A new report suggests Juan Soto was a big win for the New York Mets in 2025 on and off the field.
Many people in baseball and the sports world in general scoffed at the news that the NY Mets had agreed to a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million deal with veteran outfielder Juan Soto. Sure, he was a 26-year-old four-time All-Star who won a championship with the Washington Nationals, but earning $62 million in the first season of a mega-deal seemed ridiculous.
When he posted a .253 average and eight homers over the first three months of the season, it seemed as if the NY Mets had another overpriced free agent bust on their hands. However, in June, Soto began playing like the MVP candidate fans had seen during his lone season with the New York Yankees.
By the end of the 2025 campaign, he had a slash line of .263/.396/.525/.921 with 43 homers, 105 runs batted in, 120 runs scored and a career-best 38 stolen bases. Those numbers, and finishing third in the National League MVP voting, indicate that, at least for one season, he was probably worth the money, even if the team collapsed in the final weeks of the season.
However, that data is what the outfielder brought to the NY Mets on the field. What he did in terms of fan interest last season proves why the club decided to give him a record-breaking deal ahead of last season.
NY Mets set new record for ticket sales in 2025
According to a new disclosure first reported by Sportico, the team generated $311.4 million in revenue last season. This was a large increase compared to the $260.8 million earned in 2024 and $237.8 million earned in 2023. Ticket revenue also increased by more than $20 million – from $136.7 million to $157.6 million – after more than 850,000 fans flocked to Citi Field last year.
The outlet also reports that luxury suite and club premium revenues doubled in 2025 ($39.1 million), and concessions increased 55% ($38.3 million).
The big difference between the 2024 team and what fans got in 2025 was the inclusion of Soto. So it makes sense that he was the biggest factor in their business boom last season.
However, while they generated $311 million in revenue, they lost three times as much in 2025 as some teams. The loss was mostly caused by $347 million in payroll and the $92 million tax bill that came with it.
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