The 2024 season certainly didn't go how the Atlanta Braves expected. Rampant injuries and underperformance made the entire year a struggle. However, they fought their way through it and somehow found their way into the postseason, albeit short-lived.
While this tough stretch made things hard to watch at times, fans still showed up to support last season. The Battery and Truist Park provides one of the best fan experiences in baseball.
It has led to the team bringing in increased revenue despite lower attendance in 2024. Atlanta welcomed 3,011,765 fans (37,647 average per game) through the gates of Truist Park. This was the fifth-most in baseball behind the Padres, Phillies, Yankees, and Dodgers.
This is a decrease in attendance by about 180,000 fans. In 2023, Atlanta had an attendance count of 3,191,505. So, it isn't a glaring number but stil worth noting.
The organization received great news as Q4 earnings were released on Wednesday and things are still going very well for the publicly traded organization. Atlanta Braves Holdings (BATRA) reported strong financial results for Q4 with the total revenue reaching $663 million, up from $641 million last year.
Despite an attendance dip during disappointing 2024 season, the Braves just keep raking in the cash
According to Mike Mazzeo of Sports Business Journal, in 2024 the Braves saw 2% growth in year-over-year revenue ($595 million), and 14% year-over-year growth in mixed-use development revenue ($67 million). However, the $67 million was offset by an 11% rise in mixed-use expenses.
8.7 million people visited The Battery which created $130 million in retail revenue thanks to delicious restaurants, an excellent concert venue, and various shops.
Atlanta Braves Holdings' press release stated that baseball revenue increased 2% for the full year ($348 million). Baseball event revenue increased thanks to new sponsorship agreements, contractual rate increases on season tickets, and existing sponsorship contracts, partially offset by reduced attendance at regular season home games.
This all makes sense as Atlanta was voted #1 for Concessions, Overall Guest Experience, and Non-Game Entertainment in the 2024 Voice of Consumer Survey. No matter what the team does, fans know they are in for a quality experience.
This is only going to get better as the Braves announced a new eight-stall food hall they've named the Outfield Market. You can check out what to expect with that addition here.
Broadcast revenue also increased by about 3% ($166 million) and that's just a credit to a great broadcast team. The Braves did restructure their deal with Fan Duel Sports Network which helped increase the team's reach through televised and streaming options.
Now, Atlanta did report an operating loss of $39.8 million in 2024. This is improved from the $46.4 million loss in 2023 The team hasn't added a lot to the payroll this offseason. Even still, they rank ninth among CBT payroll for MLB teams. Right now the team's tax payroll sits at a little over $222 million according to Spotrac.
It seems there is still a lot of confidence in the organization and it will continue to be that way as the Braves add more in the coming years and prepare to host the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. 2025 is shaping up to be a great year for the organization and fans alike.