GM Ermola's State of the League Finance Report - 2031

[Sandgnats]

CRYSTAL LAKE HERALD

SPORTS – GNATS NOW
GM Ermola's State of the League Finance Report - 2031
Updated: November 26, 2030 – 5:39 PM

By Howard Heskin, Gnats Beat Writer and ESPN PEBA Correspondent – Twitter @HowardHeskin1

GM RJ Ermola of the Crystal Lake Sandgnats, who is also the finance director of PEBA, presented a virtual zoom meeting regarding the state of PEBA league finances today. In attendance were a few owners and their interns from all the PEBA organizations with other major media outlets. The 5 hour meeting began with about 140 people in attendance and ended with about 3 - including Florida Featherheads owner, Drew Streets - who apparently forgot he was on the meeting and un-muted. At one point Drew could be heard yelling "$100k on the money line for the NBA's Shanghai Sharks verse Beijing Ducks" while screaming obscenities because he accidentally knocked over a bottle of Streets branded scotch, Streets-Macallan 25 onto his keyboard.

"First off I want to congratulate all of the organizations for our highest revenue year yet. This year PEBA revenue closed just short of five billions dollars at - $4.979 Billion for the season," stated RJ Ermola to begin the meeting. "Now I want to remind all the ownership we are still working on negotiating our media deal which is scheduled to end at the conclusion of the 2032 season. So this is not a time to keep the foot off the gas. Keep those revenues growing, so we have more leverage against Comcast International, Dish Network, Disney Sports, Rodgers Communications, SKY UK and Foxtel! The more money we make with attendance and merchandise, the less we need their media rights."

In 2028 PEBA lost its appeal to void its current media deal contract as the result of an auto-renewal of the current deal when Harry Castle alleged he was just downloading the contract on his Gmail account when a home-run hit by George Lee struck his ipad. As a result of the 4th circuit ruling the PEBA media deal was held valid for another 4 seasons.

"With the addition of two more teams into the PEBA family - we are looking forward to the revenue that the Ghosts and Knights will add to our flourishing league." stated Ermola. With 4 more teams added to the league since the last deal - it is looking like media partners will certainly need to pay more for rights to broadcast PEBA games. Fortunately, a clause in the contract provides that each new team immediately will be entitled to $72,357,500 in media revenue when they join PEBA thus automatically increasing the gross amount of the deal.

Player's Union President, Duluth second baseman Jim Klein was pleased with today's news. "It's time for Streets and his cronies to share a bigger piece of the pie come next year. We know what (Ken) Hannahs did to Luppe (Van Dame). We haven't forgotten that one." Rumor is it that the player's union will be demanding an increase to minimum salaries and other contract related concessions regarding service time when its contract with PEBA also expires next season.

In regards to other data, Ermola shared:

League Revenue: $4,979,055,587
League Expenses $4,812,648,415

Highest Revenue: Shin Seiki - $285,938,447
Lowest Revenue: Charleston - $120,207,826

Average Revenue $177,823,414 (2030 was $174,919,233)
Median Revenue $173,576,609 (2030 was $161,120,627)

Standard Deviation in Revenue - $42,921,605 down from $49,666,880 in 2030 back to its pre-expansion levels of disparity.

Net Standard Deviation in Revenue after revenue sharing - $29,615,907 down from $34,270,147 in 2030

Largest Percentage Increase in Revenue 2030 to 2031:
1. San Juan 49.04%
2. Kalamazoo 41.47%
3. Fargo 19.58%
4. Malts (frm. Canton) 16.24%
5. Yuma 14.64%

Largest Percentage Increase in Expenses 2030 to 2031:
1. San Antonio 146.63%
2. Amsterdam 22.38%
3. Duluth 22.01%
4. Canton 20.33%
5. West Virginia 17.82%

Largest Decrease in Revenue 2030 to 2031:
1. Aurora -27.66%
2. Scottish -11.67%
3. Okinawa -10.99%
4. Arlington -10.55%
5. Crystal Lake -9.54%

Largest Decrease in Expenses 2030 to 2031
1. Okinawa -34.15%
2. Arlington -31.06%
3. Manchester -14.20%
4. Bakersfield -14.01%
5. Havana -8.40%