How far is baseball from profitability?

[StarkVegasSteve]

The seat fee for a chairback is currently $1800 for ten years. So $180 a year, and then you buy the season ticket for $400.
That comes back on the market after the 2028 season, and I suspect that seat fee will at least double. There are thousands on the waiting list who would pay it if people want to give up their seats.

I would imagine the seat fee will be about what they pay for football, which would mean it would 3x-5x in most cases. That will run a few people off, but by and large people will still pay for their tickets.

Also to clarify, COVID added another year onto those licenses if you chose to roll it over. So a few may come up in 2028, but most will run through the 2029 season.

[cheewgumm]

I would not do 10 yr leases again.

I understand it protects against things like COVID, but odds of something like that again are low.

And we are a baseball rabid fanbase and with a new coach are probably going to get better.

As long as economy is ok we will have pricing power.

[confucius say]

I would imagine the seat fee will be about what they pay for football, which would mean it would 3x-5x in most cases. That will run a few people off, but by and large people will still pay for their tickets.

Also to clarify, COVID added another year onto those licenses if you chose to roll it over. So a few may come up in 2028, but most will run through the 2029 season.

Good to know on the rollover. I think that's what I chose because I don't remember getting money back in 2020.

[Cowbell]

Baseball is already profitable. It just doesn't currently cash flow. It is amazing to me how many people don't understand this, including the clarion liar.

If I decide to pay off a physical asset in my business quicker, that doesn't make me less profitable. It just reduces cash flow and exchanges cash for equity of physical assets.

[StarkVegasSteve]

Good to know on the rollover. I think that's what I chose because I don't remember getting money back in 2020.

That's what we chose for ours. I won't lie, it's been a bit depressing the last 4 years because a big perk of those season tickets is knowing you have tickets for Regionals and Super Regionals.

[War Machine Dawg]

I love it when people who don't have a clue as to the profitability of an organization always suggest that prices be raised. What happen to the thought that college athletics was already out of control with high pricing to the fans? Cue the next round of bitchin' on ED about cost to attend games at State.

Yep. People are already squeezed financially. But somehow they're supposed to reach into their pockets and pay more for seat licenses, more for tickets, more for NIL, and more for concessions. And players now get to rob the school every year and leave if they think they aren't making enough.

College is going to end up like almost all the pro leagues the way it's going. Only corporations can afford to pay the prices. The atmospheres will become sanitized and soulless.

But the problem is people are cheap and just don't want to pay more.***

[DawgFromOxford]

Yep. People are already squeezed financially. But somehow they're supposed to reach into their pockets and pay more for seat licenses, more for tickets, more for NIL, and more for concessions. And players now get to rob the school every year and leave if they think they aren't making enough.

College is going to end up like almost all the pro leagues the way it's going. Only corporations can afford to pay the prices. The atmospheres will become sanitized and soulless.

But the problem is people are cheap and just don't want to pay more.***

It's nothing personal, just classic supply and demand. Demand outweighs supply, so you either increase prices or increase supply. (hint, it aint going to be supply)

[cheewgumm]

Baseball is already profitable. It just doesn't currently cash flow. It is amazing to me how many people don't understand this, including the clarion liar.

If I decide to pay off a physical asset in my business quicker, that doesn't make me less profitable. It just reduces cash flow and exchanges cash for equity of physical assets.

I should have clarified if i was looking for EBIT or EBTDA, ...but just talking generally.

[Cowbell]

I should have clarified if i was looking for EBIT or EBTDA, ...but just talking generally.

Yeah - it wasn't pointed at you - I think this is dang good discussion. I just hate it when stupid articles are written without context

[cheewgumm]

Yeah - it wasn't pointed at you - I think this is dang good discussion. I just hate it when stupid articles are written without context

👍🏼. My bad

[Todd4State]

That's what we chose for ours. I won't lie, it's been a bit depressing the last 4 years because a big perk of those season tickets is knowing you have tickets for Regionals and Super Regionals.

I hope the new coach rebuilds quickly. For your sake and mine!

[Jarius]

A lot of baseball losing money is due to the loan on the stadium. It has nothing to do with ticket prices.

The ticket prices are too low for the demand. Even if there was no loan, we would be right at the break even point, and that makes no sense with how much demand we have for the sport.

[Jarius]

Yep. People are already squeezed financially. But somehow they're supposed to reach into their pockets and pay more for seat licenses, more for tickets, more for NIL, and more for concessions. And players now get to rob the school every year and leave if they think they aren't making enough.

College is going to end up like almost all the pro leagues the way it's going. Only corporations can afford to pay the prices. The atmospheres will become sanitized and soulless.

But the problem is people are cheap and just don't want to pay more.***

We have a 30 year waiting list for LFL spots and a huge waiting list for chairbacks as well. People are not too financially strapped to pay the prices and won't be if we raise them. We have the lowest budget in the conference. The people in charge should be taking financial advantage of a sport that our fans are crazy about. Our bus driver should not be able to afford a LFL spot. It's premium seating.

[SPMT]

Baseball is already profitable. It just doesn't currently cash flow. It is amazing to me how many people don't understand this, including the clarion liar.

If I decide to pay off a physical asset in my business quicker, that doesn't make me less profitable. It just reduces cash flow and exchanges cash for equity of physical assets.

Amen. I mentioned a high interest expense most likely being a huge drag on ?profitability?.

Most people don?t understand it because they don?t work in the accounting or finance of business and/or have no interest in that. Most people big deal, they just don?t need to blow it out of proportion without full understanding.

[Coach34]

Amen. I mentioned a high interest expense most likely being a huge drag on ?profitability?.

Most people don?t understand it because they don?t work in the accounting or finance of business and/or have no interest in that. Most people big deal, they just don?t need to blow it out of proportion without full understanding.

People completely understand. And while it does become an asset- it is a baseball expense until it is paid off. That takes away from baseball profit. Even after being paid off- there will be upkeep to it. There will be pressure to build the 2nd loft. Add chairbacks. So baseball will continue to pay these expenses that keep it from being profitable the way it should be for us and has been in the past.

I agree seating is too cheap as are the tailgate spots. Those spots shoud be $1K per home weekend

[basedog]

People completely understand. And while it does become an asset- it is a baseball expense until it is paid off. That takes away from baseball profit. Even after being paid off- there will be upkeep to it. There will be pressure to build the 2nd loft. Add chairbacks. So baseball will continue to pay these expenses that keep it from being profitable the way it should be for us and has been in the past.

I agree seating is too cheap as are the tailgate spots. Those spots shoud be $1K per home weekend

I was Told yesterday they have the 2nd loft sold But there a few other projects first. May bea few years but the demand has been extremely high.
We built the stadium when interest was sky high, now with all the talk was because the last say 4 years has been poor for MSU. Hopefully with new HC next year we will reach another high point for our baseball program.

[TheLostDawg]

When the seat licenses come up for renewal.

This. When is that anyway

[TheLostDawg]

Based on Bulldog Club points?
Man this timing is good for a new coach to get it going the next two years, and our tickets will jump in demand

They already are. You can't get but ga unless you pay $300 a seat per sec game so no one is giving them up

[TheLostDawg]

Why? Like what good comes out of that? I've never gotten this we need to push for crowds. We don't, and haven't for 40+ years, had to beg people to show up. Why should we be pushing for more people when it's already slam packed and not all that enjoyable of an experience at 14K. I mean I've been in the stadium 11 of our 14 times to top 14K and none of them were an enjoyable experience from a pure spectating perspective. It's crowded and people are just standing in the middle of the concourses. And don't even try to go out to the outfield. It's like leading a calvary charge to get through to your rig.

I can promise you that no one is ever going to break our oh so precious attendance records that only our fan base cares about.

Which is why we need more seats

[TheLostDawg]

The Clarion Ledger releases a yearly article on which sports make and which sports lose money at the in state universities. Baseball is currently losing about 2 million a year. I'm sorry that your underpriced tickets that people are in line to take if you drop them are about to go up so the university can ensure the main sports are not having to financially carry baseball, but it's not about you.

This