The Marlins Are Worth $243 Million More Than They Were Four Years Ago

Jeffrey Loria may try to paint the Miami Marlins as a money drain, but he's certainly getting a big ol' bang for his investment buck. According to new Forbes estimates out today, the Marlins are worth $520 million. That's only 26th in the league, but significantly up from the $360...

By Kyle Munzenrieder

March 27, 2013

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "19274298",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17482312",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482310",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18711090",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17482313",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Jeffrey Loria may try to paint the Miami Marlins as a money drain, but he's certainly getting a big ol' bang for his investment buck. According to new Forbes estimates out today, the Marlins are worth $520 million. That's only 26th in the league, but significantly up from the $360 million the team was worth just two years ago.

See also:
- The Screwball Economics of Major League Baseball
- Six Lies About the Marlins Stadium

Forbes estimates the team brought in $195 million in revenue last year, but that their net operating income was in the negative by $7.1 million. That would be the third-lowest operating income in the league, behind only the Angels of Anaheim and Texas Rangers.

Forbes estimated that the team was worth $450 million in 2012, and $360 million in 2011.

In 2009, Forbes estimated the team was worth just $277 million. At the time that was the lowest valuation in baseball.

Owner Jeffrey Loria bought the Marlins in 2002 for just $158.5 million (which included a hefty no-interest loan form the MLB).

So if Loria were to sell the Marlins today for the Forbes estimate of $520 million, he'd be walking away with about $360 million. Oddly, that's just a little less than the City of Miami and Miami-Dade county originally shelled out to build him that new park.

Follow Miami New Times on Facebook and Twitter @MiamiNewTimes.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.