Tiguas buy El Paso Diablos

Tiguas buy El Paso Diablos:  Tribe, LaBranche own 59% stake in team

By Bret BloomquistFor 12 years, one of the biggest complaints about the El Paso Diablos baseball organization was that it was controlled by out-of-town interests.

When the American Association approached General Manager Matt LaBranche about assembling an ownership group to buy out the Wisconsin-based Ventura Sports Group Inc., his goal was to find a group native to El Paso.

He did, in the most profound sense of the word "native."

The Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, or Tiguas, and LaBranche bought a 59 percent share of the Diablos franchise, and LaBranche is now the managing partner and club president.Comment:  For more on Native sports team owners, see Akwesasne Warriors in Federal Hockey League and First Native Team Owner.