Go straight to the content.
How Much Are The Detroit Tigers Really Worth?
Detroit Tigers Valuation
In 2019, Forbes made an estimation of the value.
The team generated a revenue of $276 million in 2019.
Gate receipts in 2019 amounted to a total of $46 million.
In 2019, the total amount spent on player salaries and operating expenses reached $170 million.
The estimated valuation of the Tigers back in 1998, two seasons before the historic Tigers Stadium was replaced by the modern Comerica Park, was $152 million. Today, the franchise’s value is nearly 10 times higher.
In 1998, the team revenue was $54.2 million, which was one-fifth of the revenue generated in 2019.
The 21st Tigers rank among the top 30 teams in Major League Baseball in terms of their value.
The New York Yankees are worth $4.6 billion, making them the most valuable MLB franchise. This is almost four times the value of the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers Purchase Price
Mike Ilitch purchased the Tigers in 1992 for a price of $82 million.
Little Caesars Pizza, the chain established by Ilitch and his wife Marian Ilitch, generates an impressive annual revenue of $3 billion.
The Ilitch family owns a total of two professional sports teams in Detroit, and their ownership includes the prestigious Detroit Red Wings franchise, which holds significant value.
Tom Monaghan, the founder of Domino’s Pizza, purchased the Tigers from John Fetzer in 1983 for a staggering $53 million.
Fetzer had owned the Tigers for approximately 30 years.
TV Deal
MLB and Fox Sports have recently revealed a lucrative contract extension worth an astounding $5.1 billion. This deal, spanning from 2021 to the 2028 season, grants Fox exclusive broadcast rights for esteemed events such as the World Series, the MLB All-Star Game, one League Championship Series, two League Division Series, and a Saturday doubleheader during the regular season.
The broadcast deal has an annual worth of $525 million.
The local broadcast rights deal the Tigers have with Fox Sports Detroit is valued at $50 million per year.
The deal grants Fox Sports Detroit exclusive local television rights for a total of 150 regular season games.
2021. Year agreement expires.
Detroit Tigers Revenue Per Game
The Tigers typically play 81 home games during the regular season each year.
In 2009, the gate receipts at Comerica Park for the Tigers amounted to $65 million.
In 2011, the Tigers earned $81 million from gate receipts.
The gate receipts of the Tigers in 2012 amounted to $98 million.
The gate receipts for the Tigers in 2013 amounted to $96 million.
In 2015, the Tigers earned $79 million from gate receipts.
The gate receipts for Tigers in 2017 amounted to $70 million.
In 2019, the Tigers generated $46 million from their gate receipts.
In 2019, the estimated revenue per home game amounted to $568,000, determined by the total gate receipts of $46 million.
The approximate total revenue generated per home game at Comerica Park in 2019 was $3.4 million.
Tigers’ gate receipts in 2012 amounted to $1.2 million per home game.
In the year 2019, the total revenue amounted to $276 million.
The Detroit Tigers have additional revenue streams, including a partnership with PointsBet, a global sports betting operator. This groundbreaking agreement marks the first of its kind for any MLB team. PointsBet, in collaboration with the Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, will soon launch online sports betting and casino games in Michigan. As a result, they have become the Tigers’ official authorized gaming operator.
This implies that there will be branding visibility on TV broadcasts at Comerica Park, as well as exposure on the Tigers’ website, social media platforms, and the Detroit Tigers Radio Network. Additionally, once the PointsBet Michigan online sports betting and casino products are launched, they will also be integrated into The District Detroit and MLB Ballpark apps. Furthermore, there is a multi-year sponsorship deal that the team entered into with Coppercraft Distillery in 2019. As part of this agreement, Coppercraft Distillery now has branding rights to Comerica Park’s right-field bar, which is now known as The Coppercraft Distillery Bar, and signage at the Bourbon Bar.
In addition to their partnerships with Planet Fitness, Toshiba, Miggy Foods, and Uber, the Tigers have sponsorship agreements.
Tiger Stadium
The Corktown ballpark, also referred to as Navin Field, Briggs Stadium, and Tiger Stadium, served as the Tigers’ home for a period of 87 years (1912-1999).
The park was owned by the Tigers for 65 years, from 1912 to 1977, until the City of Detroit took over and subsequently leased it back.
The stadium was originally built at a cost of $300,000.
3. The stadium underwent several significant renovations.
The seating capacity in 1912 was 23,000.
The seating capacity in 1923 was 30,000.
In 1937, the seating capacity was 52,416.
The famous flagpole in fair play in centerfield stands at a height of 125 feet.
Comerica Park
In October of 1997, Detroit witnessed the commencement of the construction of a state-of-the-art stadium in downtown, marking a significant milestone as it aimed to replace the iconic Tiger Stadium.
