The Mets Police

First of all, let’s just admit this is Wag The Dog to get you to stop talking about CHEATGATE and this won’t actually happen.   But since it’s even being “considered” (that old Sandy Alderson gem of a word) let’s take a look.

From Hardball Talk…

ESPN’s two XFL games over the weekend averaged 2.9 million viewers.
* Sunday’s St. Louis-Dallas game averaged 2,495,000 viewers (and pulled a 7.4 rating in St. Louis.
* Saturday’s Seattle-DC game averaged 3.303 million viewers.

— John Ourand (@Ourand_SBJ) February 10, 2020

…which compares nicely with

The league collectively averaged 3.04 million viewers per game during the Division Series round for 18 total contests aired on TBS, FS1, and the MLB Network. The figure is down from 3.2 million viewers per game last year, despite four fewer games being played in the 2018 Division Series round. (via Sport Business.com)

So I guess MLB is hoping that their playoffs are as popular as XFL 2.0.

Just die baseball.  You had a nice run, but it’s time to go.

Jeff Wilpon has issued a statement.  He did not choose to share it with me, but he did share it with Mets Blog.

As spring training begins, on behalf of ownership, we would like to share more information explaining why the proposed transaction has ended, however due to confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements we are unable to do so at this time,” Wilpon said. “So right now, I believe we need to focus on the future and not in the past and that’s what we intend to do. We would like to assure our fans that we will continue our commitment to winning in 2020 and beyond and we’ll work hard to earn and maintain everyone’s confidence and trust. We’ll be moving forward to find a new transaction. We will not be giving details or updates on the timeline or process until we are prepared to make a public announcement. Thank you, that’s all I can say for now.”

I still choose not to believe the Mets lose $50 million a year.

SLACKISH REACTION:  We’re supposed to believe the Mets lose $50 a year?

That was my takeaway from last night’s report (now copied everywhere) that the Mets are for sale again, this time with no conditions.  But how could they possibly lose money?  Do the Yankees also lose $50 million a year?  Does every team?  Why would anyone want to buy a baseball team then?

ICYMI: The Spring caps look bad in real life.

ICYMI:  Stereotype free St. Patrick’s Day caps for 2020

Kernan’s Access Media tour continues, today he has a nice look at the renovated Port St. Lucie facilities.  Worth a click.    Not worth a click is more propaganda being fed to the Post, this one about how the Mets are part of the “baseball revolution” and using Tech and Stuff to make the players better.  Sounds like overthinking to me.

Good evening.

Everyone is buzzing about this Bloomberg report that the Mets are once again for sale.

Now, I am no financial expert but when I read that….

Whoever buys the team will assume annual losses of at least $50 million, according to a person familiar with the team’s finances.

…I feel like this.

…like there’s no way, right?

I found an article on Forbes that says…

MLB’s central revenue (mainly national television money that is shared equally) was $2.76 billion in 2018, while local revenue (ballpark and local television money) was $7.29 billion.

Now, again, I am not good at finances but let me do some math.  $2,760,000.000 divided by 30 (teams) is $92,000,000.

Payroll is projected at around $160,000,000.  So now we need to make back about 70 million.   Will the Mets draw two million people paying $10 a ticket?  Yes, yes they will.  So that would get me to losing 50 million.

Plus I have to pay debt service and Bonilla and stuff….so……maybe?

Of course at $20 a ticket we’re only losing $30 million (before debt and Bonilla etc).  And we might get some parking commission, or Aramark may cut us in on some of the food.  Again, I am bad at finances and don’t have access to the Mets’ accountants.

Maybe I should revisit that $7.29 Billion number mentioned above and divide that by 30.   I imagine some teams like the Yankees (they play in New York City and all the advantages that come with playing in New York City) will do better than teams like the Marlins, but let’s assume the Mets are an average team and divide the $7.29B number by 30.

An average team, if the Mets are one, might expect $230,000,000 in local revenue.  I’ll add that back to the $92,000,000 and I get like $320M.  Now lets spend $160M on players, and pay Bonilla, and the electricity bill and all these coaches etc and yeah…..where’s all the money?   Debt service?

I mean…I guess…maybe the team loses 50M a year?   If it were me, I’d field 26 guys making the MLB minimum, and let everyone be mad at me, and pocket whatever is left from that $320,000,000.   You guys are boycotting anyway.

So yeah, sure, the Mets are losing $50 million.    But I seriously doubt it.  Plus I am not good at finances.

 

 

Here’s my favorite Mets player Rick Porcello wearing the new Spring Cap.

WATCH: Rick Porcello calls pitching for the Mets “a dream come true” https://t.co/tvxIOHacxO pic.twitter.com/lKNFyVb806

— SNY (@SNYtv) February 8, 2020

It looks pretty bad. While Rick is a handsome man, that logo inside the logo looks bad in real life. It just makes the whole think look muddled. It looks better as a still (below) but I guess out in the wild….nah.