Success measured in a couple of ways.
The Yankees draw 56,000 fans every game.
The Cubs draw 39,000 every game.
From a business point, that is success. The wins and losses are important for pride, but the teams are very successful in the realm of capitalism. Most if not all teams show a profit, regardless of how many fans show up.
Success on the field is another matter, something the fans notice. Castellini can stomp around like a child and demand a winner because that's what he is expected to say. The ownership group is less worried about that than the corporate sponsorships the team/MLB brings in.
Where it matters is if the advertising at the park gets seen by fewer people.
The Reds can afford good players.
What hurts is locking up roster spots with stupid signings like Coffey and Stanton, guys who are vets and get stuck on the 40-man roster. Long-term deals with these rag-arm guys are done by teams that are desperate for players. Hopefully, we are past that sort of asinine Krivskyism.
But don't expect for the Reds to cry for us, Argentina, over the price of tickets, hot dogs and beers. That's what they charge and they won't be giving any deals, unless it's a daytime discount for tickets in the C section.
Baseball still believes it gives great family value for the money. Compared to the NFL, that is probably true.
And they went to Japan in March to play ball for a profit, so there's more money out there than we can imagine.
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