As much as the World Series meant to long-suffering Cubs fans, it was particularly lucrative to the players who won the franchise’s first championship in 108 years.
Sixty-six Cubs players and other team personnel received full World Series shares valued at $368,871.59, according to figures released Tuesday by Major League Baseball.
The shares were part of a record pool of playoff money for players derived from the players’ share of postseason gate receipts – although the Cubs’ full shares did not set a record because for the second year in a row no playoff team awarded more full shares than the Cubs.
Players who spend all season on the big-league roster vote in late September on how to split their eventual playoff money, awarding full shares, partial shares and specific cash amounts.
The World Series-losing Cleveland Indians awarded 60 full shares, valued at $261,804.65.
Only the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost to the Indians in the American League Championship Series, awarded as many full shares as the Cubs this year.
This year’s total players’ pool was $76,627,827.09, almost $7 million more than last year’s record.
All 10 playoff teams receive percentages of the pool.
