2013 Astros - Most Profitable Team in History

[roadrunner]

Here we go.  $99M in operating income.  That's before debt servicing, but I can't wait to read the backlash.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2013/08/26/2013-houston-astros-baseballs-worst-team-is-most-profitable-in-history/

[Limey]

Now that kids are back in school, I don't think they were expecting much by way of AISes.  Even less after this.

[HudsonHawk]

So $80MM of the $99MM is from CSN, but they don't mention that nearly $40MM of that comes from the Astros themselves.  In other words, they're crediting income they give themselves, but not debiting the same amount from the other side of the ledger.  Isn't this the find of cypherin' that brought down Enron?

[Bench]

So $80MM of the $99MM is from CSN, but they don't mention that nearly $40MM of that comes from the Astros themselves.  In other words, they're crediting income they give themselves, but not debiting the same amount from the other side of the ledger.  Isn't this the find of cypherin' that brought down Enron?

It's a grand tradition.

[Limey]

So $80MM of the $99MM is from CSN, but they don't mention that nearly $40MM of that comes from the Astros themselves.  In other words, they're crediting income they give themselves, but not debiting the same amount from the other side of the ledger.  Isn't this the find of cypherin' that brought down Enron?

Fake money is the new money.

[Jacksonian]

So $80MM of the $99MM is from CSN, but they don't mention that nearly $40MM of that comes from the Astros themselves.  In other words, they're crediting income they give themselves, but not debiting the same amount from the other side of the ledger.  Isn't this the find of cypherin' that brought down Enron?

Except that the Astros aren't publicly traded and selling a bill of goods that are too good to be true.

[jbm]

Ryan said in the Chronicle that the Forbes' numbers are wrong.  He said expenses exceed revenues, and the club is operating at a loss. 

[chuck]

So with a ten million dollar payroll, a new if imperfectly arranged TV contract and MLB revenue sharing the club is losing money?

[HudsonHawk]

So with a ten million dollar payroll, a new if imperfectly arranged TV contract and MLB revenue sharing the club is losing money?

There are many ways to slice and dice the figures, and there is certainly disagreement about where revenue sharing enters the equation. Forbes admits that it doesn't count the Astros expenses related to CSN as an operating expense even though it included payments the club makes to itself in operating income. I'm sure Ryan and Forbes are singing from different hymn books.

[Limey]

I'm sure Ryan and Forbes are singing from different hymn books.

But they're both dancing all the way to the bank.

[Fredia]

what a vision.

[Navin R Johnson]

So with a ten million dollar payroll, a new if imperfectly arranged TV contract and MLB revenue sharing the club is losing money?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

YES, we are losing money hand over fist - JCrane

[MusicMan]

I refuse to take a side on this until after I see Crane's production of "Springtime for Hitler".

[MusicMan]

OK, I will make one point:

The union has access to the financials.  Does anyone believe that if the Astros were profiting $99M on this payroll, the union would have stayed silent?

[Mr. Happy]

OK, I will make one point:

The union has access to the financials.  Does anyone believe that if the Astros were profiting $99M on this payroll, the union would have stayed silent?

Not on your life. I doubt the numbers anyway. I always consider what is it in the writer's best interests to put out such a story, i.e., there's usually an angle.

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

It seems as if some how Crane is shifting the debt from the loan for the ball club to CSN.

[Randy Watson]

Ryan said in the Chronicle that the Forbes' numbers are wrong.  He said expenses exceed revenues, and the club is operating at a loss. 

Bullshit Ryan.

[astrosfan76]

OK, I will make one point:

The union has access to the financials.  Does anyone believe that if the Astros were profiting $99M on this payroll, the union would have stayed silent?

BP raises that same point:

The rest of the Astros’ claims seem backed up by the reporting on CSN Houston, however. And we are reminded of the old Sherlock Holmes story “Silver Blaze”:

Inspector Gregory: "Is there any other point to which you would wish to draw my attention?"

Holmes: "To the curious incident of the dog in the night-time."

Gregory: "The dog did nothing in the night-time."

Holmes: "That was the curious incident."

The union has access to much better financials than Forbes. If the Astros were truly historically profitable on their current meager payroll, we would’ve expected the union to object by now. But they haven’t barked.

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=21644

[OregonStrosFan]

Bullshit Ryan.

I'd disagree.  And for what its worth, Maury Brown (BizofBaseball, etc.), who was on the front end of the 'Crane War Profiteering' stories (i.e. not in the 'Friends of Crane' circle), isn't buying the Forbes numbers / thinks they are off significantly.  Also thought the headline was "The Forbes headline was pure SEO ["link bait"].  Brown also had this to say about the rebuild:

Maury Brown ‏@BizballMaury 21h
To repeat: Astros idea to rebuild quick (rip the Band-Aid off fast) better than prolonged. IMO a bit too radical but premise is sound

[subnuclear]

Forbes lets Maury Brown write a follow-up article. Not sure he knows any more than we do, but he makes some good points.

[MusicMan]

If a guy who openly despises the owner is coming to his defense and trashing a coworker at the same time, I think it's likely the initial article was inaccurate.

[Limey]

Forbes lets Maury Brown write a follow-up article Not sure he knows any more than we do, but he makes some good points.

Thanks for posting.  That article.  However, as a pedant.  And being somewhat OCD.  And a made member of the grammarista.  The author's incessant use of short sentences.  Especially ones.  That really seemed to break up statements. Was.  Very.  Irritating.

[MusicMan]

Thanks for posting.  That article.  However, as a pedant.  And being somewhat OCD.  And a made member of the grammarista.  The author's incessant use of short sentences.  Especially ones.  That really seemed to break up statements. Was.  Very.  Irritating.

He may be related to William Shatner.

[Navin R Johnson]

Or Cormac McCarthy

[roadrunner]

Here we go.  $99M in operating income.  That's before debt servicing, but I can't wait to read the backlash.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/danalexander/2013/08/26/2013-houston-astros-baseballs-worst-team-is-most-profitable-in-history/

Cabrera

http://www.spikesnstars.com/forums/index.php?topic=116074.0

[Randy Watson]

I'd disagree.  And for what its worth, Maury Brown (BizofBaseball, etc.), who was on the front end of the 'Crane War Profiteering' stories (i.e. not in the 'Friends of Crane' circle), isn't buying the Forbes numbers / thinks they are off significantly.  Also thought the headline was "The Forbes headline was pure SEO ["link bait"].  Brown also had this to say about the rebuild:

Maury Brown ‏@BizballMaury 21h
To repeat: Astros idea to rebuild quick (rip the Band-Aid off fast) better than prolonged. IMO a bit too radical but premise is sound

I was calling bullshit that the Astros expenses exceed revenues like Reid claimed. 

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

Maybe in someone's mind they are. I guess it's all on how one defines, "most profitable team in history."