Bleacher Report's team ownership ranking of the Brewers completely misses the mark

As fans are well aware, the Milwaukee Brewers have long had a problem with being in one of the smallest markets in the sport. It's an unfortunate fact that Milwaukee can't compete with some of the bigger TV markets across the country, and as such the Brewers have a lower ceiling when it comes to potential revenues.

Despite that, the team has been largely successful over the past two decades. Much of the credit, at least in recent years, is due to the leadership of former general manager David Stearns and current GM Matt Arnold, and the teams they were able to put together. The Brewers fell just shy of a World Series appearance in 2018 and they've made the postseason in six of the last seven years, a feat most fanbases would love to have accomplished themselves. And not for nothing, but American Family Field is an excellent place to take in a game.

But in Bleacher Report's latest rankings, they seem to have gotten the order of operations mixed up. In a column where they ranked all 30 MLB ownership situations, Bleacher Report placed the Brewers 12th overall. At first glance, that seemed like a typo, but it's not.

If anything, the Brewers have been successful in spite of owner Mark Attanasio, certainly not because of him. If there's one thing that's held the Brewers back during this most recent stretch of success, it's the lack of financial commitment from the ownership group and the team's inability to hold onto their stars over the long term.

Bleacher Report thinks Mark Attanasio is one of the best owners in MLB, but Brewers fans know better

The Brewers are typically in the bottom third of the league in terms of annual revenues, and as such they're always lower on the list in terms of total payroll dollars spent. A big part of that is the lack of Attanasio's personal wealth, at least compared to his peers. With a net worth listed under $1 billion, Attanasio is one of the least wealthy MLB owners in the league. And the Brewers' payroll commitments during his tenure reflect that.

Just twice in the last 15 years have the Brewers finished the year with a CBT payroll figure in the top half of the league. The most recent of those instances was in 2018, and it's not a coincidence that was the year when the team came the closest it's gotten toward winning a World Series title in forty years.

Fans have watched a number of star players leave in free agency and via trade, including guys like Willy Adames, Corbin Burnes, and Josh Hader, all of whom would have given this team a better chance to win had Attanasio been willing to pony up the cash to try to keep them.

Attanasio did shell out for the Christian Yelich extension but in terms of free agent deals, the largest contract the team has signed under Attanasio's purview was the $80 million deal given to Lorenzo Cain back in 2018. Jeff Suppan's $42 million deal from 2007 is third on the list. That kind of effort just isn't going to cut it.

Don't get it twisted. The Brewers are in an enviable spot. They have a strong roster and play in an extremely winnable division, and are among the favorites to capture their third straight NL Central title in 2025. But as far as ownership groups go, most Brewers fans would love to see Attanasio give way to someone with deeper pockets and a greater willingness to invest in the on-field product.

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