Ralph and Shelly Stayer hold a minority ownership stake in the Milwaukee Brewers, joining the team’s ownership group just as the franchise prepares for its World Series run against the Tampa Bay Rays starting October 23. The couple acquired their stake in 2023, cementing a relationship that has long connected them to the Brewers and Wisconsin sports.
The Stayers, Wisconsin natives now spending much of the year in Naples, Florida, are best known as the owners of Johnsonville, the national sausage company founded by Ralph’s parents in 1945 in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin. Ralph Stayer retired as Johnsonville’s CEO in 2015 after decades guiding the company, which built its brand around bratwurst becoming a staple on American grills. “My dad developed the recipes for the sausage,” Ralph said in a 2016 interview with the Naples Daily News. “We spent a long time making bratwurst a staple on that grill. That didn’t happen by accident.”
Their connection to the Brewers extends beyond ownership. Johnsonville has been a longtime sponsor of the team, including the Famous Racing Sausages, a fan-favorite mascot race held at American Family Field every game. Mark Attanasio, Brewers chairman and principal owner, said in 2023 that the Stayers’ ties to the club “span many years.” He noted their roles as season ticket holders, sponsors, and supporters of community causes connected to the Brewers. “Ralph and Shelly are integrated into nearly every part of the Brewers family,” Attanasio said when announcing their ownership.
Shelly Stayer, who now leads Johnsonville, negotiated the deal alongside Attanasio. She described the transaction as “the friendliest, most exciting I’ve ever been a part of.” The couple’s sports passion extends beyond baseball. They are involved with the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee Bucks, another reflection of their deep ties to Wisconsin’s sports culture. The Stayers collaborated with the Packers in 2016 to create the Johnsonville Tailgate Village, a permanent tailgating and event space outside Lambeau Field that opened in time for the 2017 NFL season.
The Stayers’ connection to Naples is longstanding as well. Ralph’s family first bought a condo there in 1966, and he remembers visiting the town since 1967. They now spend up to nine months annually in the area. Beyond business, both Ralph and Shelly serve on the boards of several Naples institutions, including the Naples Children’s Museum, Artis, Naples Philharmonic, and the Naples Botanical Garden. Johnsonville’s name is attached to the annual Night Lights holiday event at the botanical garden.
Their philanthropic work includes leadership in local causes. Shelly Stayer was the lead donor for the Shelly Stayer Shelter for Human Trafficking Victims, a facility that opened in Immokalee in 2020. She gave the shelter a $3 million lead gift when plans began in 2016. “Family is very important to me so I was immediately attracted to the work that The Shelter is doing to help individuals and families heal from the devastating effects of domestic violence,” Shelly said at the time. The shelter provides long-term care for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking.
Ralph Stayer expressed pride in joining the Brewers’ ownership. “I can confirm that anything really is possible, including being a part of my hometown baseball team!” he said in the 2023 announcement. With the Brewers about to compete for the franchise’s first World Series title, the Stayers’ involvement adds another layer to their longstanding support of Wisconsin’s sports teams and the communities they connect with.
According to Yahoo Sports.
