The World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers created a record bonus pool of $129.1 million, according to the commissioner’s office. The total was 20% higher than the previous record of $107.8 million set last year – it was $107.5 million in 2022, when the playoffs expanded to their current format.
The World Series champion Dodgers distributed $46.47 million from the pool. They awarded 79 full shares, 17.49 partial shares, and cash awards worth $405,000. A full share was worth $477,441, below the record of $516,347 in 2022 when the Houston Astros had 59 full shares.
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A share for the 2024 Yankees was $354,572, based on 71 full shares and 16.38 partial shares.
The 2024 playoffs would almost certainly see a record payout for formula players and major market teams in the Fall Classic. The bonus pool consists of 60% of tickets from the minimum number of games in each series (two games in the Wild Card round, three in the Division Series and four in the League Championship Series and World Series).
The winner of the World Series gets 36% of the pool, while the number two gets 24%. The two LCS losers split 24%, the four teams that lost in the Division Series split 13%, and the four WC losers split 3%. Teams can divide their share of the pool however they wish.
Baseball championship payouts per player lag those of the NBA. NBA playoff teams received $33.7 million this year, with each Celtics player earning about $800,000 after winning the title. Kansas City Chiefs players earned $338,000 for their Super Bowl run. In the NHL, the playoff pool was $22 million, and $6.5 million, or about $240,000 per player, went to the champion Florida Panthers.
Full shares for other 2024 MLB playoff teams were $182,663 (Cleveland Guardians), $179,948 (New York Mets), $55,729 (Detroit Tigers), $52,278 (Philadelphia Phillies), $49,583 (Kansas City Royals), $45,985 ( San Diego Padres), $11,870 ( Baltimore Orioles), $10,749 (Houston Astros), $10,013 (Milwaukee Brewers) and $9,548 (Atlanta Braves).
The payouts don’t mean much to the sport’s top earners, with the top 15 earning a combined roughly $650 million in salaries and endorsements this year, but it’s a boost for the large number of players earning the minimum MLB salary, which was $ 740,000 by 2024.
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