Reduced payroll helps improve Braves' finances

ATLANTA - With a reduced player payroll, the Atlanta Braves lost less than $10 million this year an improvement from the $34 million lost last year.<br> <br> But Braves chairman and president Terry McGuirk acknowledged it is unusual for a sports business to measure financial success by reduced losses instead of growing profits.<br> <br> ``It isn&#39;t how you&#39;d rate all businesses, but on improvement from year to year, I think the entire organization accomplished what we set out to do,&#39;&#39; McGuirk said. ``It puts us on a very solid basis to go forward next year and be more aggressive (with) everything under the umbrella from player personnel to marketing to improvements at the ballpark.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> And revenue from playoff games could further improve finances for the Braves, who open a first-round Division Series game Wednesday against the Houston Astros at Turner Field in Atlanta.<br> <br> The first round does not have a major financial effect, especially if the series lasts the minimum three games. But if the Braves were to reach the World Series and if each postseason series were to go the maximum number of games, the club could turn a profit for the first time since the mid-1990s, McGuirk suggested.<br> <br> The baseball team&#39;s improved financial performance is a result of last winter&#39;s payroll reduction, which did not hurt performance on the field, as had been predicted by some.<br> <br> By most external calculations, the Braves cut about $20 million from the payroll when they trimmed it to $80 million. But McGuirk said the reduction was even larger on the Braves&#39; books because of various accounting moves.<br> <br> Despite the cuts, the Braves won 96 games, just two fewer than their average over the previous 12 seasons, and their 13th consecutive division title. They won the National League East by the identical margin as last year 10 games even though the second-place Philadelphia Phillies had a payroll that was $15 million higher.<br> <br> But one thing that did not help improve the Braves&#39; finances was fan attendance. A late-season falloff left the Braves with their seventh consecutive year of declining crowds.<br> <br> McGuirk and other team officials said the club plans to use this year&#39;s improved finances as a chance to make changes designed to bring in larger crowds.