Posted on 03/27/2013 3:44:23 PM PDT by Beave Meister
MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs are the fourth most valuable franchise in the major leagues at $1 billion, according to Forbe's annual valuation of all 30 teams.
Forbes also estimates the Cubs had an operating income of $32.1 million last year, making them the most profitable team in baseball. Operating income was based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization.
The business magazine said the Cubs figure to be in even better shape after 2014, when they can opt out of their WGN-TV deal and sign a more lucrative contract. Forbes said the Cubs made less than $50 million last year from their broadcast affiliates, CSN Chicago and WGN.
Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts declined to address their TV plans during his opening trip to spring training in February, except to say a discussion on rights fees will begin in 2013.
“Obviously local media rights have been increasing in value,” he said. “Hopefully at some point we will be able to get more value for our media rights. It’s just something that’s playing out over time.”
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Yuck...now they have even less of a reason to put a winning team on the field. ..and screw going to Wrigley, the team sucks, it’s so overpriced it’s sick and they’ve put an ad on every square inch of the place.
And the Yankees knocked the Cowboys off the #1 spot as sports most valuable francise, even with the creation of Jerry’s ‘last erection’, JerryWorld. $2.3 billion vs. $2.1 billion.
Nooooooo...... not Wrigley field!
I'd be kinda sad, though, for the Cubs to leave WGN. They've been broadcasting their games since 1948 and on radio, I believe, longer than that.
Surely they won't leave WGN radio. As a Cardinal fan, the dumbest thing that franchise ever did was leave KMOX radio from 2016-11 for a station you can barely pick up outside the St Louis metro area.
Fortutately they realized the error of their ways and came back home to KMOX last year.
What do the Padres and Cubs have in common? Neither has won a World Series at their new ballpark.
oh yeah.....well wait til a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader has a wardrobe malfunction
Good one! Lived in the Chicago area for 15 years and never heard that one.
I seem to remember that when the Tampa Bay Bucs were perennial losers, that they were the most profitable football team.
I always say that being a Cubs fan is an exercise in character-building.
Yes my father is 86 watches every game and had never seen them win..on the upside he’s 86 and still hanging in there!
Ken Burns's Baseball series said Connie Mack of the old Philadelphia A's figured out that if his team could be a contender in mid-season and then fade out towards the end he could make more money and stay in business longer than if he won the championship.
“then fade out towards the end-——”
—
Oh Lordy,reminds me of the 2012 Red Sox.
.
They’re first in my heart. We got our tickets today for the series in Atlanta the first weekend of the season....can’t wait!!!
Love it
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