Belt-tightening Major League Baseball

[marmar]

Baseball Will Freeze Spending Next Season as Economy Falters

By Danielle Sessa

Nov. 19 (Bloomberg) -- Major League Baseball won't increase spending next season for the first time in four years because of the deteriorating economy, the sport's No. 2 official said.

``It's a challenging sponsorship market and advertising market,'' MLB President Bob DuPuy told reporters at the end of the first day of the quarterly owners' meeting in New York.

Baseball officials are talking with corporate partners about their sponsorship agreements, while teams including the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners have frozen ticket prices for next season out of concern for rising unemployment and the credit crunch.

A budget was submitted for club approval that was flat compared with last year, DuPuy said while declining to reveal figures, and the sport has also put a hold on unidentified initiatives. The last time baseball didn't boost spending was in 2003-2004, he said.

DHL, a unit of Deutsche Post AG, may end its sponsorship of the Atlanta Braves after announcing last week it's withdrawing from the U.S. express-delivery market. DuPuy said no sponsors have asked to delay or defer payments. .......(more)

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