since their inaugural season in 2014. Of late, the team’s attendance has increased by 45 percent between 2021 and 2023 after 53,605 fans attended games during the most recent season.

On the field, Worcester has captured the second-most championships in Futures League history with four, going back-to-back on two occasions in 2014-15 and 2018-19. Worcester is one of three teams to win more than 300 regular-season games in the Futures League, while its 23 postseason victories are second all-time.

As a result of the organization’s combined excellence, the Bravehearts have been honored as the Futures League’s Organization of the Year four times, while General Manager Dave Peterson 一 who will continue in the GM role under the Vaccaro Family 一 won three William J. Terlecky Executive of the Year honors. The Bravehearts will also retain Donny Porcaro Jr, who will operate as the team's Assistant General Manager and Alex Dion, who will return as Manager.

Bravehearts tickets will go on sale shortly, and a formal press conference with the new ownership group will be announced at a later date. For questions, please email [email protected].

We look forward to the next chapter of Worcester Bravehearts baseball!