What is the MLB stock price, and are they publicly traded? Unfortunately, investors cannot purchase shares of the MLB because it is a private company. However, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: BATRK), Rogers Communications Inc (NYSE: RCI.B), and DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG) are baseball-related stocks that traders can invest in.
Baseball is known as America’s pastime. Its popularity is unmatched outside of the NFL. Baseball purists are known to love the game and cheer on any team instead of just rooting for one.
MLB Introduction (No Stock Symbol)
As investors, we’ve trained ourselves to hone in on profitable businesses with a global customer base and a wide industry moat. Do you know what type of business checks off all of those boxes?
Professional sports leagues. Don’t you wish you could buy and own MLB stock in your portfolio? As a lifelong baseball fan, I can tell you right now that MLB stock would be one of my biggest holdings!
Baseball is a global sport, and fans watch and love the MLB. But is it a great business? Absolutely. In 2023, the MLB brought in nearly $12 billion in revenue, including nearly $4 billion in ticket sales alone.
Remember that the MLB only operates for six or seven months each year, so most of its revenue comes during that half of the year. Ticket sales and broadcasting revenue only happen when the games are on.
In 2024, the MLB has already played international games in South Korea and Mexico. It also has games for London, England, and the Dominican Republic.
The league constantly tries to grow the game and connect with new fans in foreign markets. This article will discuss investing in MLB stock and some other stocks that can provide you with direct or indirect exposure to Major League Baseball.
What Is the MLB?
Let’s start with the basics. The MLB, or Major League Baseball, is an American professional baseball league founded in 1903. MLB has two leagues: the National League and the American League.
While both leagues are together now in the MLB, it wasn’t always like that. The National League was founded first in 1876, and the American League in 1901. It wasn’t until 1903 that the two leagues integrated, thanks to the National Agreement. The MLB is the oldest professional sports league in the world.
The league comprises 30 teams, 29 of which play in the United States and one in Toronto, Canada. MLB’s corporate headquarters are in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The current commissioner of the league is Rob Manfred, who has held the position since January 2015.
Major League Baseball is the second-highest-grossing professional sports league in the world, next to only the NFL. Each team plays 162 regular season games with four-round playoffs to determine the World Series championship trophy winner.
As of 2024, the average value of an MLB franchise is worth about $2.4 billion. The most valuable franchise in the MLB is the New York Yankees, valued at $7.55 billion. The second most valuable team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, is more than $2 billion less in value. What about trading MLB stock?
Can I Buy MLB Stock?
Unfortunately, the MLB is not a publicly traded company. You won’t find a stock for Major League Baseball trading on any major exchange in the United States or anywhere else.
It is a privately owned and operated company that the owners of the thirty franchises technically own. It is a unique corporate structure seen in professional sports leagues.
If you buy MLB stock, it would be easy to figure out its ticker symbol. The stock would likely traded under the symbol MLB, which is perfect since no other stock currently has that ticker symbol on any of the major US exchanges.
Like me, you’ll have to dream of buying MLB stock or shares of any professional sports league!
MLB Stock Competitors
Even though you can’t buy MLB stock, it doesn’t mean you can’t invest in the MLB. Plenty of companies work with the league that you can certainly add to your portfolio. These stocks will expose you to the MLB through their partnerships, and most of them aren’t bad companies to own, either!
Here are some other stocks you can buy to invest in the MLB!
1. Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: BATRK)
That’s right, although you can’t buy MLB stock, you can buy shares of one of the league’s best teams! The Atlanta Braves went public back in 2023 as a result of a split from its previous owner, Liberty Media (NASDAQ: LSXMA).
The market cap of the Atlanta Braves Holdings is \$2.4 billion. Don’t expect a dividend from the Braves, though, as the stock does not pay dividends to shareholders.
It’s an interesting opportunity to own shares of the Braves, but ultimately, it’s hard to justify investing in them. As of 2024, the Braves are the only currently public team in the MLB. However, the Cleveland Guardians (previously the Indians) traded on the NASDAQ exchange in the late nineties.
