I think we should be grateful we got the split - I mean, our payroll is only $83M more than the Orioles' payroll.
- Atomic Wedgie

Orioles are a younger team with more players on their first couple of contracts.

Jays have a lot of expensive over the hill vets

Poop sports, poop salaries, hockey is life.
- gravyface

Nah baseball is great.
Past few years i watch a lot more jays games than leafs.....and not just because they play almost twice as many games.
Hockey just hasnt been my go to sport the past few years....well at least for the reg seasons.

Baseball
Hockey
Soccer
Softball....when i find it

Nah baseball is great.
Past few years i watch a lot more jays games than leafs.....and not just because they play almost twice as many games.
Hockey just hasnt been my go to sport the past few years....well at least for the reg seasons.

Baseball
Hockey
Soccer
Softball....when i find it
- Fakepartofme

Soccer MLS or European? I found Premier League is the most entertaining one.
TFC is too bad these days, pretty much unwatchable.

Which is strange because I distinctly recall your dog selecting Michael Vick 1st overall in 2001.
- AdamFrench

that was a crazy bet

NFL isn't quite like that. All those teams have money but often the worst ones like the browns seemingly can't get out of their own way and mess themselves up.
- Aaron_85

This just in:

Baseball is the best sport to watch. thats all. not taking any questions
- senstroll

Because you can do 900 other things while watching?!?

Which is strange because I distinctly recall your dog selecting Michael Vick 1st overall in 2001.
- AdamFrench

How old is this damn dog?!?!?

The best thing about baseball is the sheer volume of games. It's great to have something to watch damn near every night. I think it would be pretty awful being a pro baseball player, getting one day off every few weeks, but still likely practicing or working out anyways. But, millions of dollars probably makes it bearable.

Soccer MLS or European? I found Premier League is the most entertaining one.
TFC is too bad these days, pretty much unwatchable.
- alex.TML

Canada international and European.
Last time I watched MLS, Toronto was in the playoffs.....so thats a while ago

Nah baseball is great.
Past few years i watch a lot more jays games than leafs.....and not just because they play almost twice as many games.
Hockey just hasnt been my go to sport the past few years....well at least for the reg seasons.

Baseball
Hockey
Soccer
Softball....when i find it
- Fakepartofme

Baseball is boring with a broken financial system that seems destined to cause the contraction of several teams over the next 10-20 years.

As much as I used to hear people say, "The Yankees are good for baseball," I don't hear that much anymore now that there are about 10 teams trying to buy a pennant every year and about 10 who simply can't afford to stay in the race - so they draft, build and lose their players - hoping that the good young guys coalesce together into a winning team before they go somewhere else to get paid.

It's not a sport, it's an analogy for America. It's an ecosystem where the poor feed the rich.

Because you can do 900 other things while watching?!?
- Whipper

its great

Baseball is boring with a broken financial system that seems destined to cause the contraction of several teams over the next 10-20 years.

As much as I used to hear people say, "The Yankees are good for baseball," I don't hear that much anymore now that there are about 10 teams trying to buy a pennant every year and about 10 who simply can't afford to stay in the race - so they draft, build and lose their players - hoping that the good young guys coalesce together into a winning team before they go somewhere else to get paid.

It's not a sport, it's an analogy for America. It's an ecosystem where the poor feed the rich.
- Monkeypunk

the 10 teams trying to win or "buy a pennant" are not a problem, its the 10 teams not spending or trying to win ... imo

Because you can do 900 other things while watching?!?
- Whipper

Because sometimes you need a nap.

the 10 teams trying to win or "buy a pennant" are not a problem, its the 10 teams not spending or trying to win ... imo
- senstroll

What professional league allows one entire conference to have a position the other doesn't?

What professional league allows one entire conference to have a position the other doesn't?
- AdamFrench

I dont know what you mean

Baseball is boring with a broken financial system that seems destined to cause the contraction of several teams over the next 10-20 years.

As much as I used to hear people say, "The Yankees are good for baseball," I don't hear that much anymore now that there are about 10 teams trying to buy a pennant every year and about 10 who simply can't afford to stay in the race - so they draft, build and lose their players - hoping that the good young guys coalesce together into a winning team before they go somewhere else to get paid.

It's not a sport, it's an analogy for America. It's an ecosystem where the poor feed the rich.
- Monkeypunk

Maybe, but its still fun to watch and play.

But its not always the highest salaried teams that make the finals every year.
2023 - had Arizona - 21st highest
2021- had the braves with the 10th highest
2020 - had tampa (28th)
2017- had the astros (17th)
2016- had cleveland (18th)
2015 - had royals (13th) and mets (18th)

Problem usually are the teams not willing to spend.

Leafs in first place

Maybe, but its still fun to watch and play.

But its not always the highest salaried teams that make the finals every year.
2023 - had Arizona - 21st highest
2021- had the braves with the 10th highest
2020 - had tampa (28th)
2017- had the astros (17th)
2016- had cleveland (18th)
2015 - had royals (13th) and mets (18th)

Problem usually are the teams not willing to spend.
- Fakepartofme

Yes, but of the other teams who were considered to be elite competitors in those years typically had the financial resources to put together an elite team. The point is that you may not go home with the girl, but you can pretty much buy a ticket a dance. Sometimes the ticket's a forgery (2023 Mets, 2013 Blue Jays, and so on), but more often than not it gets you in contention.

