Quote:
Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager
However I would venture to say that the state of the economy has not had a impact on baseball as of yet and it will be some months before data comes in suggesting that it will even have a effect at all. We have been in a recession for going on 12-18 months now (depending on the source and definition of a recession) and MLB in 2008 postings either its #1 or #2 most revenue in it's history. $6.6 billion
Now that the general public knows that we are in a recession might impact baseball. But we will have to wait and see.
|
It seems pretty unlikely that baseball won't be heavily impacted by the economic situation. Looking at other pro sports, some NHL teams, including the champion Detroit Red Wings, are discounting tix by huge amounts to try and draw people into the building. I hear Nashville is offering tickets for nine bucks. Stock car racing teams have conducted large layoffs of personnel as corporate sponsorships disappear. Baseball would have to be more than lucky not to suffer to some degree the same way. Corporate advertising and season ticket sales were already in the bank by the time the economy really went south, as they were for hockey teams. As many have pointed out, it won't be until next year that the crunch will really be felt. I can't predict that MLB will be hit as hard as the NHL (where the tv money is far less) as the profile of the ball teams is generally hgher and advertising dollars in many markets are more likely to be directed to football and baseball franchises than to hockey clubs. Still, it would be difficult to envision baseball sailing through with no problems.