MLB Franchise Values Up Overall, But Ten Clubs See A Drop

LACKING CREDIBILITY? In S.F., John Shea wrote teams "generally don't cooperate with Forbes." Therefore, "any increase or decrease in a team's value is based on the magazine's estimates the previous year" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 4/23). In DC, Tim Lemke wrote Nationals President Stan Kasten "railed against Forbes and similar publications with similar rankings after I had asked his thoughts on the latest numbers from Team Marketing Report." Kasten "doesn't put a lot of stock in these things and doesn't pay a whole lot of attention to them." Kasten "declined to comment on the record about the Forbes valuations," though it is "safe to say he did not back off his past criticism of them" (WASHINGTONTIMES.com, 4/22). In St. Petersburg, Marc Topkin noted Forbes estimated the Rays franchise "has gone up to $320[M], a 10[%] increase over last season that is third largest in the majors." But the Rays said that the increase "doesn't matter." Rays President Matt Silverman: "It is based on their own proprietary metrics. We don't and have never understood them. ... Since the team isn't for sale, the number has very little relevance" (ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, 4/23).

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