Baseball Business: What is ballpark revenue? How do stadiums help teams make money?

Welcome to our "Baseball Business" series, where we explore how the business side of baseball works. In this series, we look at different ways baseball teams make money, how they spend it, and how business decisions affect the game we enjoy. Today, we'll dive into ballpark revenue—the money teams make from their stadiums.

What Is Ballpark Revenue?

Ballpark revenue is all the money a baseball team makes from its stadium. This money comes from many different sources, not just from ticket sales when fans come to watch games.

Ticket Sales

The most obvious way teams make money is by selling tickets. When you and your family buy tickets to watch the Chicago Cubs play at Wrigley Field, that money goes to the team. Teams like the New York Yankees can sell out a 50,000-seat stadium regularly, making millions of dollars from just one game!

Example: Imagine if a team sells 40,000 tickets at an average price of $30. That's $1,200,000 from just one game! Over an 81-game home season, that adds up to a lot of money.

Concessions and Food Sales

Have you ever bought a hot dog, soda, or popcorn at a baseball game? That's another important source of ballpark revenue.

Example: If 30,000 fans each spend an average of $20 on food and drinks during a game, the team makes $600,000 just from concessions in a single day!

Parking Fees

Many fans drive to the stadium and pay to park their cars in lots owned by the team.

Scenario: The Los Angeles Dodgers' stadium has huge parking lots. If 10,000 cars pay $25 each to park for a game, that's $250,000 in parking revenue alone.

Premium Experiences and Special Seating

Luxury Suites

Stadiums have special luxury boxes or suites that companies or wealthy fans can rent for a season or even just one game.

Example: At Oracle Park where the San Francisco Giants play, a luxury suite might cost $5,000 or more for a single game. These suites often include food, comfortable seating, and a great view of the game.

Club Seats

Club seats are special seats with extra benefits like waiter service, access to exclusive areas of the stadium, and more comfortable seating.

VIP Experiences

Some teams sell special experiences like getting to watch batting practice up close or meeting former players.

Advertising and Sponsorships

Ballpark Naming Rights

Many stadiums are named after companies that pay the team a lot of money for this privilege.

Example: A company might pay $5-10 million per year to have a stadium named after their business.

Signage and Advertisements

Look around any stadium and you'll see ads everywhere—on the outfield walls, the scoreboard, and even on the cups your soda comes in!

Stadium Tours and Events

When games aren't happening, teams can still make money from their stadiums by:

• Offering tours of the stadium
• Hosting concerts and other sporting events
• Renting out spaces for parties and meetings

Why Fair Business Practices Matter

It's important for teams to balance making money with treating fans fairly. If ticket prices or food costs too much, families might not be able to enjoy baseball games together. Teams that practice good sportsmanship in their business dealings create loyal fans who want to support them.

Example: Some teams have special days with lower ticket prices or deals where kids eat free, showing they care about making baseball accessible to everyone.

Conclusion

Ballpark revenue is a huge part of how baseball teams make money. Modern stadiums are designed not just for watching baseball, but as entertainment centers that bring in money many different ways. The best teams understand that creating a fair, fun experience for fans isn't just good sportsmanship—it's good business too!