MLB Commissioner Bud Selig is "irate" about the Forbes
report, according to USA TODAY's Hal Bodley. While the
article claims that 14 of the 30 MLB teams lost money in
'98, Selig said 22 teams lost money. Selig: "I'm amazed
somebody without any club financial information would
publish an article like that. It's inaccurate. The numbers
are wrong, and unfortunately, there were significantly more
teams that lost money. I'm disappointed that anyone would
pay attention to something so inaccurate" (USA TODAY, 5/18).
TEAMS IRKED: Phillies President Dave Montgomery, on the
report that showed the Phillies making $4.5M: "Forbes is
totally inaccurate. ... It is my understanding their
estimates of other clubs are equally flawed" (Jim Salisbury,
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 5/18). Devil Rays Managing General
Partner Vince Naimoli disputed the report's claim that his
team made $20.6M: "It is not the right accounting method
because, as defined in that article, it does not provide for
interest, amortization, depreciation and certain other
expenses we have. That $20 million is far from what the
real operating income was" (ST. PETE TIMES, 5/18).
