Exactly, it's cost certainty that's the goal. To have a successful minor league operation requires a lot of marketing skill. You market to families and groups with promotions and atmosphere. The team is way down the list. Some markets make a lot of sense from the baseball perspective, with weather etc, but don't hold attraction as entertainment alternative to the local population. Right, that's why you pick the right people to run the minor league teams. Just like any other facet of the organization. It costs a lot to pay scouts too, they could do away with that and just use a 3rd party scouting service. Yea, you're going to lose money picking a bad city and/or poor marketing. So...don't do that. Like anything else, if you pick the right people the affiliates will do just fine. Even if they don't, it's not like you're losing tens of millions a year or something. So worst case scenario you lose a little money and avoid ending up in places like CS, Fresno, Vegas, BC, etc. Then when you DO find a good home it's only for two years.