Ted Turner and the Atlanta Braves: How One Man Helped Shape Atlanta’s Baseball Era

For anyone living in or visiting Atlanta, Georgia, the story of the Atlanta Braves is tightly connected to one name: Ted Turner. Understanding that connection helps explain not just Braves history, but also how Atlanta grew into a major sports and media city.

This guide walks through who Ted Turner is, what he did with the Atlanta Braves, how that changed Atlanta, and what it means for local fans today.

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

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

• Founding Turner Broadcasting System (TBS)
• Launching CNN
• Owning the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks

For Atlanta residents, Turner is often remembered as the bold owner who:

• Turned the Braves into a national TV team
• Helped build the Braves’ fan base far beyond Georgia
• Kept the team rooted in Atlanta when other franchises were relocating

If you grew up in Atlanta from the late 1970s through the 1990s, there’s a good chance your childhood Braves memories are tied in some way to Ted Turner’s era.

When Did Ted Turner Own the Atlanta Braves?

Ted Turner’s ownership of the Braves is mainly tied to the mid-1970s through the 1990s, a period that saw both struggles and eventual dominance.

Key milestones:

• Mid-1970s: Turner purchases the Atlanta Braves
• Late 1970s–1980s: Uses his TV superstation to broadcast Braves games nationally
• 1990s: Braves become a powerhouse, winning multiple division titles and the 1995 World Series
• 2000s: Corporate transitions shift control away from Turner personally

For Atlanta fans, his era is remembered less by exact contract dates and more by what it felt like: an underdog Southern franchise becoming a national brand, with Atlanta at the center.

How Ted Turner Used TV to Turn the Braves into “America’s Team”

One of Turner’s biggest contributions was using TBS, then an Atlanta-based “superstation,” to show Braves games across the country.

What This Meant for Atlanta

For local fans, this had several big effects:

• More Visibility for Atlanta: People all over the U.S. knew the Atlanta Braves, even if they’d never visited Georgia.
• Boost for Local Pride: Atlantans could say their team was on TV nationwide almost every night during the season.
• Consistent Game Access: Before streaming and league apps, Atlantans could simply turn on TBS to catch the game, making the team part of daily life.

This move helped brand the Braves as “America’s Team,” but the home city was still Atlanta. The national attention amplified the city’s image as an up-and-coming major market.

Ted Turner’s Impact on Braves Culture in Atlanta

For people in Atlanta, Turner’s influence wasn’t just business; it shaped the culture around the team.

1. Commitment to Atlanta

At times when some franchises moved cities for better deals, Turner is widely viewed as having anchored the Braves in Atlanta.

That stability helped:

• Build long-term loyalty among Atlanta families
• Strengthen the connection between the team and local neighborhoods
• Encourage local investment in baseball, from youth leagues to businesses near the stadium

2. A Bold, Sometimes Eccentric Style

Turner was known for a hands-on, sometimes unconventional style as an owner. Many longtime residents remember:

• His very public enthusiasm for the team
• His high visibility at games and in local media
• A sense that the Braves were not just a team, but a personality—a reflection of Turner and, by extension, Atlanta’s own growing confidence

This created a distinct Braves identity that older fans in Atlanta still talk about today.

3. Winning Baseball and the 1990s Dynasty

For many Atlantans, the Turner era is inseparable from the 1990s Braves run, including:

• Multiple division titles
• Regular postseason appearances
• The 1995 World Series championship

If you live in Atlanta now, you’ll still see reminders of that era:

• Fans in vintage 1990s Braves jerseys
• Murals, memorabilia, and themed décor in sports bars
• Turner-era players highlighted in displays at Truist Park

Turner’s ownership provided the platform and resources that helped the team shift from struggling seasons to a sustained period of excellence.

Turner Field, Truist Park, and the Legacy in Today’s Atlanta

Although Ted Turner is no longer the owner and the team has moved stadiums, his name and legacy are still woven into the city.

Turner Field (Past Home of the Braves)

• After the 1996 Olympics, the main Olympic Stadium was converted into Turner Field, named after Ted Turner.
• From 1997 through 2016, this was the Braves’ home in downtown/near south Atlanta.

