Maryland › Arts, entertainment and recreation › 5,000 to 24,999 participants
Form 5500 statement · plan year 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2025
Major League Baseball Players Pension Plan
Sponsored by Pension Committee of MLB Players Benefit Plan, Sparks, MD
Form 5500 information is as filed by the plan administrator with the Department of Labor and may be amended. Figures reflect the plan year shown, not current balances. Form 5500 contains no individual account balances. Look up the original filing at EFAST2.
In the plan year ending 31 Mar 2025, Major League Baseball Players Pension Plan covered 10,051 participants and held $4.66B in net assets. The plan is a defined benefit pension plan sponsored by Pension Committee of MLB Players Benefit Plan of Sparks, Maryland. It is a multiemployer plan, maintained under collective bargaining agreements with more than one employer.
Net assets came to $463,313 per participant, well above the $87,623 median for defined benefit plans with 5,000 to 24,999 participants and well above the $98,070 median for defined benefit plans in arts, entertainment and recreation. The figure is an average across everyone in the plan, including former employees with small balances; Form 5500 holds no individual account data.
Employer contributions were $143M for the year ($130,091 per active participant) and benefits paid were $267M. In a defined benefit plan the employer's contribution follows funding rules rather than a match formula, so it can swing widely from year to year.
Schedule C lists 15 service provider organisations paid $5,000 or more, with reported compensation of $10.1M: $1,001 per participant, well above the same-size median of $232. Administrative expenses charged to the plan were $11.1M. Schedule C does not capture every cost: fees netted from fund returns and fees the employer pays directly are outside it.
Across the filings on record, net assets went from $1.81B in 2009 to $4.66B in 2024 (up 157%), and participants from 8,611 to 10,051 (up 17%).
The independent accountant's opinion on the financial statements was unmodified (unqualified).
Compared with similar plans
| Measure | This plan | Same size | Same industry | All US DB plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net assets per participant | $463,313 | $87,623 | $98,070 | $86,221 |
| Employer contributions per active participant | $130,091 | $9,468 | $8,284 | $10,244 |
| Schedule C compensation per participant | $1,001 | $232 | $440 | $344 |
| Schedule C compensation, share of net assets | 0.22% | 0.30% | 0.49% | 0.42% |
| Administrative expenses per participant | $1,100 | $396 | $715 | $527 |
Peer columns are medians for plan year 2024 across defined benefit plans with 100 or more participants: 5,000 to 24,999 participants (651 plans), arts, entertainment and recreation (119) and all US plans (5,308). Fee medians cover plans that report an amount.
Trend by plan year
| Plan year | Participants | Net assets | Per participant | Employer contributions | Participant contributions | Schedule C compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 10,051 | $4.66B | $463,313 | $143M | — | $10.1M |
| 2023 | 9,866 | $4.52B | $458,335 | $143M | — | $10.7M |
| 2022 | 9,670 | $4.08B | $422,282 | $143M | — | $10.4M |
| 2021 | 9,847 | $4.39B | $445,361 | $146M | — | $13.1M |
| 2020 | 9,274 | $4.16B | $448,468 | $146M | — | $10.7M |
| 2019 | 9,011 | $3.10B | $343,964 | $146M | — | $12.9M |
| 2018 | 8,898 | $3.36B | $377,454 | $146M | — | $11.3M |
| 2017 | 8,766 | $3.27B | $373,521 | $146M | — | $10.7M |
| 2016 | 8,557 | $3.01B | $351,341 | $143M | — | $10.7M |
| 2015 | 8,321 | $2.72B | $326,419 | $143M | — | $11.8M |
| 2014 | 8,364 | $2.81B | $335,394 | $143M | — | $9.5M |
| 2013 | 8,204 | $2.69B | $327,470 | $143M | — | $10.7M |
| 2012 | 8,010 | $2.36B | $295,241 | $143M | — | $9.3M |
| 2011 | 7,883 | $2.11B | $268,288 | $152M | — | $9.2M |
| 2010 | 8,844 | $2.04B | $230,625 | $118M | — | $8.0M |
| 2009 | 8,611 | $1.81B | $210,030 | $118M | — | $6.4M |
Years in which the plan filed the full Form 5500 with 100 or more participants, from 2009. Plan year is the year in which the plan year began.
