Big Bucks! Major League teams spending on player payrolls - MLB Feature
Baseball is a team game and it is important for the club to perform as a unit to be successful. Individual brilliance certainly is important but a lone ranger cannot win all battles, he needs the support from others. Like other sports in this era, it is
also a highly commercial game with a lot of money involved.
Players with greater ability seek greater rewards for their performance. Teams are willing to spend large sums to gain access to the very best options available and build teams filled with such top athletes. By doing so, they ensure their own survival in
the long term. The addition of a star player also means that more people will be interested in the games of a particular team.
With a good playing unit, fans are happy as the team performs well, which in turn means greater earning opportunities for the franchise via merchandise selling, advertisements, sponsorships and gate money. Although the spirit of the game is a big driving
force as are its fans and players, the importance of the business end of sports cannot be denied.
One cannot guarantee that a star studded outfit, full of players carrying high price tags will perform but the likelihood of them doing well on the basis of their superior skills makes it a chance worth taking.
In baseball, all sorts of payrolls can be witnessed. There are teams that spend well over one hundred million dollars a year while others may spend less than half of that. In the last few years, the New York Yankees have been the undisputed spending kings
in the Major League Baseball. Not surprisingly, they are the most valuable and most earning franchise in the MLB as well.
In 2012, Major League teams had a financial commitment of a whopping $2.94 billion dollars. The average payroll figure was over $98 million. The highest amount was spent by the New York Yankees, who had a staggering $197 million plus in salaries in 2012.
The Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox grabbed the next two spots with $174 million and $173 million spent respectively.
The team with the lowest opening day financial commitment was San Diego Padres, just topping $55 million. A total of nine teams spent over $100 million on player’s salaries and another five spent over $90 million.
There is a relationship between the amount the teams have spent and the performance of the clubs. Five of the top ten spending teams made it to the post-season in 2012. All four teams to make it to the League Championship Series were a part of the top ten
teams on the spending list.
Oakland Athletics turned out to be the most surprising team to make it to the post-season. The team has the second lowest payroll with just above $55 million spent. Similarly, the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals were 19th and 20th
spending wise yet both teams made it to the post-season.
Not all teams that spent huge sums on player’s salaries were successful though. The Boston Red Sox had a forgettable season where they lost 93 games and ended up at the bottom of the table in the American League East. Likewise, the Miami Marlins also lost
the same number of games and were at the bottom of the National League East table despite a big payroll.
Looking at the numbers, we can conclude that the money a team can spend on assembling the best available athletes certainly does have an edge. However, at the end of the day, the most important factor is which team and its players are motivated and willing
to give it their all to win, something teams like the Athletics, the Orioles and the Nationals have shown us this year.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own and in no way represent Bettor.com's official editorial policy.
Tags: