In addition to the Commissioner’s Trophy, these players and many other staff members will be getting … More big checks in the coming weeks. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
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According to MLB’s collective bargaining agreement, all playoff shares must be paid within 30 days of the end of the World Series. As such, players, coaches, and support staff will soon find some rather large checks in their mailboxes.
What are playoff shares? They are the portion of playoff revenues that are paid to the above-referenced personnel. Playoff shares are calculated from the gate receipts from the guaranteed playoff games in each round. So, two games in each of the Wild Card and Division Series, and four games from each of the Championship Series and the World Series. The bigger the parks’ capacity, the more prestigious the teams (and/or their competitors’ draw), the more expensive the tickets, the more money potentially available to be doled out.
Sixty percent of the money from the above-described ticket sales goes into the pot. And that pot is divvied up as follows: 36% to the team that wins the World Series; 24% to the runner-up; the two Championship losers get 12% each; the four Division losers split 13%; and the Wild Card losers split 3%. The other 40%, plus all of the ticket revenues for games beyond the minimum, goes to the owners. So, if players really wanted to “stick it the man,” they would insure no series goes longer than is absolutely necessary.
MLB has not yet provided a full accounting for the most recent season, but we do know that in 2023 the pool was $107.8 million, just a tick higher than the $107.5 million made available in 2022.
Teams can divide up the money any way they wish, and they do this by vote. Only players with the team as of June 1st through the end of the year are eligible to cast a ballot. This process is typically organized and administered by a group of veteran team leaders. Oddly – and unfortunately – teams are required to vote on shares before the playoffs start, without knowing how the games will play out. As such, an unsung hero could get jobbed while a player expected to have an outsized impact, but who fails to do so, may get a windfall. The players take their responsibility very seriously, and try to be as fair as possible, anticipating all possible scenarios.
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According to Yahoo Sports, last season the World Series-winning Texas Rangers got $38.8 million and voted to distribute 64 full shares worth $506,263 each, plus 12.56 partial shares and $48,000 in additional cash awards. A full share for the runner-up Arizona Diamondbacks was worth $313,634 apiece from their $25.9 million distribution.
Each full share awarded by the Texas Rangers in 2023 was worth $506,000. (Photo by Christian … More Petersen/Getty Images)
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For some players, rookies on split major league-minor league agreements, for instance, the playoff share can double or triple their annual salary. Last year, Diamondbacks relief pitcher Andrew Saalfrank made $104,000 during the year and more than $313,000 for the playoffs (where he threw 5-2/3 innings, struck out two, and walked eight).
By way of comparison, baseball’s championship payouts sit behind the NBA on a per-player basis. Last season, NBA playoff teams split up $33.7 million, with each Boston Celtics player earning about $800,000. Kansas City Chief players made about $338,000 for winning the Super Bowl. In the NHL, Florida Panthers players received about $240,000.
While players in all sports play “for the ring,” and often switch teams to chase a championship, they typically don’t spend too much time thinking about the financial windfall that may come from that glory. But, for the part-time players, and, more importantly, for coaches and the support staff, the money can pay mortgages and college educations; it can reduce debt and provide a financial cushion that would not be available otherwise.
With the 30-day deadline falling on Black Friday this year, it may be a very nice Thanksgiving for those players, coaches, and support staff who played an instrumental role in getting their teams to the playoffs.