Playoffs Equal Profits

[weams]

http://nypost.com/2015/10/16/playoff-run-means-the-mets-will-actually-make-a-profit/

That will still trail the 3.2 million fans that went to Yankee Stadium this year.

Lifting attendance to 3 million means the Mets would need to contribute more to MLB revenue sharing, perhaps one-third of added revenue, so the boost might be closer to $18 million.

Add the team's roughly one-third take on concessions, and more than $20 million in added revenue is reasonable.

"I think if payroll stays the same, yes, the Mets will be making money," the source said.

"I think they are back to where they should be."

Wilpon and co-owner Katz control Sterling Equity, which owns 65 percent of SportsNet New York (SNY) and 60 percent of the Mets.

Sterling makes roughly $65 million annually from SNY and uses that to pay $44 million annually for Citi Field bonds. (SNY profit likely will not improve much even with the playoff success, as 80 percent of the network?s revenue comes from long-term cable affiliate fees.)

That $21 million surplus - plus perhaps a $15 million profit from the formerly money-losing Mets - would give them the ability to increase payroll.

Stars Yoenis Cespedes and Game 5 hero Daniel Murphy are among the team?s free agents after this season.

The Mets presently have a $112 million payroll, roughly average for a major league team. Back in 2010, the Mets had a $140 million payroll.