MLB loses in 2025

[opti mist]

"MLB has privately told owners that teams lost $1.8 billion last year, led by the New York Mets with about $350 million in losses,” Bob Nightengale reported for USA Today.

WOW!

[Talkin' Baseball]

It's probably worth that to Cohen to help rehabilitate his image. He can talk emphatically about how he's going to improve the Mets and each year he does that the memory of his insider trading scandal slips farther into the rearview mirror. One day he'll get it right, and the Mets will win a world series. He will thought of as the man who restored the Mets rather than a corrupt businessman.

[mattmitchl44]

Even minus Cohen, that's a $50 million loss per team on average.

That's an interesting counterpoint to the data that had been available for 2024 which suggested an average EBITDA of +$30 million per team if you excluded the Mets from that year as well.

[An Old Friend]

Even minus Cohen, that's a $50 million loss per team on average.

That's an interesting counterpoint to the data that had been available for 2024 which suggested an average EBITDA of +$30 million per team if you excluded the Mets from that year as well.

It’s also likely posturing bullshart to use as a negotiating ploy going into a labor dispute. They won’t open their books and prove it.

[NYCardsFan]

It's probably worth that to Cohen to help rehabilitate his image. He can talk emphatically about how he's going to improve the Mets and each year he does that the memory of his insider trading scandal slips farther into the rearview mirror. One day he'll get it right, and the Mets will win a world series. He will thought of as the man who restored the Mets rather than a corrupt businessman.

Cohen was trying to buy an MLB team well before the SEC case. He was one of the early bidders for the Dodgers back in 2011, ultimately losing to the Guggenheim group.

[BrockFloodMaris]

"MLB has privately told owners that teams lost $1.8 billion last year, led by the New York Mets with about $350 million in losses,” Bob Nightengale reported for USA Today.

WOW!

Conspiracy theories aside, I am not surprised by this report. The talent pool is shallower than ever. The walk/home run/strikeout three outcome at bat has sent fans to the doors.

[NYCardsFan]

Even minus Cohen, that's a $50 million loss per team on average.

That's an interesting counterpoint to the data that had been available for 2024 which suggested an average EBITDA of +$30 million per team if you excluded the Mets from that year as well.

Hard to compare. The Forbes data are estimates of the prior year (2024). And, of course, we don’t know anything about this rumored MLB number, which is likely to be self-serving heading into the expiration of the CBA.

[Ozziesfan41]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike and make the poor old billionaire owners out to be the good guys

[jcgmoi]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike

That's what I think. I don't believe the Mets lost an amount equal to their payroll and I don't believe MLB lost $1.8B using any legitimate accounting standards.

Guess which team led MLB in YoY attendance? Why, that would be the Mets. Was their increase just a few hundred per game? No, it was more than 10K.

If Cohen wants to claim big losses, let's see his books. For that matter let's see every team's books.

The Braves are publicly owned so they have to file financial reports every quarter, and let me tell you, things are alright in Atlanta. They may be better than most at turning a dollar but nobody in the game is starving.

https://www.sportico.com/leagues/baseba ... %20million.

[ramfandan]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike and make the poor old billionaire owners out to be the good guys

First of all, if there is a stoppage in 2027 it will not be a 'STRIKE" .. A 'strike' is the employee ( players in this case ) refusing to report to work .
This would be the owners (management ) 'locking' out the employees from reporting to work . Yes, the owners can spin this as to blame the players but the owners have agreed to all the current rules themselves . Dont think the public is overwhelmingly going to blame the players .

Collective bargaining is the two sides sitting down and mutually agreeing to all working conditions.
If the owners wish a salary cap OK , then what do they have to offer the MLBA to give them in return . In labor negotiations, that is known as a 'quid pro quo ' (this for that ) . I heard one poster say the owners could reduce the years of free agency to 5 or 4 years (from current 6 years ) .
5 years ? outside chance 4 years ? no way no how that would cost the owners a mint if all players got to free agency that quickly in their system.
The players would love it but think that would be a non'- tarter for the owners Currently, the owners (relatively speaking by pay ) get a 2nd thru 5 year player on the cheap . In other occupations , if you are good at what you do , you can go to another company ..not in baseball.
At least that is my humble opinion

[An Old Friend]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike and make the poor old billionaire owners out to be the good guys

First of all, if there is a stoppage in 2027 it will not be a 'STRIKE" .. A 'strike' is the employee ( players in this case ) refusing to report to work .
This would be the owners (management ) 'locking' out the employees from reporting to work . Yes, the owners can spin this as to blame the players but the owners have agreed to all the current rules themselves . Dont think the public is overwhelmingly going to blame the players .

