MLB Financials by Year

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2005 MLB Franchise Revenues and Expenses

This is a team-by-team income & expenses listings for the 2005 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 2004. You may wish to view valuations for 2005. Other financial information is available for many seasons using the tool on the right.

2005 REVENUES/EXPENSES 2005 REVENUES/EXPENSES 2004 RANK TEAM REVENUES EXPENSES OP INCOME 1 Cleveland Indians  $150,000,000   $115,400,000   $34,600,000  2 Houston Astros  $173,000,000   $142,800,000   $30,200,000  3 Toronto Blue Jays  $136,000,000   $106,300,000   $29,700,000  4 Washington Nationals  $145,000,000   $117,100,000   $27,900,000  5 Atlanta Braves  $172,000,000   $144,400,000   $27,600,000  6 Texas Rangers  $153,000,000   $128,300,000   $24,700,000  7 Milwaukee Brewers  $131,000,000   $108,600,000   $22,400,000  8 Pittsburgh Pirates  $125,000,000   $103,100,000   $21,900,000  9 Arizona Diamondbacks  $145,000,000   $123,200,000   $21,800,000  10 Chicago White Sox  $157,000,000   $135,300,000   $21,700,000  11 Baltimore Orioles  $156,000,000   $135,000,000   $21,000,000  12 Kansas City Royals  $117,000,000   $96,200,000   $20,800,000  13 Tampa Bay Devil Rays  $116,000,000   $95,700,000   $20,300,000  14 Cincinnati Reds  $137,000,000   $119,100,000   $17,900,000  15 Colorado Rockies  $145,000,000   $128,700,000   $16,300,000  16 Oakland Athletics  $134,000,000   $118,000,000   $16,000,000  17 Philadelphia Phillies  $176,000,000   $161,200,000   $14,800,000  18 Los Angeles Dodgers  $189,000,000   $175,600,000   $13,400,000  19 San Diego Padres  $158,000,000   $145,000,000   $13,000,000  20 San Francisco Giants  $171,000,000   $159,800,000   $11,200,000  21 St. Louis Cardinals  $165,000,000   $157,100,000   $7,900,000  22 Chicago Cubs  $179,000,000   $171,100,000   $7,900,000  23 Seattle Mariners  $179,000,000   $171,700,000   $7,300,000  24 Minnesota Twins  $114,000,000   $107,000,000   $7,000,000  25 Detroit Tigers  $146,000,000   $142,500,000   $3,500,000  26 Anaheim Angels  $167,000,000   $169,600,000   -$2,600,000  27 Florida Marlins  $119,000,000   $130,900,000   -$11,900,000  28 New York Mets  $195,000,000   $211,100,000   -$16,100,000  29 Boston Red Sox  $206,000,000   $224,500,000   -$18,500,000  30 New York Yankees  $277,000,000   $327,000,000   -$50,000,000

Source: Forbes MLB financials for 2005.

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.