MLB reportedly had one of its best financial years of all time, tallying over 10.8 billion dollars in revenue. This is reflective of the growth of the sport and the attention it has received recently. With so many electric storylines to follow this season, it is nice to see it reflected positively on the balance sheet.
It is important to note that this is simply the revenue the league makes, not the profit. Revenue does not take expenses into account. This could also be part of the reason why spending has been up across the league, with some organizations willing to shell out more and more money to build a winning team.
Forbes reported on MLB’s historic revenue, which was shared to Twitter by Fox Sports.
According to @ForbesMLB set a new record for league revenue during the 2022 season 💰 https://t.co/TZ7O4wnXoH
This is a big relief for baseball fans who have been hearing for years that the sport is dying. While it may not be the most popular sport in the country as it was in decades past, it is still doing great. This is hard evidence that there is still a place for MLB among the big four sports leagues. They might not have the ratings of the NFL or the youth movement of the NBA, but it is still a financial success.
This has also led to further criticism of MLB team owners who aren’t willing to spend more to win more games. For some owners, putting more money into the team is seen as a financial decision rather than a competitive one. Teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Oakland Athletics are emblematic of this strategy.
Since there are small market teams in MLB, big market teams and their fans contribute greatly to this revenue. It is no secret that the New York Yankees are the league’s most valuable team, by a rather significant margin. However, they are not the only team that moves the needle.
The financial success of 2022 is a great sign for the future of the league and baseball as a whole.
Will the MLB set another revenue record in 2023?
