Want the Braves to Dump Melvin? Not Gonna Happen
Apr 4, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Fans wait to buy tickets before the opening day baseball game between the Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Not a Profitable Situation
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The
is a bit vague about team profits in 2014 – as in Liberty Media in their own report. The most direct line from the AJC is this one:
"The unspecified dip in operating profit (before depreciation, amortization and certain other charges) followed a $20 million increase to $42 million in 2013."
2013 did indeed have a sizable increase in revenue from ticket sales, as the 2012 stadium attendance was nearly at the 2014 level. So we can guess at some math here that impacts the 2014 profit number:
- 2012 profit: roughly $22 million
- 2014 attendance: slightly lower than 2012 levels.
- 2014 did not see a one-time TV rights payment that was realized in 2013
- 2014 busted the budget to pay for Ervin Santana ($14 million extra)
- 2014 further busted the budget to write-off Dan Uggla’s contract – which has been paid off, according to the language in the SEC filing.
Based on all of that: the Atlanta Braves had a net operating loss in 2014. My own estimate: they were probably in the hole to the tune of $5 million.
NEXT – the Upton angle….