[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by blasek0

Minor league teams aren't responsible for players/coaches/non-business ops staff's salaries, though, for the most part.

The minor league team, in most cases, only does stadium upkeep, vendors, ticket sales. The major league teams actually pay the minor league teams to help with costs, in exchange for handling all the non-baseball related business and stadium upkeep, while the team handles all the baseball.

Just to offer some specifics to the above, here is how the costs are split between the major league club and its minor league affiliate.

• The major league club supplies the manager, coaches, trainer, and players, and pays for all of their salaries and benefits as well as related costs (e.g. payroll taxes, unemployment insurance, workman's compensation, etc.)
• The major league club pays for all the spring training expenses of the minor league club
• The cost of balls and bats is shared, with the minor league club paying for one-quarter to one-third of the total cost, depending on the classification
• Travel during the regular season and playoffs is paid for by the minor league club, except for hotels, for which it pays roughly two-thirds of the cost.
• Uniforms are entirely paid for by the minor league club
• The minor league club is responsible for the day-to-day operating costs of the club, e.g. game day costs (ticket takers, ushers, security, etc.), stadium operations (power, water, maintenance, upkeep, grounds crew, etc.), advertising, ticket sales (sales staff, printing costs, etc.), general and administrative office staff and related expenses, and so forth
• Minor league clubs pay a 5% "tax" on their gross ticket sales to the major leagues
• I'm not certain, but I believe the minor league is also responsible for the pay of all its umpires and their related costs