It looks like the Washington Nationals will go for around $450 million dollars. MLB paid $120 million dollars for the team. So it looks like each team will receive over $10 million each when the franchise is sold. Look at it this way; twenty nine teams get to buy a #2 starter for a year!
Yes, but that doesn’t factor in the operational costs of the team over the past several seasons. I can’t imagine that the 12,000 fans that they drew per night even paid for the post of Olympic Stadium, much less the salary for scouts, minor league players, etc.
There’s an interesting story here, though — it just requires a much more in-depth look at the team’s assets and liabilities over the past 4 years.
One thing is for certain, though — whatever profit is realized by each team won’t be included in their yearly summary of “look, really, I’m losing money by owning this team!”
Go go gadget ridiculous contracts!
Agree that an in-depth analysis would make a good article. WSJ, you reading? Anybody out there a CPA? I imagine that a lot of the operating costs of the “business” can be written off. But I imagine lots of things about big biz that ain’t always true.
Are there 29 #2 starters out there? Legitimate ones, that is.
One man’s #3, is another man’s #2. Just look at the royals and dodgers!
Zing!
rbj: The Phillies seem to have about 8 #2 starters, but not a single #1.
The teams did actually have to pony up the cash, so they’ll get $15M each when it’s sold.