The Michigan Baseball Foundation (MBF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in Midland, Michigan, that refers to itself as a social enterprise. MBF is the current owner and operator of the Dow Diamond – a baseball stadium located in downtown Midland. Through its subsidiary, MBF Enterprises (MBFE), the organization owns the stadium's primary resident – the Great Lakes Loons, and their broadcaster – WLUN. Profits from the operation of the Dow Diamond and the organization's taxable enterprises are donated to youth groups and to initiatives that seek to improve life in Midland and its surrounding areas.
History
MBF began in 2005, when William S. Stavropoulos, then Chairman of the Dow Chemical Company, which is also headquartered in Midland, came up with the idea that minor league baseball could help the hometown of Dow Chemical. He had observed how the introduction of minor league baseball had helped several communities in the United States, and he felt it could similarly "trigger a renaissance" in Midland.[1]
With the backing of Dow Chemical, he turned to others in the Midland area for their combined support. Ultimately, five additional Midland-based organizations (