Major League Baseball has revealed the distribution of postseason shares for the 2024 season, and the figures are impressive. This year, MLB set a new record with a postseason pool totaling $129.1 million, a significant increase from the $107.8 million distributed in 2023, according to the Associated Press reports the Associated Press. is attributed to the third year of the current playoff format, which has generated more revenue than ever before.
The total postseason pool is made up of 60% of the revenue generated from the gate receipts of the first four games of the World Series and the League Championship Series (LCS), the first three games of the Divisional Series, and the first two games of the Wild Card Series. As per MLB rules, the winning team of the World Series receives 36% of the pool to divide among its players, while the losing team gets 24%. Teams that lose in the LCS are awarded 12% each, while teams that lose in the Division Series receive 3.3%, and the Wild Card teams that fall short of advancing are given 0.8% of the total pool.
For the 2024 World Series champions, the Los Angeles Dodgers, this meant awarding 79 full shares and 17.49 partial shares. Each full share was valued at $477,441, a remarkable payout for the players who contributed to the team’s success. In comparison, the full share for the New York Yankees players came to $354,572, reflecting their deeper playoff run compared to some other teams.
Players from other postseason teams also received significant payouts. For example, the Cleveland Guardians players earned $182,663 per full share, while the Mets players received $179,948 each. Teams like the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies saw their players earn $55,729 and $52,278 per full share, respectively. Meanwhile, the Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers, and Atlanta Braves players received payouts ranging from $9,548 to $11,870 per full share.
The players on each postseason team are responsible for voting on how to allocate the shares, including who gets a full share, a partial share, or a percentage of the pool. This collaborative process ensures that everyone in the organization, from players to coaches to support staff, is recognized for their contributions to the team’s playoff run. This distribution is a vital part of the postseason experience, highlighting the financial rewards of a successful season in Major League Baseball.