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By Pat Evans
Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly said MLB could be back to normal by 2022. By March, the Dodgers and the league hope to have a better idea of vaccination and testing protocols to get fans back in the stands at ballparks.
MLB estimates that 40% of revenue comes from tickets and concessions. California announced Oct. 20 that the state’s professional sports teams would be able to sell tickets to 20% of capacity if their county is in the orange tier, which means moderate spread of the virus, and 25% of capacity if the county is in the yellow tier, which means minimal spread. Los Angeles county has not yet reached those tiers.
Local safety protocols will determine fan attendance, but with games expected to be played, MLB should keep its estimated $1.7 billion in annual TV revenue. There’s no expectation that the values of MLB teams will decrease in the long term.
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Rawlings Sporting Goods, Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire competitor Easton Diamond Sports. Rawlings is owned by MLB and Seidler Equity Partners, whose chief owner is Peter Seidler, the managing partner of the San Diego Padres.
