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So it finally comes out for a fact that bad baseball teams make money. And not just a little money either.
In the latest Real Sports, Bryant Gumbel investigated the financial aspects of the new Marlins stadium in Miami. Turns out that the Marlins made a profit in 2008 and 2009. They actually cleared $50 million in profit in '09, but still asked for way more in public funds which they never have to pay back.
I do not begrudge the Marlins for pulling a fast one over the moron politicians in Miami. They scammed their asses. They never opened their books and called the city's bluff on not approving the new stadium. The Marlins knew that the city of Miami is struggling heavily and they took full advantage of the situation. A pretty ruthless business decision, especially when they will not even pay back any of the public funds they receive. But that's the deal the city made with them, right or wrong.
What this does prove is that all the crying and whining from the so-called "small-market teams," is complete and utter nonsense. There's a good reason that the only Major League team to move cities in our lifetimes was located in Montreal. The Royals, Pirates, Brewers, Rays, Marlins, etc. They all make money. The Marlins had the weakest attendance in the entire league and they walked away with $50 million last year. Not to mention the luxury tax money they receive from teams like the Yankees. Baseball is a local game and the local TV money, which many teams now own a part of due to Steinbrenner's innovation, is a gold mine for franchises. The Tampa Bay Rays may be in the cellar when attendance is counted, but they are in the upper echelon in TV ratings and revenue.
So what happened to that $50 million in profit the Marlins made? A large chunk of it goes back into the team right? Wrong it goes into the owners pockets, because it's a business first, a baseball team second. And that's the business model 90% of the owners in the MLB follow. The Marlins will say that the profit goes to pay off outstanding debt. Right, I believe them don't you? Why wouldn't you believe a business who intentionally bleeds dry the city they represent in one of the worst economic times in history and offer absolutely nothing in return.
I'm done with the "Yankees spend too much money," garbage. That argument is now off the table with this news surfacing. If the Marlins made $50 million with the worst attendance, what did the Brewers make with 2.7 million in attendance? Why don't the Royals relocate, how do the Pirates get one of the most beautiful ballparks in the country and then give their fans a minor league team to watch 81 games a year?
Keep complaining about the Yankees, keep bitching about how they make a ton of money and put a large chunk of it back into the product for the next year. It's exactly what the owners of your teams want you to do. It enables them to put out an inferior product year after year after year and when the fans get mad . . . "Pay no attention to that man behind the desk, it's the great and powerful Yankees that ruin baseball,". . . You see, that's much easier than dealing with reality.
You can argue ad nauseum whether baseball needs a salary cap or not. That's fine, but before any notion or inkling of installing a cap, there should be a huge push for a salary floor. That is what will "fix," baseball. That is what will force these owners to give their customers a respectable product to come out and watch. Because unlike the fans, the thrill of victory is not something valued by these owners. And until a salary floor is implemented, you better hope teams like the Yankees and Phillies keep their M.O. intact, because contrary to popular opinion it's carrying the MLB, not ruining it.
14 comments:
Exactamundo Kogurt..the Marlins have been giving me a sh*tty product for years and I knew they were always making money...Good businessmen they are, bad owners they are..Even with the team they assembled last year we were not that bad but could've been better or at least made more of a statement than just playin spoiler to the Mets all the time. I just want them to dabble in the free agent market and make an attempt to fill seats, not their wallets. The jury is still out on whether the Heat or Dolphins offseason moves will influence the Marlins, but I won't hold my breath, even if I'm under water
They are good businessmen. And like most good businessmen, they are shitty human beings.
They give the fans just enough to keep them interested. "We'll give you a nice little team that may or may not make the playoffs, even though we have the money to make one or two extra moves that could win the division."
It's plain and simple. Money first, money second, winning thrid.
I get first, I get second, but what position or base is thrid? jk, just doing it b4 Dinger does.
Ha ha, thrid is a new value I'm trying to force on the public. It comes in between 2nd and 3rd.
I'm also working on some new numbers . . . Spleeve, Muffteen, and Gunty.
Great Article Koko. But you simply don't get the point. Nobody is arguing that the Yankees are the evil in baseball it is MLB "Enabling" Them to outspend at two to one....three to one etc......over other teams that is Killing it.
I know you pride yourself by thinking you have revealed this dirty little secret that all MLB teams Make money. Well, No Shit Sherlock! Of Course they make money the owners are multi millionares they don't really own the team for hobbies.
But, They all don't pull in the same amount of Money because they don't have the same resources. Please don't say blah blah blah the Brewers have great fans and show up to games their owner should spend more money it is simply not Feasable!
Here is a breakdown of Revenues (aka EARNINGS) Listed on forbes.com for MLB Franchises........yes they make money but look at the HUGE Discrepency in teams.
1. Yankees ($441 Million)
2. Mets ($268)
3. Red Sox ($266)
4. Cubs ($246)
-Milwaukee ($171)
-Pirates ($145)
Tampa ($156)
That is Forbes reporting on their earnings. As You can See The Yankees Doulbe and triple most teams. Even the Mets which is a horribly run franchise and perpetual losers are the second highest revenue leaders simply because they have the benefit of being in Such a Large TV market in NY.
So, You can plainly see that NY has a distinct advantage over other clubs.