In the year 2000, the Tigers relocated to Comerica Park, a stadium that is publicly owned by the Detroit-Wayne County Stadium Authority.
The cost to construct Comerica Park amounted to a staggering $326 million.
The naming rights were purchased by Comerica Bank for a sum of $66 million.
The original naming rights contract lasts for a period of 30 years.
Comerica has recently extended their naming rights deal for a number of years, which will now expire in 2034.
The seating capacity of Comerica Park currently stands at 41,083.
Detroit Tigers Salaries
The Detroit Tigers’ payroll for the 2020 MLB season amounted to a staggering $100 million.
In 2020, the MLB season was shortened to 60 games, resulting in the team paying out a total of $37.3 million exclusively to the 40-man roster.
The Tigers are required to make a final payment of $6 million to Prince Fielder, who is now retired.
The total payroll for the year 2020 amounts to $43.3 million.
Miguel Cabrera, the highest-paid player on the team, receives an annual amount of $30 million.
Cabrera has won multiple American League MVP awards.
Cabrera has won the American League batting championship on four occasions.
Cabrera has made 11 appearances in the All-Star game.
Cabrera clinched the Triple Crown in 2012 by topping the American League in batting average (.330), home runs (44), and RBIs (139), securing a total of one Triple Crown under his name.
1. Count of fellow players on the Tigers roster earning an annual salary exceeding $10 million.
Jordan Zimmerman signed a 5-year contract in 2016 worth $110 million.
Jordan Zimmerman achieved multiple wins in 2019.
In 2019, Zimmerman experienced a series of losses.
Zimmerman started the shortened 2020 season on the disabled list due to a right forearm injury with no years of contract remaining after 2020.
Detroit Tigers Ticket Prices
According to Statista.com, the average ticket price for the Detroit Tigers in 2019 was $28.
The average ticket price for an MLB game is $33.
The average attendance at Comerica Park in 2018 was 23,000.
Comerica Park in 2019 witnessed an average home field attendance of 19,000.
The price for a beer at the concession stand is $5.
The price of a hot dog at the concession stand is $4.75.
The price for a soft drink at the concession stand is $4.75.
In 2020, no fans were permitted in the stands.
Practice Field + Other Expenses
The Detroit Tigers have been conducting their Spring Training at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida for 85 years.
The facility-wide renovation in 2017 had a price tag of $40 million.
The team made a commitment to keep the stadium as their winter home for a century, and consequently, they renamed it Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
The new scoreboard’s height is 30 feet.
The new weight room in the state-of-the-art clubhouse and administration building measures 7,000 square feet. Additionally, the renovated Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium offers various amenities such as the On Deck Suite lounge, Hooters Dugout player interaction space and restaurant, Pepsi Pavilion group picnic space, Margaritaville Deck bar and restaurant, and extra guest suites. The dugouts have been reconstructed to resemble those at Comerica Park, and there are also increased covered seating, box seats, air-conditioned areas, concession stands, and restrooms available for fans.
On-Field Performance
The Tigers achieved victory in 58 games during the shortened 2020 season.
The Tigers achieved a total of 47 wins during the 2019 season, which followed a 162-game schedule.
In 2019, the team recorded a total of 114 losses, solidifying their position as the worst team in baseball and the second-worst in the history of the franchise.
The American League Pennant was last won by the team in 2012.
In 2012, the Tigers reached the World Series but were swept by the San Francisco Giants.
No AL Pennants have been won since then.
The Tigers have made it to the MLB playoffs twice, losing in the ALCS in both 2013 and 2014.
The Tigers’ historical record includes 11 American League Pennants triumphs.
The team has won four World Series titles in the years 1935, 1945, 1968, and 1984.
The Tigers have failed to make it to the MLB postseason for seven seasons in a row, starting from 2013.
Tom Monaghan became the owner of the Tigers and led the team to win the 1984 World Series after a certain number of years.
The Tigers achieved a franchise record by posting 104 wins in 1984.
Jack Morris threw a no-hitter after playing a certain number of games in the 1984 season.
In 1984, closer Willie Hernández won two prestigious awards, namely the Cy Young and AL MVP awards.
The ’84 Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals in the American League Championship Series after playing a total of four games.
The ’84 Tigers defeated the San Diego Padres in a five-game World Series.
Morris threw a total of 2 complete-game wins in the 1984 World Series.
In the 2003 season, the Tigers hired former star Alan Trammell as their manager, resulting in a record-breaking number of losses in the history of the American League, totaling 119.
The Tigers have won 5 out of their last 6 games, preventing themselves from setting the MLB record for futility.
In the 2006 World Series, led by AL Rookie of the Year Justin Verlander, the Tigers lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in a total of 5 games.
The Tigers made the MLB postseason for four consecutive years, starting from 2011 and ending in 2014.
Jim Leyland stepped down as manager in 2014 after serving for a total of 8 years.