Omaha daily bee., 1915-03-07
HOW MUCH DID FEDS LOSEY
Connie Mack Says 100000, but
Expert Menke Says Figure is
Closer to $4,000,
AND MENKE HAS PLENTY DATA

Atink loss m lSla Inc leahuet aA n Wuoie
lost not more than $4,000. according &c
the best statistics available. The figure
seems 60 be closer 60 $4,000
Five Federal league clubs lost money
and three showed an operating profit al
the end Of the season. The net loss OF
the Federal league for 1914 is said to have
been less than that OF the International
league.
The Chicago gederais cleared $4,000 on
the season. The Baltimore Feds made a
profit Of around $4,000 and the Indian
apolis club. which won the pennant, is
said to have cleared s11.OOo on the seasob
The gross profit OF those three clubs
f. $4,000.
The 81. Louis Feds were the heaviest
losers in the new league. They dropped
around $4,000 The attendance was good
in the early part OF the season. but when
the team slumped the attendance fell of
with a terrific bump. Furthermore. St,
Louis roster was pretty well cluttered up
with high-priced talent.
kansas city Loses
The Kansas City Feds lost I'm the neigh
torhood OF $4,000 or $25,OOO. Kansas City
never was a very good base ball town
and with the team in q rut the attend
ance was small after the first month eX-
cept at Sunday games The Pittsburgh
Feds are said to have lost about $4,000 or
$4,000 on the year, while the Brooklyn
Feds. with q top-heavy payroll. lost about
$4,000. may be $4,000.
The Buffalo Feds lost only about t12OOO,
according 10 report The Buffalo team
probably would have broken ahead Of the
game for the season IL they hadn't
bumped into some bad weather. Rain on
the opening day at home cut about 5000
off Of the attendance. At an average
price Of 20 cents a head that meant that
old Jupe Pluvius cheated the Buffeds
out Of at least $500 on the opening day.
The extreme losses for the five clubs
mentioned. total S1l2.UO. Deduct from
this the $4,000 profit OF the other three
clubs and It shows the net loss to have
been only $1,000.
Most folks have an exaggerated idea
Of what It costs to operate a bail club
Eome wise ones assert that some of
the Federal clubs lost $4,000, Just in
operating expenses alone"
salary Average $1,000.
fhasNA Ateha hhNii 90 AllS dbbNB hANu VI
piffle. There isn't a club In organized
base ball or IN the Federal league that
is not operating at an annual cost con-
siderably less than $1SO,VOV. So how could
a club lose $4,000 on operating expenses?
There was much talk last season about
men, who were drawing down from 5000
20 $1,000 a year. But those were ex-
reptional cases only. For every player
drawing 1900 or over. there were seven
or eight other fellows, who were drawing
from $40 to $500.
The average salary paid last year in
all Ia -. leagues-American. National
and Federals--probabiy was under $3.50.
But let's make the amount 5000
Thirty players at 5000 each makes the
total salary list $4,000.
The travelling expenses do not exceed
$4,000 for any club In any OF the three
leagues.
The salaries for officials. clerks. office
rent, equipment and other incidentals did
not average more than $4,000 for any OF
tho FEDERAL league clubs. Some OF the
club officials who have other interests do
not draw salaries.
Ninety thousand dollars for salaries.
flhN &oVVVV ADT tApNnntO
s20,000 for office salaries and expenses.
make the total cost OF operating club
$4,000. That's high figure. Some Fed
clubs carried only twenty five men. That
Topped $4,000 off OF the average salary
list and about 5000 off OF the travelling
expenses. In cases whore the executives
did not draw salaries the office expense
was reduced by 5000 to $4,000.
Now as to the income OF the Fed clubs.
Attendance Good.
The average attendance atall the Fed
gnmes last year was 900 at the very
least. Reports circulated by the enemies
OF the Federal league were TO the effect
that at some OF the week day games the
paid attendance was less than 1000. That
may be true. IL may not be true. But this
fact must be borne in mind; The Feds
at their Sunday games In the west drew
some big crowds.
Very often during the season the at
tendance at the Fed parks on Sunday was
between 5000 and 5000 Split that seven
ways. one for each day in the week. and
you will see that the Sunday attendance
alone made for an average OF over 2O00
spectators per game.
Each Fed club played about 15l games
during the season. With 1850 as thu
average daily attendance that means a
total attendance Of $4,000 for each club.
split f. the same.
The system Of splitting the receipts as
we understand II IL the same IN the Fed
eral league as Il Is In the American and
National league. Tho visiting club gets
rs cents for each paid admission and the
homo club gets Is cents as well as the
extra amount for all admission tickets
sold for a price above 30 cents. When
fan buys a 76-cent ticket that means that
tho visiting club gets Is cents OF that
amount and the home club gets 80 cents.
II he boys q tl8 box seat the visiting
club gets only . cents and the home club
gets 81.
II the total attendance az the ia
games was $4,000 the road attendance
was half. or 1880. At Is cents per
head that meant that each Federal while
on the road got s4s.l5. Each club played
10 an average OF 1890 spectators at
home. The home club bit" for each
spectator certainly must have averaged
AZ least Sh cents because there were
many 7b-cent. q and E-B tickets sold.
Multiply 1880 By IN and the total is
over $4,000
Add the tlSl8 share for road appear