Billy Beane Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Billy Beane’s Net Worth and Salary Overview

With a net worth estimated at $20 million and an annual salary of $3 million, Billy Beane is a notable American baseball General Manager. After beginning his journey as a professional baseball player, he transitioned into a significant behind-the-scenes role in the sports industry. Currently, he holds multiple positions with the Oakland Athletics, including front office executive, vice president of baseball operations, and minority owner. Beane’s affiliation with the Athletics began as a scout, progressing to general manager, and ultimately to executive vice president.

Despite a professional baseball career that many considered underwhelming, he later established a strong reputation as an executive. His innovative strategies in baseball management have included various technological advancements, particularly in player statistical analysis. The 2003 book “Moneyball” by Michael Lewis, which tells Beane’s story, was subsequently adapted into a film featuring Brad Pitt.

Billy has also ventured outside of baseball into other sports, such as soccer. He holds a minority share in Barnsley FC, an English club competing in the EFL Championship. Additionally, he is a co-owner of AZ Alkmaar, a Dutch team in the Eredivisie. Beane’s interests extend beyond sports; he has seen significant success in the software industry and various other business opportunities.

Early Life of Billy Beane

Born William Lamar Beane III on March 29, 1962, in Orlando, Florida, Billy was raised in a military family in Mayport, Florida, and San Diego, California. His father, a naval officer, introduced him to pitching through their shared love of baseball. As a high school student in San Diego, Billy excelled in baseball, football, and basketball, eventually focusing more on baseball during his senior year. By the conclusion of high school, he had caught the attention of various scouts.

Overview of Billy Beane’s Baseball Career

Beane launched his playing career with the Mets, receiving a signing bonus of $125,000. Initially intending to attend Stanford, he ultimately chose to pursue professional baseball for financial motivations. As he struggled in various lower leagues to demonstrate his capabilities, Beane’s batting average declined, but he nevertheless made his MLB debut in 1984. Following his time with the Mets, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins.

Once again, Billy’s performance was underwhelming, leading to another trade, this time to the Detroit Tigers in 1988. After participating in just six games with the Tigers, Beane became a free agent and signed with the Oakland Athletics, but by the conclusion of the 1990 season, he was reassigned to the minor leagues. Frustrated by setbacks, he…Beane decided to become a scout instead of pursuing what he had experienced.

Front Office Career

Beane joined the Athletics in 1990 as an advance scout, a role he maintained until 1993. Following that, he advanced to the position of Assistant General Manager, dedicating much of his efforts to scouting players in the minor leagues. After the death of former owner Walter A. Haas, Jr. in 1995, the new Athletics ownership instructed Beane to reduce expenses as much as possible.

At this juncture, Billy Beane, alongside General Manager Sandy Alderson, began to implement their renowned sabermetric system for evaluating undervalued players’ genuine potential. With this analytical approach, the Athletics thrived despite operating on a limited budget. Even while offering some of the league’s lowest salaries, the Athletics ranked among the top 5 teams overall. In 1997, Billy became the team’s General Manager.

The Athletics consistently reached the playoffs, and in 2002, they etched their name in baseball history by winning 20 consecutive games. That year, Billy declined a highly lucrative offer from the Boston Red Sox to remain loyal to the Athletics. As a token of appreciation, the newly appointed team owner made him a partial owner. In the subsequent years, many other baseball organizations began adopting sabermetrics. By 2015, Billy was elevated to vice president of baseball operations.

Further Ventures

After the Athletics’ ownership acquired a stake in the San Jose Earthquakes, Billy sought to apply his analytical strategies to soccer players. Throughout his career, Beane has formed relationships with prominent managers in English football. In 2015, he took on the role of adviser to AZ Alkmaar’s general director, Robert Eenhoorn. A couple of years later, he became part of a consortium that bought the English club Barnsley. Additionally, Beane holds a position on the board of directors for NetSuite, a software firm. He also contributed as a consultant during the creation of the video game “MLB Front Office Manager.”

Baseball Salary

Billy Beane previously turned down a five-year contract worth $12.5 million from the Red Sox, which would have made him the highest-paid General Manager in sports history at that time. Instead, he chose to continue with a salary of $1 million at the A’s. He was appointed Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations in 2015, with David Forst succeeding him as GM.

Netsuite Salary

From 2007 until its acquisition by Oracle for $9 billion in 2016, Billy was a member of the Board of Directors for the cloud computing company NetSuite. During his tenure from 2007 to 2014, Beane earned approximately $4 million for his contributions at NetSuite.

Real Estate

In 2002, Billy acquired a residence in Danville, California, costing $1.735 million. This property has been referred to as a “McMansion” by some, although it boasts numerous upscale features, including an outdoor pool. Reports in 2013 indicated that Beane and his wife were listing the property for $1.895 million.