Economy vs. Baseball

[improbus]

Who wins?

[reds1869]

The fans. Baseball will be forced to become more affordable. Players will take less money to continue playing baseball for a living and prices will hold strady or even come down.

[improbus]

I've heard more and more rumblings about a Salary Cap.
Another question: What do you think will be the Reds average attendance this year?

[Eric_the_Red]

I think the Reds surpass last years attendance, due to winning more games. Bad economy or not, winning cures all.

[Root Down]

Baseball survived every economic down turn this country has had, including the Great Depression. It will survive this (that we have seen many times before).

[reds1869]

I've heard more and more rumblings about a Salary Cap.
Another question: What do you think will be the Reds average attendance this year?

A salary cap is not the fix-all that many believe it to be. I know it sounds good, but remember that with a salary cap comes a salary floor as well. The NHL provides a prime example of how damaging that can be to small market franchises. You might also have a situation such as the one in Japan (not a true salary cap, it should be noted) where many of the best players are willing to take pay cuts to play for the premier franchises.

[redsfan1966]

the economy....I only bought tix to the May 23 Tribe vs. Reds tilt yesterday....significantly less than I usually buy on single game day....holding out to see what I need to pay for Opening Day tix and will "play it by ear" on buying tix for additional games....

[improbus]

A Salary Cap might keep some salaries at a reasonable rate. Salaries are high because there is always the threat that the Yanks or Sox might throw an obscene amount of money at a mid-level pitcher, and so teams are forced to overpay, like we did for Cordero. Also, how could a minimum salary level be bad? Right now, the Marlins are pocketing all of the money paid to them by the Yankees in the revenue sharing agreement. How is that good for the game and competitive balance?

[reds1869]

A Salary Cap might keep some salaries at a reasonable rate. Salaries are high because there is always the threat that the Yanks or Sox might throw an obscene amount of money at a mid-level pitcher, and so teams are forced to overpay, like we did for Cordero. Also, how could a minimum salary level be bad? Right now, the Marlins are pocketing all of the money paid to them by the Yankees in the revenue sharing agreement. How is that good for the game and competitive balance?

With a salary floor, there is a strong possibility there will be no more Marlins, Pirates and their ilk. With more money being spent on MLB players, less will be spent on scouting and development. And since this is a business, what do you think will happen to prices?

About a third of NHL franchises are on the brink right now and it is due to the salary floor. I guarantee you any salary cap agreed on will be high enough that only the Yanks and BoSox will begin to approach it, therefore we are back to square one.

Here is a link to a good argument against a cap.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=8409

[Revering4Blue]

I have to agree with reds 1869 here.

Also, a cap will seriously complicate any attempt to unload a bloated contract. The small market team will no longer have the ability to add $$$ to any deal in order to receive decent compensation. At least that is my concern.

[express]

Only chicken littles complain about the economy.

Get drunk and spend your damn money.

[Ghosts of 1990]

Opening day tickets can be had for as low as $59 a piece tonight folks. The price just keeps on dropping by the week.

I may get to Opening Day yet lol.

[Moosie52]

About a third of NHL franchises are on the brink right now and it is due to the salary floor.


You got that right. Before the lockout and the salary cap, some NHL teams were spending less than $20 million on players. Now the salary cap floor requires them to spend more than twice that.

[ChatterRed]

I think the cap should be $125 million and the floor should be $50 million. Pretty wide spread there. It would keep the Yankees and BoSox from buying everyone and keep the Marlins from pocketing a tall revenue line due to low salaries. If an organization can't cut it, pack up and move to a city where you can cut it. The Reds can afford a $60-$90 million payroll. They just don't want to .

[Eric_the_Red]

The Reds can afford a $60-$90 million payroll. They just don't want to .

Really? $74 mil in 2008 with a slight increase in '09 most likely.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=cin

[ChatterRed]

Really? $74 mil in 2008 with a slight increase in '09 most likely.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/teams/salaries?team=cin

Well I know they're spending $74 million, but I still think they could spend $90-$100 if they were willing.

Adding ManRam would put this team over the top, but they are chicken.

[Eric_the_Red]

Adding ManRam would put this team over the top, but they are chicken.

Chicken or just smart?

[mlh1981]

Bad teams will draw even less than they have in the past. People will NOT put up the little bit of money that they have to see a bad product.

I could also see some big time teams like the Red Sox/Yankees/Cubs not selling out every single game like they are accustomed to.

[JBChance]

Bad teams will draw even less than they have in the past. People will NOT put up the little bit of money that they have to see a bad product.

I could also see some big time teams like the Red Sox/Yankees/Cubs not selling out every single game like they are accustomed to.

You might be right about the smaller market and less competitive teams, but the Yankees and their ilk will probably march on.

My sister (Yankees fan :thumbdown) goes to spring training every year and buys season tickets every year with a whole group of friends. This year is no different. In fact, she says more of her friends joined in due to the Evil Empire getting new digs this season. That may be the exception to the rule, but the "big time" teams will probably be fine.

[mlh1981]

You might be right about the smaller market and less competitive teams, but the Yankees and their ilk will probably march on.

My sister (Yankees fan :thumbdown) goes to spring training every year and buys season tickets every year with a whole group of friends. This year is no different. In fact, she says more of her friends joined in due to the Evil Empire getting new digs this season. That may be the exception to the rule, but the "big time" teams will probably be fine.


Hopefully, they aren't sitting in one of the hundreds of "obstructed view" seats that the new $1.5 billion dollar Yankee Stadium has.

[JBChance]

Hopefully, they aren't sitting in one of the hundreds of "obstructed view" seats that the new $1.5 billion dollar Yankee Stadium has.

Would probably serve her right :D