Which baseball teams make & lose money (one chart). Cubs vs Sox?

This is so unfair. Both Chicago teams suck. Why do the Cubs get to rake in the big bucks while the Southsiders languish in the basement? Maybe because nobody wants to visit Chicago's 11th ward. What a slap in the face to the Daley family. I'm outraged.

Baseball’s back

The MLB had its biggest opening day of fixtures for 55 years yesterday, with all 30 teams in action on the first day of the season for the first time since 1968.

One of the biggest results of the day was the immediate impact of new rules and regulations, aimed at speeding up the game. Indeed, the New York Times reported that average game time was down and hits-per-hour were up as the MLB looks to reinvigorate America’s pastime.

Swings and misses

Even though attendance sunk to a 25-year low last year, the MLB’s been hitting it out of the park financially in the recent past. The organization confirmed that revenue reached a record $10.8bn in 2022, with the uptick reportedly down to new TV deals worth some $1.76 billion a year.

Many of the league's franchises are in good form financially as well. According to Forbes, franchise valuations are up 12% across the board this year, with sides like the LA Dodgers and the New York Yankees valued at $4.8 billion and $7.1 billion, respectively. Such titans, predictably, tend to bring in the most money too, with annual revenue for the Yankees reaching $657 million.

Even with valuations and revenues increasing, a third of franchises still have money problems, including another high-valued New York team. Despite being valued at $2.9 billion, the Mets lost $139 million in 2022 — more money than anyone else in the league — as owner Steve Cohen continues his spending spree.