Relevant point of discussion, what do the Braves (and other teams) consider as “the team” making money? Is/are the business owned by the team/ the owners that are surrounding the stadiums counts as money made? The owners seem like they want to say no to that to keep revenue and other financial numbers looking lower than they might actually be. MLBPA almost certainly thinks differently
> So, to answer the question in my title, yes, the Braves actually make money. So do their peers. Given the way GAAP works, you can understand people thinking otherwise. And I 100% guarantee that’s what MLB wants you to think. But they’re wrong.
> The Braves’ baseball business is seasonal: It reports earnings when there are games being played and losses when they’re not. There weren’t any games in the fourth quarter. But there were ticket sales, which creates cash flow (people purchasing tickets for the upcoming season) but not revenues and earnings (which, per GAAP, are recognized only when the games are being played). In the fourth quarter, Atlanta Braves Holdings, which includes the company’s real estate holdings, generated cash from its operations of $26.4 million, down from $28.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, but still strong, enabling the Braves to end the year with more cash on hand ($112.6 million) than at the end of 2024 ($111.6 million).
> In addition, over the course of the year, the Braves (and each of the other 30 teams) received $20.5 million from MLB Advanced Media and $4.3 million from Baseball Endowment L.P, the multi-billion-dollar investment fund run for the benefit of the clubs. That helped offset the $48.6 million (8% of baseball revenues, compared to $42.3 million, 7% in 2024) the Braves paid into revenue sharing over the course of the year.
> Clearly, the Braves actually make money.
Darinbenny1
Wish there was a way to gift link a BP article. This feels like really important reporting.
NickSabbath666
I find it laughable to think an organization worth several billion dollars can’t figure out how to make profit.
It’s billionaires lying about their money to avoid paying taxes.
Redbubble89
A shit ton and they could have signed Tucker or another starter but refused. They are the Mariners in the sense where they are a mid market but could spend like a large market but really don’t. This is the first offseason in a while that the Mariners actually spent. Mike Yaz is fine but I thought he was going to be resigned by the Royals.
The largest free-agent contract in Atlanta Braves history is the 5-year$75.25 million deal signed by outfielder B.J. Upton in November 2012. As steady as they have been since 2018, they don’t spend like a team based in Atlanta should.
7 Comments
Relevant point of discussion, what do the Braves (and other teams) consider as “the team” making money? Is/are the business owned by the team/ the owners that are surrounding the stadiums counts as money made? The owners seem like they want to say no to that to keep revenue and other financial numbers looking lower than they might actually be. MLBPA almost certainly thinks differently
Paywalled article?
[2 Charts from the article](https://imgur.com/a/TLWCuwn)
> So, to answer the question in my title, yes, the Braves actually make money. So do their peers. Given the way GAAP works, you can understand people thinking otherwise. And I 100% guarantee that’s what MLB wants you to think. But they’re wrong.
> The Braves’ baseball business is seasonal: It reports earnings when there are games being played and losses when they’re not. There weren’t any games in the fourth quarter. But there were ticket sales, which creates cash flow (people purchasing tickets for the upcoming season) but not revenues and earnings (which, per GAAP, are recognized only when the games are being played). In the fourth quarter, Atlanta Braves Holdings, which includes the company’s real estate holdings, generated cash from its operations of $26.4 million, down from $28.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, but still strong, enabling the Braves to end the year with more cash on hand ($112.6 million) than at the end of 2024 ($111.6 million).
> In addition, over the course of the year, the Braves (and each of the other 30 teams) received $20.5 million from MLB Advanced Media and $4.3 million from Baseball Endowment L.P, the multi-billion-dollar investment fund run for the benefit of the clubs. That helped offset the $48.6 million (8% of baseball revenues, compared to $42.3 million, 7% in 2024) the Braves paid into revenue sharing over the course of the year.
> Clearly, the Braves actually make money.
Wish there was a way to gift link a BP article. This feels like really important reporting.
I find it laughable to think an organization worth several billion dollars can’t figure out how to make profit.
It’s billionaires lying about their money to avoid paying taxes.
A shit ton and they could have signed Tucker or another starter but refused. They are the Mariners in the sense where they are a mid market but could spend like a large market but really don’t. This is the first offseason in a while that the Mariners actually spent. Mike Yaz is fine but I thought he was going to be resigned by the Royals.
The largest free-agent contract in Atlanta Braves history is the 5-year$75.25 million deal signed by outfielder B.J. Upton in November 2012. As steady as they have been since 2018, they don’t spend like a team based in Atlanta should.
Yes. Next question