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The Cuban government, through the Cuban Baseball Federation (FCB), generated over 2.3 million dollars in 2025 from contracts of its players signed with foreign leagues, a flow of income that highlights the commercialization of sports talent under state control and the questionable priorities regarding the use of funds.
According to state sports journalist Pavel Otero, the FCB receives between 10 and 20% for each athlete contracted abroad.
He emphasized that this percentage is not deducted from the players' salaries, but is paid directly by the contracting clubs to the Federation, leaving the athletes' earnings intact.
For example, a player receiving 500 thousand dollars generates an additional payment to the FCB corresponding to the agreed percentage, without affecting their salary.
The breakdown of the 2.3 million dollars raised reveals that the majority of the funds are allocated to administrative and operational purposes, with expenses that include:
$565,256 in apparel for the Liga Élite and the Serie Nacional.
297,619 USD in balls for all categories.
35,400 USD in shoes for coaches and referees.
11,095 USD in security deposits and memberships.
3,000 USD on sneakers for the under-12 World Cup.
74,062 USD in referee clothing and 7,453 USD in that of the National Softball Championship.
62,577 USD in wooden bats and 14,222 USD in batting gloves.
539,412 USD in clothing for the upcoming Liga Élite and Serie Nacional, ordered in advance.
536,900 USD in airfare and logistical expenses for 17 international events.
119,000 USD in playing surfaces, equipment, and awards for Baseball 5.
210,000 USD in KENKO balls for youth baseball.
98,000 USD for equipment and setup of the first-class gym at the Latinoamericano Stadium.
In addition, there are pending expenses allocated for lighting for four stadiums, as well as sports equipment, gyms, batting cages, and pitching machines, along with contributions to other sports with less funding.
This scheme highlights how the regime directly benefits from the international mobility of its athletes, a mechanism that has been criticized as a form of economic exploitation and control over sporting talent.
In 2019, the FCB signed an agreement that allows the hiring of players and coaches from abroad, explicitly excluding Major League Baseball (MLB), due to the restrictions imposed by the U.S. administration under the embargo and the fact that the FCB remains part of the state apparatus.
In 2018, a similar agreement signed during Barack Obama's administration based on a supposed autonomy of the FCB allowed for the recruitment of Cuban players in the United States.
But the Trump administration canceled it months later, arguing that the Federation was state-controlled and that contracts with MLB required special licenses from the Treasury Department.
The U.S. measure aimed to prevent the Cuban regime from using players as economic pawns, a point emphasized by officials such as John Bolton and Senator Marco Rubio, who denounced that these contracts amount to a state "rescue" of the athletes, legitimizing what they considered human trafficking.
The case highlights a stark contrast: while Cuban baseball players generate millions for the Federation and, consequently, for the government, direct investment in social development and the living conditions of athletes and citizens is limited, reflecting questionable priorities and a system that prioritizes state revenue over the well-being of athletes.
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