Braves worth 1.15B

[sturg33]

Taken from a blog at this link

The Braves are now worth $1.15 billion, up 58 percent in just one year and two-and-a-half times what the club was worth when Liberty Media acquired it in 2007. Hooray, Liberty! I’m sure the Cobb County taxpayers footing a big chunk of the bill for the new ball yard are popping champagne corks while they’re stuck on I-75 today.

Not many things appreciate 58 percent in a year, or 155 percent in eight years. That’s 2005 Miami condo-like. Except the Braves’ value might well keep climbing, albeit not quite as rapidly as it did over the past year. Liberty’s CEO Greg Maffei–you know, the guy we see at all the games, riding the emotional roller coast along with all us fans–said a few months back that the new Cobb stadium/mall would boost the club’s value. Dude knows business.

And his emotional attachment to the Braves is palpable. Just look at these quotes from an investor conference call last month:

“I don’t think we have a need to monetize (by selling the team). I don’t think we have a current plan to monetize. We remain very happy with (the Braves’ financial) prospects…..We’re pleased; we continue to move forward there; we’re happy to see the value creation. And go Braves,” Maffei said.

Sounds just like vintage Ted Turner, doesn’t it?

Anyhow, the Braves, according to Forbes, are the 12th most valuable MLB franchise. You wouldn’t know it from this offseason’s transactions, though. And at $1.15 billion, the team now represents 9 percent of Liberty’s total market value of $13 billion.

So there’s that.

[yeezus]

Get rid of Heyward, increase value in the franchise.

[thethe]

What a shame that TV contract sucks so much.

Braves should be big spenders.

[MadduxFanII]

Get rid of Heyward, increase value in the franchise.

I'm beginning to doubt that Heyward even cares about franchise valuation.

[50PoundHead]

Just shows you why these owners want new stadiums. Of course, they are taxpayer-funded stadiums. Anyone think Liberty will send the taxpayers footing the bill for the new stadium a rebate and a thank you note if they ever sell the team?

[thethe]

For the Braves I think a lot of it has to do with getting out of the Metro Atlanta area. Its no secret that the stadium location was awful. Cobb should be a huge plus to the franchise moving forward.

[sturg33]

I work with a few folks in the Atlanta area and they are very skeptical about the new location. They think traffic is going to be the biggest bitch ever and you'll have to leave work by about 3 or 4 to make sure you get to the games

[The Chosen One]

Well there goes my shot at selling this site and using that money to turn around and buy the Braves.

[The Chosen One]

For the Braves I think a lot of it has to do with getting out of the Metro Atlanta area. Its no secret that the stadium location was awful. Cobb should be a huge plus to the franchise moving forward.

If you are familiar with the Atlanta area, the new location is a bigger headache than Turner.

At least Turner had access to the MARTA even though it was a good 10 minute walk away. New Cobb stadium has no access to MARTA at all, and is right off one of the busiest interstate intersections in the area.

[Hawk]

The stadium location really isn't awful at all -- the neighborhoods surrounding it leave something to desire, sure, and it still disappoints me that the Braves and the city never did anything more to rehabilitate the area. Not extending the MARTA (even by a shuttle tram from Georgia State station) was also a huge mistake. The Five Points buses are a PITA and I just walk from Five Points to the stadium.

[The Chosen One]

The stadium location really isn't awful at all -- the neighborhoods surrounding it left something to desire, sure, and it still disappoints me that the Braves and the city never did anything more to rehabilitate the area. Not extending the MARTA (even by a shuttle tram from Georgia State station) was also a huge mistake. The Five Points buses are a PITA and I just walk from Five Points to the stadium.

Yeah.

As a kid it was always cool driving from Savannah every few weeks and when we pulled into town around 9-10pm at night, you could see the lights at Turner Field still on and the park was literally a football field away from I-75.

I remember reading after the Wild Card game in 2012 that MARTA and the city were in talks to extend the rail directly to Turner again. Then that died down and a year later they announce the new stadium.

[thethe]

Wasn't the move more about being closer to their ticket buyer base?

[gilesfan]

Someone will have to explain to me how moving out of the city is a smart idea. People work till 5 o'clock in the city, will fans want to fight the traffic to get out to Cobb County?

[sturg33]

Someone will have to explain to me how moving out of the city is a smart idea. People work till 5 o'clock in the city, will fans want to fight the traffic to get out to Cobb County?

That's what my colleagues are saying. Said no way anyone from Atlanta metro will go to the games on a weekday

[thewupk]

That's what my colleagues are saying. Said no way anyone from Atlanta metro will go to the games on a weekday

According to the media they didn't go to games anyway. Especially in October.

[thethe]

That's what my colleagues are saying. Said no way anyone from Atlanta metro will go to the games on a weekday

Are people in the metro area the majority of the ticket buyer base?

[sturg33]

Are people in the metro area the majority of the ticket buyer base?

I don't know... I can't keep up with the spin.

I've just been told that the traffic situation is going to be horrific. There is no public transportation right now to the new park

[thethe]

I don't know... I can't keep up with the spin.

I've just been told that the traffic situation is going to be horrific. There is no public transportation right now to the new park

Honestly, I have no clue either. I just remember what that heat map looked like and it made sense why they moved to Cobb.

[AerchAngel]

Are people in the metro area the majority of the ticket buyer base?

Survey said yes and I understand it wasn't even close.

Now, have MARTA with the upgrades ever thought about going out to that part of town?

[gilesfan]

Honestly, I have no clue either. I just remember what that heat map looked like and it made sense why they moved to Cobb.

Did that use home address for the "buyers" or work address?