I don't really like the idea of tearing down Yankee Stadium; although, I am glad if there must be a new Stadium it looks like the original (now we just need to move the fences back to their original dimensions).
But I dislike the MLB revenue sharing plan even more.
I'm fine with the spirit of the idea- the biggest market teams should help improve the general quality of baseball. But revenue sharing in practice doesn't work that way.
Carl Pohlad cries poorhouse every season the Twins don't make the playoffs. Billy Beane is still operating on a shoe string. Peter Angelos may have finally noticed he's ruined the Orioles. For the last couple of years the Marlins have run their entire team on less than their revenue sharing payments.
The system is badly broken because MLB neglected to create any accountability for how revenue sharing money is used. Make it as complex as independent annual audits or as simple as a franchise payroll floor (spend your money on MLB players, or international free agents, or in the minor league draft, but spend it on baseball).
So I am thrilled hear about a loophole that will get the Yankees out of a good portion of their revenue sharing obligations for a long time.
The younger Steinbrenner said that through the pilot financing for the new stadium, the Yankees expect to pay a minimum of $50 million a year over 40 years to fund the cost of the construction of the new stadium. In addition, the Yankees will pay all of the maintenance and operation costs. ...
As per rules in the Basic Agreement, the Yankees, like any other team opening a new stadium, are allowed a credit against revenue sharing each season to pay down debt on construction costs. The Yankees, who pay rent at the current stadium and have no operational costs, are currently the highest payee into the revenue-sharing system, having contributed approximately $100 million alone last season, Steinbrenner said.
It won't fix the problem; I'm sure MLB will find another way to punish the Yankees for being the Yankees. But maybe if I keep yelling someone with the power to change things will realize that it's in the best interest of baseball to fix the system.
Now where could I find a man like that?