With an estimated worth of $450 million, the Atlanta Braves are the 13th most valuable team in Major League Baseball, according to Forbes magazine.
The team dropped two spots in the list, despite a 1 percent gain in value, the magazine said. The Braves pulled in $188 million in revenue and spent $111 million in player expenses, including bonuses, according to Forbes. The payroll for the 2009 season was in the $92- to $95-million range, officials have said.
Liberty Media purchased the Braves from Time Warner in 2007.
Last year's average attendance at Turner Field was the lowest since the ballpark opened in 1997. The Braves have not advanced to the playoffs since 2005.
After 25 years as the Braves' manager, Bobby Cox will retire at the end of the current season. The next manager will play a key role in determining the team's value, Forbes says.
"... its legacy as the owner of the dominant NL franchise of the 1990s will be determined by whoever succeeds Cox," according to Forbes.
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