Braves owner Liberty Media reported today that the team’s financial performance improved in the second quarter this year, primarily as the result of having nine more home games in the April-through-June period than last year.
Liberty said the Braves’ revenue was $131 million in the quarter, an increase of $28 million over the same period last year. The team made $12 million in operating profit before depreciation and amortization, up $7 million from the second quarter last year.
The gains “were primarily due to an increase in overall ticket sales and broadcast revenue as a result of having … 44 home games in 2016 versus 35 home games during the same period in 2015,” Liberty said in its quarterly earnings release.
The gains “were partially offset by an increase in operating expenses driven by the acceleration of approximately $23 million in player salary expense as a result of released and injured players during the second quarter,” the company said.
The highest-salaried player released by the Braves during the quarter was outfielder Michael Bourn in April.
After depreciation and amortization, the Braves had an operating loss of $3 million for the quarter, an improvement from a loss of $6 million in the same quarter last year, Liberty said.
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