[Mick]

At the risk of this setting up Phogge lol the Johnsons worry me when it comes to spending big.  Hope I’m wrong

I remember years ago in Spring Training games when someone came in that was not on the roster Krukow would call him Les Johnson.  

I too worry about their willingness to spend.  I think Harmon/Sue Burns was majority owner when they were willing to spend more. When Harmon passed Sue took the shares, then Johnson bought her out.  We shall see. I’m skeptical.

After the season we just experienced, I have no concerns about the spending issue.  They tried the low-cost route and it didn’t work.  It is now time to open the wallet.  Fortunately for the fan base, ownership has the wherewithal to do so.

Don’t know where you get your confidence on this.  But I sure hope you are right.

Attendance has dropped precipitously. From the opening of the ballpark, it was above 3.2 million every year but one, then declined to 2.86 million in 2008 and 2009. We know what happened in 2010, 12, 14...and attendance zoomed back up to between 3.3 and 3.4 million every year until 2018, when it dropped to 3.156 million, then 2019 when it dropped to 2.7 million. There was no attendance in 2020, and just 1.679 mm. in 2021. Last year, it was 2.482 mms., the lowest, by a margin, for a full-time, non-COVID season...ever. Even Candlestink drew 1.925 million in its last season.

Yes, their payroll has dropped every year since 2018:

2018: $202 mms. (high water mark)
2019: $175 mms.
2020: $153 mms.
2021: $151 mms.
2022: $135 mms.

Their attendance is still 8th of 15 NL teams and #12 of all MLB teams, but they are facing real issues in 2023.  They need a better team to attract attendance. If every additional attendee is worth $128 a head (per Forbes), and attendance gets back to 3.2 million, that's an extra $100 million or so (without a price hike)...they can probably keep Rodon, get Judge, and get 1-2 other top level free agents.

If they don't spend on multiple free agents, that $100 million won't materialize, and Johnson faces a potentially severe reduction in the value of the FS Giants team as an asset. Johnson spent $100 mms. to buy the Giants, which are now worth $3.5 billion, #5 in all of baseball...but not if attendance spirals down.

They won't spend the money to have a better team, or increase their chances of winning. They'll spend the money to sustain the value of the franchise.  I would be very surprised if they didn't spend another $75 mms. to $100 mms. on payroll next year, if for no other reason that to maintain or increase the value of the franchise. Spending $100 million to keep $1 billion of value is a good business decision...and that is why they'll do it.

[Mick]

At the risk of this setting up Phogge lol the Johnsons worry me when it comes to spending big.  Hope I’m wrong

I remember years ago in Spring Training games when someone came in that was not on the roster Krukow would call him Les Johnson.  

I too worry about their willingness to spend.  I think Harmon/Sue Burns was majority owner when they were willing to spend more. When Harmon passed Sue took the shares, then Johnson bought her out.  We shall see. I’m skeptical.

After the season we just experienced, I have no concerns about the spending issue.  They tried the low-cost route and it didn’t work.  It is now time to open the wallet.  Fortunately for the fan base, ownership has the wherewithal to do so.

Don’t know where you get your confidence on this.  But I sure hope you are right.

Attendance has dropped precipitously. From the opening of the ballpark, it was above 3.2 million every year but one, then declined to 2.86 million in 2008 and 2009. We know what happened in 2010, 12, 14...and attendance zoomed back up to between 3.3 and 3.4 million every year until 2018, when it dropped to 3.156 million, then 2019 when it dropped to 2.7 million. There was no attendance in 2020, and just 1.679 mm. in 2021. Last year, it was 2.482 mms., the lowest, by a margin, for a full-time, non-COVID season...ever. Even Candlestink drew 1.925 million in its last season.

Yes, their payroll has dropped every year since 2018:

2018: $202 mms. (high water mark)
2019: $175 mms.
2020: $153 mms.
2021: $151 mms.
2022: $135 mms.

Their attendance is still 8th of 15 NL teams and #12 of all MLB teams, but they are facing real issues in 2023.  They need a better team to attract attendance. If every additional attendee is worth $128 a head (per Forbes), and attendance gets back to 3.2 million, that's an extra $100 million or so (without a price hike)...they can probably keep Rodon, get Judge, and get 1-2 other top level free agents.

If they don't spend on multiple free agents, that $100 million won't materialize, and Johnson faces a potentially severe reduction in the value of the FS Giants team as an asset. Johnson spent $100 mms. to buy the Giants, which are now worth $3.5 billion, #5 in all of baseball...but not if attendance spirals down.

They won't spend the money to have a better team, or increase their chances of winning. They'll spend the money to sustain the value of the franchise.  I would be very surprised if they didn't spend another $75 mms. to $100 mms. on payroll next year, if for no other reason that to maintain or increase the value of the franchise. Spending $100 million to keep $1 billion of value is a good business decision...and that is why they'll do it.