In looking at the tweet below, were MiLB games much greater in attendance way back in the day compared to now and the last 40 years or so? Especially pre television?

I'm just curious what it really was like to attend minor league games way back in the day, and if there was strong civic pride in the local minor league team, especially when attending a MLB game would not have been regularly done by folks not within the city limits of a team?

Attendance isn't the only factor.

I would imagine a lot had of it has to do with simple supply and demand. There just weren't many MiLB teams and players around at the time.

A couple other thoughts.

Travel was much different and so was TV.

Did teams own their affiliates and players? Or did minor league teams have the ability to be more "independent" in terms of players?

Also, I'm guessing the pay structure changed with Signing Bonuses. Players now get their money when they sign... and then get small crumbs. I doubt those signing bonuses are included.

Minor League baseball has become big money and controlling player costs helps that.

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There just weren't many MiLB teams and players around at the time

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I think there may have been more MiLB teams back then. Lots of smaller, more regional leagues existed. Someone can count 'em up...

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?year=1950

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/league.cgi?year=2017


I'd be curious what the mean, median, etc. salaries are for minor league baseball as a whole. I think the higher paying leagues were smaller back then, and were a smaller proportion of the overall minor league system.

I think one thing to keep in mind is that in 1950, the AL and NL were still basically northeastern/midwestern leagues and the rest of country could go watch minor league baseball or, I guess, find a radio to listen to a game if you got it.

It was later in the 1950s before televised games were a thing, and before the Athletics, Dodgers and others moved west.

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Also, I'm guessing the pay structure changed with Signing Bonuses. Players now get their money when they sign... and then get small crumbs. I doubt those signing bonuses are included.

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That would really only apply to minor league rookies, yeah? And really, only to a subset of them who get a bonus of any substantial amount.

By round 10 of the draft, many bonuses don't even reach $10,000.

Minor league baseball nowadays is a freaking grind and I admire the guys who stick with it in pursuit of their dreams.

TXAggie2011 said:

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Also, I'm guessing the pay structure changed with Signing Bonuses. Players now get their money when they sign... and then get small crumbs. I doubt those signing bonuses are included.

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That would really only apply to minor league rookies, yeah? And really, only to a subset of them who get a bonus of any substantial amount.

By round 10 of the draft, many bonuses don't even reach $10,000.

Minor league baseball nowadays is a freaking grind and I admire the guys who stick with it in pursuit of their dreams.

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So... it only applies to the Top 300 Players willing to sign with a MLB team and forego other options like College.

After the Top 300 players... the next 1200 players drafted know they are going to work for league minimum, while the Top 300... many of which signed for Millions... will make league minimum, but supplement with their signing bonus.

Where as... in say 1950... Those top 300 players likely signed to play for more money because the first amateur draft didn't happen until 1965.

Have a feeling these numbers aren't telling the full picture. AAA teams could have as many as 15 players signed to the major league roster (40 man), I assume they aren't counting those. Same with bonuses as mentioned.

Also, the minimum is $2150/month and paid for six months. That is only for first year AAA players.

All that said, point probably still remains how underpaid they are.

Yes, only a minority of minor leaguers get a bonus that that could get close to sustaining them over multiple years and if included, wouldn't drive up the median salary much, and if the mean increases much, it would be skewed by a small group of players that get very large bonuses.

The first 6 picks of the 8th round last year got $10,000, $10,000, $60,000, $7,500, $5,000, and $45,000. The 4th pick of the 7th round got $15,000, the 5th pick got all of $1,000. Several guys in the 5th round got $10,000 or less. It is a small group of players each year that get bonuses of any substantial amount.