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1997 MLB Franchise Revenues and Expenses

This is a team-by-team income & expenses listings for the 1997 season. The operating income column (see table below; it is sorted by op income) gives a simplified glimpse into how profitable a team might have been. You can also view figures for 1998 or 1998. You may wish to view valuations for 1997. Other financial information is available for many seasons using the tool on the right.

1997 REVENUES/EXPENSES 1997 REVENUES/EXPENSES 1996/1998 RANK TEAM REVENUES EXPENSES OP INCOME 1 Colorado Rockies  $116,600,000   $78,300,000   $38,300,000  2 New York Yankees  $144,700,000   $123,300,000   $21,400,000  3 Baltimore Orioles  $134,500,000   $115,800,000   $18,700,000  4 Atlanta Braves  $119,600,000   $101,400,000   $18,200,000  5 Cleveland Indians  $134,000,000   $118,700,000   $15,400,000  6 Seattle Mariners  $89,800,000   $78,400,000   $11,400,000  7 Texas Rangers  $97,600,000   $88,500,000   $9,100,000  8 Chicago Cubs  $81,500,000   $73,400,000   $8,100,000  9 New York Mets  $80,500,000   $72,400,000   $8,100,000  10 Boston Red Sox  $92,100,000   $84,400,000   $7,700,000  11 Oakland Athletics  $56,400,000   $48,900,000   $7,500,000  12 Pittsburgh Pirates  $49,300,000   $41,800,000   $7,500,000  13 Philadelphia Phillies  $57,100,000   $59,600,000   $2,500,000  14 St. Louis Cardinals  $82,900,000   $80,500,000   $2,400,000  15 Houston Astros  $68,000,000   $65,700,000   $2,300,000  16 Los Angeles Dodgers  $94,300,000   $93,400,000   $900,000  17 San Francisco Giants  $69,800,000   $69,600,000   $200,000  18 Detroit Tigers  $50,600,000   $51,000,000   -$400,000  19 Montreal Expos  $43,600,000   $47,300,000   -$3,700,000  20 Chicago White Sox  $82,300,000   $86,500,000   -$4,200,000  21 Milwaukee Brewers  $46,900,000   $51,700,000   -$4,800,000  22 Florida Marlins  $88,200,000   $93,700,000   -$5,500,000  23 San Diego Padres  $57,600,000   $64,300,000   -$6,700,000  24 Anaheim Angels  $62,600,000   $72,200,000   -$9,600,000  25 Kansas City Royals  $51,200,000   $63,000,000   -$11,800,000  26 Minnesota Twins  $46,800,000   $63,300,000   -$16,500,000  27 Cincinnati Reds  $50,200,000   $70,100,000   -$19,900,000  28 Toronto Blue Jays  $67,100,000   $87,600,000   -$20,500,000

Source: Financial World MLB financials for 1997.

Baseball Economics sources/bibliography:
Business of Baseball, The by Albert Powers
Baseball, Inc.: The National Pastime As Big Business by Frank P. Jozsa Jr.
Baseball and Billions: A Probing Look Inside the Big Business of Our National Pastime by Andrew Zimbalist
Built to Win: Inside Stories and Leadership Strategies from Baseball's Winningest GM by John Schuerholz
Free Agency and Competitive Balance in Baseball by Ronald W. Cox
The Formation, Sometimes Absorption and Mostly Inevitable Demise of 18 Professional Baseball Organizations, 1871 to Present by David Pietrusza.
Getting in the Game: Inside Baseball's Winter Meetings by Josh Lewin
State of Baseball Management: Decision-Making in the Best and Worst Teams, 1993-2003 by Scott Barzilla
In the Best Interests of Baseball? The Revolutionary Reign of Bud Selig by Andrew Zimbalist
May the Best Team Win: Baseball Economics and Public Policy, by Andrew Zimbalist
The Inside Pitch ... and More: Baseball's Business and the Public Trust by Gene A. Budig
Early Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1825-1908 by Dean A. Sullivan.
Middle Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball, 1900-1948 by Dean A. Sullivan.
Late Innings: A Documentary History of Baseball 1945-1972 by Dean A. Sullivan
Total Baseball: The Ultimate Baseball Encyclopedia by John Thorn, et al.