[Maze&Blue]

I always wondered what makes a team "small market"

Detroit is the 9th largest market in the country...how are we small market?

San Fransisco is well below that...yet there large/normal market?

The way I see it, at 20 dollars average ticket (which seems right) if a team drew 2.5 mil fans thats over 50 mil in revenue (not counting concessions..parking...ect..). Now most fans go to MORE then 1 game per year (if you add season ticket holders..and most people that go to games to to 2 or 3) lets say you only need a base of 1.25 million fans to go.

Detroit has over 5 mil people in the Metro area (not counting lansing and more north...plus windsor..) if they began winning you dont think they can draw 1.25 million fans to go to 2 games.

Now TV contracts. Well winning teams will go on ESPN more (STL...Oak) so thats one problem solved. Most teams are on the fox sports network...thats should solve enough money..

Lets say thats 30 million earned just off TV...

Were up to 80 million without concessions, merchandise, parking.

Well teams that consistantly win will sell there hats..shirts and such, and in a market like detroit with 5 million people at an average of 10 dollars a hat, 15 bucks a T-Shirt and say 30 for a jersey if you sell 3 mil hats, 6 mil T-shirts and say a million jerseys (maybe a little high..) thats about 15 million in profit (they dont make 10 dollars per hat as a team)

Now we talk about the 7 dollar beers at the game...which they make oooo 5 bucks a beer atleast. Well you take the whole 2.5 mil and figure about half will drink. Say on average 2 beers are consumed per drinker thats another 5 million just on beer.

these are just rough figures obviously

but as you can see ANY winning team can earn over 100 mil easy. Obviously there are operating costs (lights.....security and such) but why is it the twins can have 90 mil payroll.

the owner is cheap.