2010 was not a great year for Detroit Tigers fans. While we don’t have the sting of a playoff game loss hanging over our heads going into the 2011 season, we aren’t exactly carrying bragging rights in the AL Central. If we needed another reason to let us know that 2010 didn’t go as we planned, take a look at the numbers. Forbes did in fact, and their result was not pretty.
In 2009 and 2010 combined, the Detroit Tigers had a net operating loss of $55 million. Tops in the league both years, attendance continued to fall in 2010, even as ticket prices were cut.
We all know of the excessive contracts that were still on the books in 2009, but it looks financially like the high Tigers’ payroll is really having an impact on the bottom line.
If for one second you think the Tigers are in bad shape, you should take note of what is going on right now with the New York Mets.
The same Forbes story mentions that the Mets value dropped 13% in a year. At least the Tigers’ value as an organization went up.
The Mets are mired right now in a lawsuit by families of Bernie Madoff looking to collect some of the profit that the Mets owners allegedly collected during the Madoff ponzi scheme. This story looks to continue to be picking up steam, and if the Mets’ owners are found to have benefited, then Mets fans will be watching a sinking ship.