Ted Turner and the Atlanta Braves: How One Owner Helped Shape Modern Atlanta Baseball

If you live in Atlanta, visit often, or just love the Atlanta Braves, you’ve probably heard the name Ted Turner. Turner isn’t just a former team owner; his decisions helped shape how Atlanta experiences baseball today—on TV, at the ballpark, and even in the city’s sports identity.

This guide explains who Ted Turner is, what he did with the Atlanta Braves, and where you can still see his impact around Atlanta today.

Who Is Ted Turner and Why Does He Matter to the Atlanta Braves?

Ted Turner is an Atlanta-based media entrepreneur best known for:

• Founding CNN
• Owning Turner Broadcasting System (TBS)
• Owning the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks in the 1970s–1990s

For Atlanta sports fans, his biggest legacy is turning the Braves from a regional team into “America’s Team” by putting their games on national cable TV. If you grew up anywhere in the U.S. watching Braves games on TBS, that was Ted Turner’s idea—rooted in his Atlanta media empire.

Ted Turner’s Ownership of the Atlanta Braves: Key Milestones

Buying the Braves and Keeping Them in Atlanta

In the mid‑1970s, Turner bought the Atlanta Braves at a time when:

• Attendance wasn’t always strong
• Atlanta was still building its sports identity
• Cable TV was just beginning to grow

By purchasing the Braves through Turner Broadcasting, he kept the team firmly anchored in Atlanta and tied it to his growing media network.

Turning the Braves into a National TV Fixture

One of Turner’s most important moves for Atlanta:

• He put Braves games on TBS, which was available nationwide via cable.
• This allowed people across the country to watch Atlanta Braves baseball regularly.
• As a result, the Braves grew a huge national fan base while still being Atlanta’s hometown team.

This move helped:

• Raise the team’s profile
• Drive more fans to Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium at the time
• Put Atlanta on the sports map in a new way

Building Toward the 1990s Braves Era

While the Braves’ famous 1990s run (with stars like Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and John Smoltz) is often associated with the team’s front office and baseball operations, Turner’s earlier decisions helped set the stage by:

• Stabilizing ownership in Atlanta
• Investing in the organization and brand
• Growing a large, loyal fan base through TV exposure

If you’re a long-time Atlanta resident, you may remember the “worst‑to‑first” story beginning in 1991. Without the foundation Turner built, that surge in local pride and national attention would have looked very different.

Where You Still See Ted Turner’s Legacy in Atlanta

Even though Ted Turner no longer owns the Braves, his influence is still very visible in and around Atlanta.

1. Turner Field (Now Center Parc Stadium)

For years, the Braves played at Turner Field, named after Ted Turner.

• Original use: Built as Centennial Olympic Stadium for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics
• Converted: Turned into a baseball stadium for the Braves after the Games
• Location: 755 Hank Aaron Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30315
• Current use: Now Center Parc Stadium, home of Georgia State University football

While the Braves have moved to Truist Park in Cobb County, many long-time fans in Atlanta still associate the old ballpark area—and even the name “Turner Field”—with the era when the Braves were exploding in popularity.

If you’re exploring the history of Braves baseball in Atlanta, a drive or walk around the old Turner Field area gives you a sense of how the team used to be woven into the city’s urban core.

2. Truist Park and “America’s Team” Fans

The Braves now play at Truist Park in the Battery Atlanta, just outside the City of Atlanta’s limits. Many of the fans you see in the stands—especially those who travel from other states to watch games—are part of the fan base that grew when:

• Braves games aired nightly on TBS
• The team’s identity as “America’s Team” took shape

That nationwide fan interest traces back directly to Turner’s broadcasting strategy, even though the ballpark and ownership group are different today.

Atlanta Landmarks and Places Connected to Ted Turner

If you’re in Atlanta and want to connect some real-world places to Ted Turner and the Braves story, here are a few to know:

Ted’s Montana Grill (Downtown Atlanta)

Ted Turner co‑founded Ted’s Montana Grill, a restaurant chain that started in part from his interest in bison ranching and conservation.

One well‑known Atlanta location:

• Ted’s Montana Grill – Downtown Atlanta
  133 Luckie St NW
  Atlanta, GA 30303
  Near Centennial Olympic Park and the State Farm Arena area

While it’s a restaurant, not a museum, long-time fans often associate the brand with Turner’s broader presence in Atlanta.

Former Turner Broadcasting Presence

Turner’s media operations once had a large footprint in Downtown Atlanta and Midtown. While corporate structures have changed over time, many Atlantans still connect his name with:

• The early days of CNN in Atlanta
• The Techwood Drive area and CNN Center (now transitioning to new uses)

For Braves fans, this media side matters because it’s what allowed Atlanta Braves games to become nationally visible from an Atlanta-based network.

How Ted Turner Changed the Fan Experience in Atlanta

Watching the Braves in Atlanta in the Turner Era

If you lived in Atlanta during Turner’s ownership, you might remember:

• Frequent Braves broadcasts on local and cable TV
• A sense that Braves baseball was always available, whether you went to the park or stayed home
• Local pride in knowing your city’s team was on TVs across the country

This consistent presence helped the Braves become part of everyday life in Atlanta—especially during the long baseball season.

Impact on Today’s Game Day in Atlanta

Even though the Braves now play in a newer ballpark and broadcasts have shifted to regional sports networks and streaming:

• The expectation that Braves games are widely available to watch traces back to Turner’s TV-first approach.
• Many out-of-state visitors who come to Atlanta or Metro Atlanta for games are part of the extended fan base built in the Turner years.

So when you attend a game at Truist Park and see people wearing Braves gear from all over the country, that’s part of Ted Turner’s legacy in real time.

Quick Reference: Ted Turner and the Atlanta Braves at a Glance

If You’re New to Atlanta Braves History

If you’ve just moved to Atlanta or recently started following the team, here’s a simple way to understand Ted Turner’s importance:

• Before Turner: The Braves were a local team in a growing Southern city.
• During Turner: The Braves became a nationally known team, broadcast everywhere from an Atlanta-based network.
• After Turner: The Braves continued to build on that foundation, winning championships and drawing fans to Atlanta and the metro area.

For an Atlanta resident, that history explains:

• Why the Braves have such a big following compared with some other MLB teams
• Why the name “Turner” shows up so often in older Braves conversations
• How sports, media, and the city’s growth are tightly linked here

How This History Matters if You Live in or Visit Atlanta Today

Knowing the Ted Turner–Braves connection can enhance your Atlanta experience:

• 🧢 At the ballpark: You’ll recognize why out-of-town fans feel such a strong connection to an Atlanta-based team.
• 🏙️ Exploring the city: Areas like the old Turner Field site and downtown near CNN Center carry extra meaning when you know how the Braves, Turner, and Atlanta grew together.
• 🗣️ Talking with locals: Many long-time Atlantans remember the Turner years vividly—having that context is a great way to connect over baseball and city history.

Whether you cheer from a seat at Truist Park, from a bar in Midtown or Buckhead, or from your living room in the city, a big part of why the Atlanta Braves feel so central to Atlanta life circles back to Ted Turner’s time as owner and media visionary.