Ted Turner named to Hall of Fame ballot for 2027 class

Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves, has been placed on the nonplayer ballot for the 2027 Class of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Fame announced the eight-person slate on Monday. The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee will evaluate the candidates during a meeting on December 6 in San Diego. The committee will announce the results of the vote at 8 p.m. that evening.

Turner acquired the Braves in 1976. He transformed the franchise by broadcasting games on his WTBS television station, a move that carried the team to cable providers nationwide and created a new model for media distribution.

Under his ownership, the team won 14 consecutive division titles from 1991 through 2005, a record in Major League Baseball. Turner died on May 6.

The ballot includes four other owners and executives: Bill Lynch, Joe L. Williams, Sandy Alderson, and Bud Selig. It also lists three managers: Dusty Baker, A.J. Hinch, and Jim Leyland.

The Contemporary Era Committee is tasked with inducting owners, executives, and managers who were active since 1998. The group must select at least three candidates from this category for the Class of 2027. No fewer than two of the inductees can come from this specific list.

The committee will also consider candidates from the Over 10 Years Retired Era, which includes managers who worked for at least six seasons or more than five months of executive service. This group must select at least one inductee from the list of retired candidates.