Collective bargaining is the two sides sitting down and mutually agreeing to all working conditions.
If the owners wish a salary cap OK , then what do they have to offer the MLBA to give them in return . In labor negotiations, that is known as a 'quid pro quo ' (this for that ) . I heard one poster say the owners could reduce the years of free agency to 5 or 4 years (from current 6 years ) .
5 years ? outside chance 4 years ? no way no how that would cost the owners a mint if all players got to free agency that quickly in their system.
The players would love it but think that would be a non'- tarter for the owners Currently, the owners (relatively speaking by pay ) get a 2nd thru 5 year player on the cheap . In other occupations , if you are good at what you do , you can go to another company ..not in baseball.
At least that is my humble opinion

MLB needs to cap deferrals at a certain percentage of the total value of the contract. I think it should be low, but make it 20%
They won't but should go the NBA route of putting a max length on a contract.
Need to get teams spending - it's a disaster for markets with owners who aren't even trying. A floor at least accomplishes that.
Set a soft salary cap, trade off for players to get FA a year earlier.
This would never get traction, but I think if a player wants an opt-out, a portion of the contract after the opt-out should become non-guaranteed.

[TheJackBurton]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike and make the poor old billionaire owners out to be the good guys

First of all, if there is a stoppage in 2027 it will not be a 'STRIKE" .. A 'strike' is the employee ( players in this case ) refusing to report to work .
This would be the owners (management ) 'locking' out the employees from reporting to work . Yes, the owners can spin this as to blame the players but the owners have agreed to all the current rules themselves . Dont think the public is overwhelmingly going to blame the players .

Collective bargaining is the two sides sitting down and mutually agreeing to all working conditions.
If the owners wish a salary cap OK , then what do they have to offer the MLBA to give them in return . In labor negotiations, that is known as a 'quid pro quo ' (this for that ) . I heard one poster say the owners could reduce the years of free agency to 5 or 4 years (from current 6 years ) .
5 years ? outside chance 4 years ? no way no how that would cost the owners a mint if all players got to free agency that quickly in their system.
The players would love it but think that would be a non'- tarter for the owners Currently, the owners (relatively speaking by pay ) get a 2nd thru 5 year player on the cheap . In other occupations , if you are good at what you do , you can go to another company ..not in baseball.
At least that is my humble opinion

MLB needs to cap deferrals at a certain percentage of the total value of the contract. I think it should be low, but make it 20%
They won't but should go the NBA route of putting a max length on a contract.
Need to get teams spending - it's a disaster for markets with owners who aren't even trying. A floor at least accomplishes that.
Set a soft salary cap, trade off for players to get FA a year earlier.
This would never get traction, but I think if a player wants an opt-out, a portion of the contract after the opt-out should become non-guaranteed.

MLB technically already has a "soft salary cap" and it has done nothing to stop the big teams from spending and finding loopholes around the tax.

It needs a hard, defined salary cap and floor. We are witnessing the slow death of an American institution because of money, greed, and math nerds.

[ScotchMIrish]

2027 has to be a lockout.

[ScotchMIrish]

MLB already putting the spin out to blame the players for the strike and make the poor old billionaire owners out to be the good guys

First of all, if there is a stoppage in 2027 it will not be a 'STRIKE" .. A 'strike' is the employee ( players in this case ) refusing to report to work .
This would be the owners (management ) 'locking' out the employees from reporting to work . Yes, the owners can spin this as to blame the players but the owners have agreed to all the current rules themselves . Dont think the public is overwhelmingly going to blame the players .

Collective bargaining is the two sides sitting down and mutually agreeing to all working conditions.
If the owners wish a salary cap OK , then what do they have to offer the MLBA to give them in return . In labor negotiations, that is known as a 'quid pro quo ' (this for that ) . I heard one poster say the owners could reduce the years of free agency to 5 or 4 years (from current 6 years ) .
5 years ? outside chance 4 years ? no way no how that would cost the owners a mint if all players got to free agency that quickly in their system.
The players would love it but think that would be a non'- tarter for the owners Currently, the owners (relatively speaking by pay ) get a 2nd thru 5 year player on the cheap . In other occupations , if you are good at what you do , you can go to another company ..not in baseball.
At least that is my humble opinion

MLB needs to cap deferrals at a certain percentage of the total value of the contract. I think it should be low, but make it 20%
They won't but should go the NBA route of putting a max length on a contract.
Need to get teams spending - it's a disaster for markets with owners who aren't even trying. A floor at least accomplishes that.
Set a soft salary cap, trade off for players to get FA a year earlier.
This would never get traction, but I think if a player wants an opt-out, a portion of the contract after the opt-out should become non-guaranteed.

MLB technically already has a "soft salary cap" and it has done nothing to stop the big teams from spending and finding loopholes around the tax.

It needs a hard, defined salary cap and floor. We are witnessing the slow death of an American institution because of money, greed, and math nerds.

The problem is it's a soft cap. In addition MLB has moved to benefit the big market teams in rules regarding the draft, international signings and free agent compensation. Big market teams and the player's union are hurting the game.

[Jatalk]

Show us the books. I don’t believe this.

[Pura Vida]

Even minus Cohen, that's a $50 million loss per team on average.

That's an interesting counterpoint to the data that had been available for 2024 which suggested an average EBITDA of +$30 million per team if you excluded the Mets from that year as well.

It’s also likely posturing bullshart to use as a negotiating ploy going into a labor dispute. They won’t open their books and prove it.

Exactly....an age old business strategy.