The thing with teams like Kansas, Tampa, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Miami and maybe Minnesota (cherry picking some teams here as I can't really think of all the typically poorer markets - for the record I don't think Houston or Arizona are necessarily not-haves - they're in the "I can afford one nice thing," market, imo) is that they can have runs. They can build up skill and talent but usually it's just to watch it leave for larger markets when the contracts are up - and then it's back to rebuilding for another decade in the hopes of having another successful attempt at building cheap skill. As a fan of those markets, it's got to be f'n awful.

Baseball is boring with a broken financial system that seems destined to cause the contraction of several teams over the next 10-20 years.

As much as I used to hear people say, "The Yankees are good for baseball," I don't hear that much anymore now that there are about 10 teams trying to buy a pennant every year and about 10 who simply can't afford to stay in the race - so they draft, build and lose their players - hoping that the good young guys coalesce together into a winning team before they go somewhere else to get paid.

It's not a sport, it's an analogy for America. It's an ecosystem where the poor feed the rich.
- Monkeypunk

From what I understand, the teams at the bottom of the payroll scale are still making hefty profits due to the TV contracts.

Why spend $150M to miss the playoffs when you can spend $50M to miss the playoffs?

Yes, but of the other teams who were considered to be elite competitors in those years typically had the financial resources to put together an elite team. The point is that you may not go home with the girl, but you can pretty much buy a ticket a dance. Sometimes the ticket's a forgery (2023 Mets, 2013 Blue Jays, and so on), but more often than not it gets you in contention.

The thing with teams like Kansas, Tampa, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Oakland, Miami and maybe Minnesota (cherry picking some teams here as I can't really think of all the typically poorer markets - for the record I don't think Houston or Arizona are necessarily not-haves - they're in the "I can afford one nice thing," market, imo) is that they can have runs. They can build up skill and talent but usually it's just to watch it leave for larger markets when the contracts are up - and then it's back to rebuilding for another decade in the hopes of having another successful attempt at building cheap skill. As a fan of those markets, it's got to be f'n awful.
- Monkeypunk

That happens in most sports...including the NHL, there are some basement dwelling teams that cant attract superstars or keep homegrown ones and therefore have issues attracting fans.
The 3pt game in the NHL is really a mirage to make teams and their fans think they may still have a shot at the playoffs or keeping pace with playoff teams.
What you described, happens in almost all the north american team sport leagues.
Not sure about the NFL, cause I dont watch that poop.

Landeskog taking contact in practice. He’ll probably be ready for game 1. He’s 2 years removed but I’m sure he’ll still have a major impact.

From what I understand, the teams at the bottom of the payroll scale are still making hefty profits due to the TV contracts.

Why spend $150M to miss the playoffs when you can spend $50M to miss the playoffs?
- Atomic Wedgie

Bingo, most choose to be bottom feeders for high picks. But if they were to spend more, more teams would be in the wild card hunt.

From what I understand, the teams at the bottom of the payroll scale are still making hefty profits due to the TV contracts.

Why spend $150M to miss the playoffs when you can spend $50M to miss the playoffs?
- Atomic Wedgie

Since it's not really known, there's a lot of speculation around that. Not all markets are getting TV contract revenue the same way. YES gains the NYY a whole diaper full of money, and the Dodgers similarly get a bunch of from local and off-shore revenue - but places like KC, Cleveland, Minnesota, Arizona, Oakland - et al - that had been broadcasting through Bally, I'm not sure how their distribution and economic recovery model for broadcasting rights is working now but it was projected to take a massive hit.

I suspect there's a number of teams crying poor who are doing just fine, but I also suspect there's a bunch of teams pretending to be just fine who are hemorrhaging cash. No evidence of anything, it's just a gut feeling from what we learned during the NHL lockout.

Regardless MLB has in very recent years become a feeder model for the Yankees and the Dodgers. A hard cap, and a salary floor would likely help the league as a whole to be more competitive, less predictable and more enjoyable for the fans of all teams.

Leafs in first place
- Zezel

"Ya but their 5v5 play, powerplay, pk, 4 v 3 play , analytics, eye test and goalies arent all awesome at top of their game every shift and number 1 in the league in all stats.

Since it's not really known, there's a lot of speculation around that. Not all markets are getting TV contract revenue the same way. YES gains the NYY a whole diaper full of money, and the Dodgers similarly get a bunch of from local and off-shore revenue - but places like KC, Cleveland, Minnesota, Arizona, Oakland - et al - that had been broadcasting through Bally, I'm not sure how their distribution and economic recovery model for broadcasting rights is working now but it was projected to take a massive hit.

I suspect there's a number of teams crying poor who are doing just fine, but I also suspect there's a bunch of teams pretending to be just fine who are hemorrhaging cash. No evidence of anything, it's just a gut feeling from what we learned during the NHL lockout.

Regardless MLB has in very recent years become a feeder model for the Yankees and the Dodgers. A hard cap, and a salary floor would likely help the league as a whole to be more competitive, less predictable and more enjoyable for the fans of all teams.
- Monkeypunk

From the internet

"Revenue Sharing between MLB teams is defined in Article XXIV of the 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s a highly complicated set of legal definitions to arrive at the definition of certain revenue-related terms,, but in essence it goes like this:

First, teams take 48% of their “Local Revenue” and put it into a pot that’s split equally amongst the 30 teams. This figure lately has been north of 100M per team, which is far more than the payroll of many of the revenue receiving teams, hence the controversy.

There’s a complicated set of Market Scores, Tiers, and a tie-in to CBT luxury tax penalties as well."
Apparently its further explained here....scroll past the crap at the beginning.
The issue is, as mentioned in a previous post...some teams arent willing to spend the money they have. Also this "deferred" crap could be crappy for those who want more balanced rosters across the league

https://www.blessyouboys....oblem-and-how-to-solve-it