The Yankees can pay losers like AJ Burnett milllions of dollars and not worry about. Whereas smaller market teams like the Rays, Brewers, Etc.....only have a 1-2 year window to strike then they have to go back to rebuilding for a few years and then hope to strike again.
And if a small market team makes a bad signing they are screwed for YEARS. If the Yankess inept management team makes bad moves.....they just keep making more until something works.
Salary cap and salry floor together is the only thing that will make this an even playing field.
Not salary floor alone ,that still brings in the fact you must draft well ,scout well, trade well etc...
instead of overspending evrybody and guaranteeing that you have a formidabble team.
Just like the NBA and NFL , work within restrictions to eliminate any advantages.
Well Said JuanDiggler!
Dinger, I'm sick of your revisionist history.
You say all the damn time the Yankees are ruining baseball.
And now that the real truth is out, you're going to have the audacity to pretend like you've been a champion of the fact that it's really baseball's fault?
Lick my taint!
And it's you who still does not get the damn point. It eludes you like a championship will always elude the Brewers.
And yes this is big news no matter how much you'd like to diminish it. Because these teams complain that they are NOT making money. And obviously you can't comprehend numbers because if the Marlins are making a $50 million profit then all the teams have enough to put together a competative team.
Don't give me garbage about resources. What resources to the Marlins have?
And no Juan a cap and a floor are not equally important. If you had to choose one, only the floor would make a difference. This is due to the way these owners run their teams. How would a cap make these loser teams spend more money to give their fans a better product? Or keep good players they've drafted, scouted, etc. The floor would ensure franchise players stay with their teams.
How's that cap working in the NBA? It's an entire league full of mercenaries.
Don't try to pretend that miami is a small market. I'm sure the television stations have to pay a premium in that market. That is where the money comes from, moreso than gate revenue.
We have gone over this time and time again, but the bottom line is that if you are a Yankees fan, you like the way baseball is run and if you are a fan of any other team, you don't. plain and simple
Overstating and wrong again Regs.
Ask Philly fans if they have a problem. Ask Cardnial fans if the Yankees or the way baseball is run have any effect on them.
You guys are such charity cases. You play right into the hands of the owners who do not care about winning. You have to face the music. YOUR TEAMS ARE NOT RUN WITH WINNING AS A PRIORITY!
That's plain and simple.
Teams that do have winning as a priority are teams that compete. Crazy idea right?
It's like you've been brainwashed. Especiallly fans of teams like the Brewers. How many playoffs have they seen in their history? Are you really going to blame the system for every single year of futility while every other team passes you by and competes for at least a few years?
The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different result.
Winning is just not a priority for these types of teams. It's not up for debate. It's easy to prove, just look at their history. And when ownership changes for the better, look how quickly that team is in the playoffs and/or World Series.
A salary floor would make these teams compete. How you're not in favor of that is like minorities voting for republicans.
You know what else I find facinating?
I mean besides those Dipping Dots at the mall.
The fact, that it takes me, a Yankees fan, to stand up for you poor, pathetic, browbeaten people.
Should I just shut up? If everything is indeed skewed towards the Yankees. Why should I say anything? Everything is perfect. Just keep on with the status quo.
Remeber that the next time one of you bring up that I'm just arguing in favor of the Yankees.
Im not, I'm arguing in favor of baseball. If I was arguing in favor of the Yankees why would I want a salary floor installed? What good does that do my team?
ZERO!!!
All it would do is give the Yankees more competition, whether the bottom dwelling owners liked it or not.
So you're right guys, you're totally right. Everything is fine. Keep baseball the way it is, or institute a salaray cap, be my guest. It won't change a thing for me or any other team that would ever even come close to the cap anyway. I'm sure once a cap is in place, the Royals, Marlins, Brewers, etc. will just be rolling out the red carpet for free agents and home grown talent.
On a related note, I think I'm going to join the Tea Party.
Wow...Thanks Koko.
However, once again we don't buy what your selling.
A salary floor would definitely hurt the Yankees the most of any franchise in baseball. Because then all those poor teams couldn't dump all their mid-high priced talent once they are out of the pennant race 2 months into the season. And who usually buys or trades for those players?????
That's right the Corporate Raider Yankees.
And teams would be forced to re-sign higher talent instead of going into full re-builing mode and thus once a team develops their stat player they wouldn't just leave to go play for the Yankees like the current system has it set-up that way.
But...once again we are not arguing agaist the Yankees.....We are simply stating that because MLB allows the Yankees to do this the product that the MLB puts on the field is diminished.
Leave my Mets alone bitches! Dumb ass people running this country! He little man gets raped! Let's boycott all sports after the superbowl.
Ok Keith. I'm done talking to you.
You actually just wrote that you're not buying what I'm saying, then repeated my exact point that keeps eluding you, and then once again said it's ultimately still the Yankees that make baseball a bad product.
I don't know if you're making sense in your own head or not, but out here in the the real world you're making my brain bleed.
You obviously can understand that the MLB is doing something wrong. But for some reason you think that thing is letting the the most successfull franchise in history to continue to provide their fans with the best possible team they can put on a field.
What diminishes the product is letting teams purposefully dog it season after season. They let the competative teams take all the free agents and then have no problem taking their luxury tax money. I notice no one has a problem with that one right?
You just have a skewed vision of the game because your team is one of those perennial bottom feeders that is the real problem with baseball. You're just to brainwashed to realize it.
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