Major League Baseball=Major Bucks

• In 2007 Major League Baseball took in $6.1 billion. The NFL’s 2007 revenue was $6.3 billion.

• Baseball’s national broadcasts generate less than 20 percent of overall sales ($935 million in 2006).

• Since 1992 17 of 30 teams have built brand-new ballparks. Five more either are planned or are under construction (including New York City’s planned double-header openings next season of the new Yankee Stadium and the Mets’ Citi Field), while others are undertaking major retrofits.

• The average MLB ticket price is up 87 percent in the past decade, and the 2008 cost is 10.9 percent more than last season

2007 Salaries

1. Alex Rodriguez New York Yankees $ 27,708,525
2. Jason Giambi New York Yankees $ 23,428,571
3. Derek Jeter New York Yankees $ 21,600,000
4. Manny Ramírez Boston Red Sox $ 17,016,381
5. Todd Helton Colorado Rockies $ 16,600,000
6. Andy Pettitte New York Yankees $ 16,000,000
7. Bartolo Colón Los Angeles Angels $ 16,000,000
8. Jason Schmidt Los Angeles Dodgers $ 15,703,946
9. Jim Thome Chicago White Sox $ 15,666,667
10. Bobby Abreu New York Yankees $ 15,600,000
11. Barry Bonds San Francisco Giants $ 15,533,970
12. Richie Sexson Seattle Mariners $ 15,500,000
13. Mike Hampton Atlanta Braves $ 15,475,185
14. Carlos Delgado New York Mets $ 14,500,000
15. Vladimir Guerrero Los Angeles Angels $ 14,500,000
16. Lance Berkman Houston Astros $ 14,500,000
17. J.D. Drew Boston Red Sox $ 14,400,000
18. Pedro Martínez New York Mets $ 14,002,234
19. Andruw Jones Atlanta Braves $ 14,000,000
20. Miguel Tejada Baltimore Orioles $ 13,811,415

in comparison

YEAR SALARY/YR PLAYER TEAM/ORGANIZATION
1927 $70,000 Babe Ruth New York Yankees
1930 $80,000 Babe Ruth New York Yankees
1949 $100,000 Ted Williams Boston Red Sox
1966 $130,000 Willie Mays San Francisco Giants
1972 $200,000 Hank Aaron Atlanta Braves
1975 $740,000 Catfish Hunter New York Yankees

Average Ticket Prices- 2008

TEAM 08 Ave Price 08 Rank 07 Price 07 Rank

Arizona	$15.96	30			$13.79	30
Atlanta	$17.05	29			$17.17	24
Baltimore	$23.85	17			$22.45	14
Arizona	$15.96	30			$13.79	30
Atlanta	$17.05	29			$17.17	24
Baltimore	$23.85	17			$22.45	14
Boston	$48.80	1			$47.71	1
Chicago (AL)	$30.28	5			$28.78	4
Chicago (NL)	$42.49	2			$34.30	2
Cincinnati	$19.41	23			$17.71	22
Cleveland	$25.72	13			$21.32	16
Colorado	$19.50	22			$16.50	27
Detroit	$25.28	15			$19.45	19
Florida	$18.69	24			$16.57	26
Houston	$28.73	9			$26.90	8
Kansas Ciy	$17.54	26			$14.48	28
L.A. Angles	$20.78	19			$18.97	19
L.A. Dodgers	$29.66	6			$26.28	9
Milwaukee	$19.88	21			$18.19	21
Minnesota	$20.68	20			$19.27	20
New York (AL)	$34.05	4			$28.26	6
New York (NL)	$36.58	3			$29.01	3
Oakland	$29.20	8			$23.88	12
Philadelphia	$28.14	11			$27.25	7
Pittsburgh	$17.07	28			$17.07	25
St. Louis	$29.32	7			$28.43	5
San Diego	$27.43	12			$22.13	15
San Francisco	$22.06	18			$25.11	10
Seattle	$25.29	14			$24.01	11
Tampa Bay	$17.23	27			$17.23	23
Texas	$18.01	25			$14.19	29
Toronto	$28.37	10			$22.65	13
Washington	$25.00	16			$21.11	17
AVERAGE	$25.40	--			$22.69	--

Team		Value of team Beg of 08 Season in Mill$	Debt Value (%)	Revenue ($Mill)
1	New York Yankees	1,306	77	327
2	New York Mets	824	97	235
3	Boston Red Sox	816	29	263
4	Los Angeles Dodgers	694	61	224
5	Chicago Cubs	642	0	214
6	Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim	500	7	200
7	Atlanta Braves	497	0	199
8	San Francisco Giants	494	28	197
9	St Louis Cardinals	484	51	194
10	Philadelphia Phillies	481	36	192
11	Seattle Mariners	466	21	194
12	Houston Astros	463	12	193
13	Washington Nationals	460	54	153
14	Chicago White Sox	443	9	193
15	Cleveland Indians	417	24	181
16	Texas Rangers	412	65	172
17	Detroit Tigers	407	52	173
18	Baltimore Orioles	398	38	166
19	San Diego Padres	385	45	167
20	Arizona Diamondbacks	379	54	165
21	Colorado Rockies	371	22	169
22	Toronto Blue Jays	352	0	160
23	Cincinnati Reds	337	12	161
24	Milwaukee Brewers	331	36	158
25	Minnesota Twins	328	27	149
26	Oakland Athletics	323	28	154
27	Kansas City Royals	301	13	131
28	Pittsburgh Pirates	292	34	139
29	Tampa Bay Rays	290	14	138
30	Florida Marlins	256	34	128

Forbes