Major League Baseball

And here I thought the new iPhone app that would let me watch live streaming games in other markets was awesome…

Never to be out done in terms of spending money on players or apparently cutting edge technology, the New York Yankees TV network, YES, and the Major League Baseball Advanced Media Arm (known as “BAM”) have signed a deal to start live streaming Yankees games locally starting July 8th.  More from Sports Business Daily,

It’s the summer of 1998.  Chicago Cubs Outfielder Sammy Sosa and St.

This is still not your father’s Major League Baseball.

If there has been a more impressive media arm than Major League Baseball’s Advanced Media (MLBAM, or “BAM” for short) in the last few years, you would be hard pressed to find it.  Whenever BAM isn’t working on targeted online advertising, or just streaming major league baseball games in general, they’re revolutionizing their amateur draft.

Last week, Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) and Gillette, part of The Proctor & Gamble Company, announced a renewal of their 80+ year sponsorship agreement, which will extend the already record breaking agreement into a ninth decade.  More from Major League Baseball,

Gillette -an MLB sponsor since 1939 - will continue to have exclusive rights in several brand categories, including men’s and women’s pre and post wet/dry shaving products, antiperspirants/deodorants and men’s skin care products.

Anyone know if Edgar Martinez is available?  Maybe Jay Buhner?

As many of you probably heard, “Junior” is back in Seattle.  After an eight year absence, Griffey, who last played for the Mariners in 2000,  re-signed with the team with a 1-yr, $2 million dollar contract,  with another possible $2.5 million in incentives for a potential 2009 salary of $4.5 million.  As Darren Rovell points out though, one of the more interesting incentive clauses in Griffey’s contract has to do with the Mariners attendance,

You’re overwhelmed with excitement, aren’t you? You might remember Jeff Moorad as the CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks [Ed: You do? What is wrong with you?].  Well, no longer.  He resigned from that job to set his sights on greener warmer other climates.  The San Diego Union-Tribune has the info,

Moorad said Friday he heads a “small but significant” group of investors that has an exclusive right to complete the specifics of negotiations with Padres owner John Moores. Moorad said he hopes the transaction can be completed in the next three months…

I came across this list in both the sporting news and The Sports Business Journal. At first glance it is a pretty good list, but several things about it really intrigued me.

First and foremost the Commissioners of the five big sports leagues (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and NASCAR) varied widely in the rankings. Respectively these commissioners were ranked 4th, 3rd, 13th, 6th, and 9th. In my mind that seems out of order. When I think about sports business I always think of the NFL first, then MLB, NBA and the NHL seem to me to be on the same level, and then NASCAR.

Since I started writing here at SBD I have had a constant argument not only with myself but with many of you about the importance of Sports to the local economy. Since there are not any real hard numbers to look we have to guess and estimate how much money a full Sports Stadium generates for their local economy.

Well this week I came across some numbers in the Detroit News that may help us better define the argument.

As we work through the numbers of MLB teams together, we are learning exactly how the economy of baseball really works. I am far from being an expert on all of these subjects but use this blog to explain what I am learning as I dissect news and finances.

With that being said I was really surprised to learn the the Milwaukee Brewers offered CC Sabathia arbitration. It was my understanding that this was a process used to help a team resign their own free agents. However whether or not arbitration is offered actually has more of an effect on the MLB draft.

First and foremost I want to extend my good wishes to all of you in this holiday season. I hope all of you had a good time with your friends and families wherever they gathered for Thanksgiving. My family and I gathered in Chicago and had a wonderful time, including my first trip to the top of the Sears Tower since I was 6.

I started doing this analysis of all the MLB clubs in order to help myself understand how the economics of Baseball really work. Now that we are almost through all the American league clubs I think we can start to understand how a team in a bigger city can make more money and ulimaltey spend that money acquiring talent. Today we are going to take a look at the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. A team with a goofy name but who appears to be doing all the right things.

2008 Record- 100-62

Cost per victory- 1,045,757.30

here we look at the Kansas City royals who seemingly spend the wrong kind of money on the wrong kind of guys, like Gil Meche. Luckily I don’t live in Kansas City or they would cancel my press credentials like they do to anyone else who doesn’t agree with how they run their team.

Anyways the numbers don’t lie and these numbers hint at the Royals losing money in 2008

2008 Record- 75-87

Cost per Victory $776,606

Average Home game Attendance- 19,986 or 10,639 less then the American League Average

When times are tough, and right now times are very tough both for the good citizens of the Detroit area, and the citizens of our country collectively, Sports becomes more of an escape for our us then before. Since most people have less money to spend becoming creative with your tickets sales is essential. thank goodness for me that at least the Detroit area sports teams are doing just that.

This is an aspect of Sports business I tend to overlook. the reason for that is the guy, Mike Ilitch, who owns both my Detroit Tigers, and Detroit Red Wings also happens to own a huge restaurant chain. Therefore his own company runs the concession operations of those two stadiums.

Here in the North East, we’re greeted with daily early morning temperatures in the upper 30’s which can only mean one thing…World Series Baseball!  If you had the Rays versus the Phillies in your preseason pick em’ pool…well, you’re probably omniscient.  Well Mr. Smarty Pants, since you were able to pick those two teams from the beginning, can you tell me who’s going to win?  Let’s see what Vegas thinks…