2. Rogers Communications Inc (NYSE: RCI.B)
Rogers Communications is one of Canada’s largest telecom companies. Along with Bell and Telus, these three companies account for most of Canada’s telecom, wireless, and internet services industry.
Why are we talking about a Canadian telecom in regards to MLB stock? Because Rogers owns Canada’s only MLB franchise, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Not only are they the owners of the Jays, but investing in Rogers will expose you to a long list of other sports franchises, including the Toronto Maple Leafs of the NHL and the Toronto Raptors of the NBA.
Think of Rogers as the AT&T or the Verizon of Canada. You probably won’t make much capital appreciation from holding the stock, but you won’t lose money either. On top of that, Rogers will pay you a generous dividend yield, currently sitting at 3.9%.
3. DraftKings (NASDAQ: DKNG)
DraftKings is one of the world’s largest sports betting and online gambling sites. It was founded in 2012 and is the domestic leader in sports gambling and daily fantasy sports.
DraftKings went public in 2020 via a SPAC merger with Diamond Eagle Acquisition. It has since established partnerships with many major sporting leagues, including the MLB, NFL, PGA, and UFC.
How integrated is DraftKings with the MLB? DraftKings built a new, state-of-the-art sportsbook in one of the MLB’s oldest stadiums: Chicagos Wrigley Field. In 2023, Americans bet more than $119 billion on sports.
DraftKings is one of the main beneficiaries of the newfound expansion of legal sports gambling in the United States. If you want to gain exposure to sports betting, then DraftKings is one of the most direct ways.
Also, consider casino brands that have moved into sports gambling, like Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ: CZR) and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM).
4. Anheuser-Busch InBev SA (NYSE: BUD)
Anheuser-Busch is one of the longest-standing corporate partnerships with the MLB. It includes exclusive product partnerships with over half of the MLB franchises, most notably with the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cardinal’s stadium is Busch Stadium, the third stadium in the team’s history to bear that name. Anheuser-Busch was founded in St. Louis in 1852 and is best known for its Budweiser and Bud Light beers.
In 2008, InBev, a Belgian-based beverage conglomerate, acquired the company. Even before acquiring Anheuser-Busch, InBev was the largest beer maker in the world. Anheuser Busch aquistion was for $70.00 per share or $52 billion.
It doesn’t get much more American than sitting at an MLB game in the summertime with an ice-cold beer and a hot dog!
5. Phillip Morris Intl (NYSE: PM)
What’s one thing you might not know about baseball players? Until recently, the MLB allowed them to chew tobacco products during games. While some players still try to sneak it in, most of the league has switched to nicotine pouches like Zyn, which are considered tobacco-less products.
While tobacco-less, a big tobacco company called Phillip Morris makes them.
We do not recommend any tobacco or nicotine products. There are much healthier products for baseball players to chew, like bubble gum or sunflower seeds!
Final Thoughts: MLB Stock
Major League Baseball is one of the world’s most popular professional sports leagues and the second-highest grossing next to the NFL. It has a long history in America and has recently expanded into other markets. Sadly, you cannot invest directly in the league. There is no MLB stock on the stock market.
You can, however, invest in stocks affiliated with the sport of baseball and the MLB. You can even invest directly in one of the teams, as the Atlanta Braves are a publicly traded company! What is the best way to invest your money in the MLB? By buying tickets to a game and rooting on your favorite team! Play Ball!
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Frequently Asked Questions
As of 2024, you cannot buy MLB stock on the markets. A collection of the owners of each franchise privately owns the league. The only MLB team you can buy stock in is the Atlanta Braves, trading on the NASDAQ index.
No major sports leagues are public companies, so you cannot buy stock. You must invest in public companies that leagues like the MLB partner with. Our article listed companies like DraftKings and Anheuser-Busch InBev as solid options.
If you were going to invest in one MLB franchise, it should be the New York Yankees. In 2024, the Yankees again topped the Forbes list of MLB's most valuable baseball teams. The Yankees are worth an estimated $7.55 billion, more than $2 billion more than the second-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
The only publicly traded MLB team is the Atlanta Braves. The team went public due to being split from its former owner, Liberty Media. You can buy shares of the Atlanta Braves under the ticker symbol NASDAQ: BATRK.
