In 2002 the Twins were in danger of being contracted out of existence or moved elsewhere. The small-market Twinkies had gotten used to being a farm system for the Yankees and the other big boys. Sound familiar?

 

Eight years later, they are moving into Target Field (with 60 luxury suites and 4,000 club seats) and just signed Mauer to an 8 year, $184 million contract. On top of giving Span a 5 year, $16.5 million deal (with a $9 million club option for 2015,) and Morneau's $15 million/year through 2013. Their 2010 payroll will be about $95 million, above the MLB average of about $80 million.

 

Get this. The AP says the Twins have stopped selling 2010 season tickets and have started a waiting list for 2011. They've sold 24,000 season tickets and 2.5 million 2010 single-game tickets.

 

Their 2009 average ticket price was $21.70 and the 2010 average price is apparently expected to be about the same.

 

24K season tickets adds up to $42.2 million (ignoring any discounts.) 2.5 million single-game tickets is another $54.2 million. Toss in $40 million of revenue-sharing and other revenue and you're at $136.4 million. That pays a lot of high-quality ballplayers.

 

I remember going to Twins games when bleacher seats were a buck and their total payroll was less than $500K. Harmon Killebrew made $100K. The MLB minimum was $14K. They've come a long way from those days and their new stadium has made them a force to be reckoned with. Not that they weren't before.

 

Much as the Marlins have been, even on minimal payrolls.

 

It all bodes well for the Marlins going forward.

They were before. Just now they're a force to be reckoned with that can afford to keep Joe Mauer.

You also forgot to include revenue from parking, concessions (this is pretty huge if you ask me), luxury box seats, and naming rights. Add those in and they're making some real change.

Especially when you consider that we currently do not make money from many of those things.

Sweet, I'm liking the optimism, guys! :thumbup:wub: