An interesting article on the business side of spring training only a true Baseball Geek will enjoy.excerpt:
The emphasis on spring-training marketing coincided with the widening of the revenue and payroll disparities that began plaguing the industry in the mid-1990s. While small-market clubs can't compete with big-market teams for regular-season television money, spring training is a chance for a more equal playing field. The Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers both drew over 100,000 fans last spring--not far off the New York Yankees' and Atlanta Braves' totals.
"Teams are viewing spring training as a profit center rather than a cost center, to the point where it's becoming common to negotiate better stadium terms [with local governments]. It's become a microcosm of the larger industry," says sports business consultant David Carter.
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Go Tigers!!!
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