Bob Costas believes Major League Baseball is doing fine enough financially, and it’s not because of the monster deals being handed out. Quite the opposite, actually.
The long-term health of baseball has been under question for years. Popularity in the NFL has never been higher, and younger generations tend to gravitate towards the NBA, which has stirred arguments that MLB could be entering a precarious spot.
That might be so, but Costas said on CBS Sports Radio that the level in which average players are getting paid is evidence that the financial health of the sport is in a good spot.
“When you look at local or regional ratings for baseball in the summertime they’re still very strong," Costas said. "And if the game were not a thriving business, forget about Ohtani’s contract or Judge’s contract or Bryce Harper’s contract – you wouldn’t just look up and barely bat an eye when Isiah Kiner-Falefa signs this week for $7.5 million a year.
“If Isiah Kiner-Falefa, no disrespect intended, was released tomorrow, no one outside his own family would be aware of it. So if the game is able to pay good or average players that kind of money, the game is obviously in good financial shape – even if there are inequities competitively between the biggest market teams and other teams.”