The Arizona Diamondbacks have been a household name in the Major League Baseball franchise since its addition as an expansion team. The Phoenix-based team was established in 1995 and began to play in 1998. The Arizona Diamondbacks' ownership history The Diamondbacks were awarded an expansion franchise on March 9, 1995, to begin play for the 1998 season. An about $130 million franchise fee was paid to Major League Baseball (MLB). Jerry Colangelo (1995-2004) Jerry Colangelo assembled a group of investors that includes Jeffrey Royer, Michael Chipman, and Dale Jensen in 1994 to buy an MLB franchise. The group was later granted an expansion team which was named the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Diamondbacks MLB franchise began to play in 1998. Colangelo made some changes, including hiring a new general manager, which proved to be vital to the expansion franchise's success in the MLB. The significant changes that were made by Jerry Colangelo helped the Arizona Diamondbacks win the Wor...