Which MLB team sells the most merchandise?

Posted on by Jim Smarts

There are a total of 30 teams that participate in Major League Baseball (MLB) year after year. All these baseball teams embark on a grueling schedule. Each set of players will play at least 162 games each (excluding the World Series).

The handling and day-to-day functioning of a huge MLB team such as the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs is down to a complex revenue generation stream. All the top MLB teams harbor a major wage bill (including players, coaches, administration, and matchday staff).

Teams need to figure multiple mediums to bring in funds. Ticket sales, competition prize money, and sponsors are a big source of income for these baseball clubs. But another key aspect in creating a market for a specific team is merchandising.

From player jersey sales to baseball trading cards, the MLB rakes in the big dollars on an annual basis. Teams across the league spend big money to manufacture customized products for fans throughout the season. But which team is the best at executing their sales plan on a consistent basis?

 

The likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Boston Red Sox often appear at the top of merchandise sales charts. But they still fall behind 27-time World Series winners, the New York Yankees, who comfortably top the list.

A recent report in Businesswire revealed that, MLB with a partner with popular clothing brand Ralph Lauren in 2021 for a specific set of capsule products. They will partner with the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and, the St. Louis Cardinals.

In fact, in terms of overall value and not just merchandising sales, the Yankees were ranked as the most valuable sporting franchise in the world according to a report published by Forbes. They are followed by Dallas Cowboys (NFL), Manchester United, and even LaLiga team Real Madrid round out the top four.

 

As per Statista, two years ago, the Yankees were valued at around $4 billion. But the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a drastic fall in sales. They raked in annual revenue of $683 million in 2019. That number dropped to $108 million last year due to the ongoing pandemic.