Locals often associate Turner Field with:

• The later years of the Turner-branded era
• Easy MARTA-accessible baseball downtown
• A bridge between the early Braves days at Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium and the current Truist Park era

Turner Field no longer hosts the Braves; it was renovated and is now Center Parc Stadium, home to Georgia State University football. But longtime Atlanta residents still use “Turner Field” as a point of reference.

Truist Park and The Battery Atlanta

Today, the Atlanta Braves play at Truist Park in Cobb County, just northwest of central Atlanta. Even though the stadium is newer and the ownership is different, Turner’s legacy shows up in:

• Tributes to historic Braves figures and eras
• Retro merchandise from the Turner years
• Longtime fans sharing stories with younger Atlantans about TBS broadcasts and the 1995 championship

If you’re visiting Truist Park from elsewhere in Atlanta, you’ll see how the team has moved into a modern, mixed-use development at The Battery Atlanta, but the emotional roots still stretch back to the Turner years.

Quick Reference: Ted Turner & the Atlanta Braves Timeline (Atlanta-Focused)

How Atlanta Residents Still Encounter Ted Turner’s Influence

Even if you moved to Atlanta recently and never watched a game on TBS, you’re still feeling Turner’s influence in subtle ways.

1. Local Sports Culture

• The expectation of the Braves as a winning franchise is largely rooted in the Turner-era 1990s teams.
• Many metro Atlanta youth baseball coaches and parents grew up during that time and reference those players and teams.

2. Landmarks and Place Names

• Although the Braves no longer play at Turner Field, many Atlantans still use it as a geographic reference point for the area near Georgia Avenue SE and Hank Aaron Drive SE.
• Older signage, photos, and memorabilia at businesses around town still refer to Turner and his era.

3. Media and Broadcasting Legacy

Turner’s media empire helped solidify Atlanta as a broadcasting hub. That media identity helped the Braves remain prominent and contributed to:

• Strong local sports radio and TV coverage
• A culture where Braves games are a regular part of the city’s entertainment rhythm

Visiting Atlanta and Want to Explore Ted Turner–Braves History?

If you’re in Atlanta and curious about the Turner–Braves connection, here are practical ways to experience it:

1. Catch a Game at Truist Park

While the park itself is from a newer era, you can still:

• See nods to past Braves legends from the Turner years
• Visit team shops that often carry retro jerseys and throwback gear from the 1980s–1990s
• Talk with long-time fans—many are eager to share personal memories of Turner-era teams

Location: Truist Park, 755 Battery Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30339 (Cobb County, just outside the city of Atlanta proper, but still part of the metro area).

2. Explore the Old Turner Field Area

The former Braves stadium site (Turner Field) is now:

• Center Parc Stadium – home of Georgia State University football
• Surrounded by resurgent development, student housing, and local businesses

While you won’t see the old Braves stadium, the area’s street names and layout still echo its baseball past.

General area: Around Hank Aaron Drive SE & Georgia Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30312.

3. Look for Ted Turner’s Broader Footprint in Atlanta

Beyond baseball, Turner’s influence on Atlanta includes:

• Media headquarters associated with his broadcasting legacy (such as the downtown CNN Center area, historically linked to his company’s presence)
• Philanthropic work and environmental initiatives that have ties to the region

This reinforces how closely his story is tied to Atlanta’s rise as a modern major city, with the Braves as a central symbol.

What Atlanta Fans Should Know Today About Ted Turner and the Braves

If you live in or are visiting Atlanta and you search for “Ted Turner Atlanta Braves,” here are the key takeaways:

• Ted Turner was the owner who helped put the Atlanta Braves on the national map, especially through TBS.
• His tenure is closely associated with the team’s rise to prominence and the 1990s dynasty that shaped Atlanta sports culture.
• Turner Field, the Braves’ home from 1997–2016, was named for him and anchored baseball on the south side of downtown Atlanta for nearly two decades.
• Even though ownership has changed and the team now plays at Truist Park, Turner’s impact is still felt in the city’s sports identity, media culture, and fan expectations.

Understanding Ted Turner’s relationship with the Atlanta Braves is essentially understanding a major chapter in Atlanta’s own story—how the city grew from a regional hub into a nationally recognized sports and media capital.