Statement for the year
- Net assets, beginning of year$4,521,928,673
- Employer contributions$142,840,000
- Participant contributions—
- Rollovers and other contributions—
- Total contributions$142,840,000
- Total income, including investment results$412,709,895
- Benefits paid$266,828,893
- Administrative expenses$11,051,268
- Total expenses$277,880,161
- Net income$134,829,734
- Net transfers$0
- Net assets, end of year$4,656,758,407
Participants
- Active participants1,098
- Retired or separated, receiving benefits3,211
- Retired or separated, entitled to future benefits5,152
- Total participants, end of year10,051
Fees and service providers
| Organisation | Services reported | Direct | Indirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baron Capital | Investment management | $1,254,139 | $0 |
| LSV Asset Management | Investment management | $1,122,983 | $0 |
| JP Morgan Investment Management Inc. | Investment advisory (plan); Investment management | $1,107,298 | $0 |
| BNY Mellon | Investment management | $1,081,508 | $0 |
| William Blair | Investment management | $909,081 | $0 |
| State Street Bank and Trust Company | Custodial (other than securities); Custodial (securities); Trustee (bank, trust company, or similar financial institution); Investment management | $847,149 | $0 |
| Associated Administrators LLC | Accounting (including auditing); Claims processing; Contract Administrator; Recordkeeping and information management; Participant communication | $773,547 | $0 |
| Pacific Investment Management Co. | Investment management | $706,947 | $0 |
| Bredhoff & Kaiser | Legal | $358,694 | $0 |
| Gallagher Fiduciary Advisors LLC | Investment advisory (plan) | $356,685 | $0 |
| Polen Capital Management LLC | Investment management | $306,381 | $0 |
| Schultheis & Panettieri, LLP | Accounting (including auditing) | $295,700 | $0 |
Schedule C, Part I line 2: providers that received $5,000 or more, with the form's own service codes. 3 smaller rows are not shown. Individuals named on Schedule C (plan employees, individual trustees) are never shown and their compensation is excluded. Eligible indirect compensation disclosed by formula carries no dollar amount. See how to read Schedule C fees.
Administrative expenses on Schedule H
- Investment advisory and management fees$7,319,127
- Other administrative expenses$1,171,665
- Contract administrator fees$772,872
- Trustee and custodial fees$617,920
- Legal fees$557,753
- IQPA audit fees$295,700
- Actuarial fees$282,945
- Other trustee fees and expenses$33,286
- Total administrative expenses$11,051,268
Investment structure
Assets at year end by Schedule H category. The form shows the kind of vehicle holding the money, not the funds on the menu.
- Common/collective trusts$1.98B · 41.6%
- Partnership/joint venture interests$1.19B · 25.0%
- Corporate stocks$565M · 11.9%
- Registered investment companies (mutual funds)$267M · 5.6%
- Corporate debt instruments$225M · 4.7%
- U.S. Government securities$222M · 4.7%
- Cash (interest and non-interest bearing)$209M · 4.4%
- Other loans$79.1M · 1.7%
- 103-12 investment entities$13.8M · 0.3%
- Receivables$9.8M · 0.2%
- Other investments$3.0M · 0.1%
- Buildings and other property used in plan operation$369K · 0.0%
Audit and compliance answers, as filed
- Accountant's opinionUnmodified (unqualified)
- Audit scope limited under ERISA section 103(a)(3)(C)No
- Accounting firmSchultheis & Panettieri, LLP
- Participant contributions reported as transmitted lateNo
- Covered by a fidelity bondYes, $1,000,000
- Blackout period during the year—
These are the plan administrator's own answers on Schedule H, Part IV. A reported late transmittal is the filer's disclosure of a timing lapse, usually corrected through the Department of Labor's voluntary program; the amount is the total involved, not a loss.
Plan characteristics
1BBenefits are primarily flat dollar (includes dollars per year of service)
Codes entered on Form 5500 line 8a, with the labels from the official instructions. Business code 711210: Spectator Sports (including sports clubs & racetracks).
Other plans of Pension Committee of MLB Players Benefit Plan
| Plan | Participants | Net assets |
|---|---|---|
| Major League Baseball Players Investment Plan | 4,675 | $1.16B |
Similar plans in Maryland
| Plan | Sponsor | Participants | Net assets | Per participant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The National Football League Club Employees Pension Plan | Multiple Employers | 11,358 | $2.20B | $193,417 |
| NFL Player Cash Balance Plan | Cash Balance Board of NFL Player Cash Balance Plan | 1,731 | $126M | $73,077 |
| Bert Bell/pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan | Retirement Board of Bert Bell/pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan | 15,591 | $3.95B | $253,040 |
| Maryland Race Track Employees Pension Fund | Bd. of Trustees-Maryland Race Track Employees Pension Fund | 1,364 | $51.5M | $37,766 |
| Int'l Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 22 Pension Fund | Int'l Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees - Local 22 Pension Fund | 840 | $126M | $150,100 |
| Major League Baseball Pension Plan for Non-Uniformed Personnel | Baltimore Orioles LP | 648 | $60.5M | $93,396 |
Defined benefit plans in arts, entertainment and recreation closest in size.
Questions and answers
How big is Major League Baseball Players Pension Plan?
10,051 participants at the end of the plan year ending 31 Mar 2025, of whom 1,098 were active employees, with net assets of $4,656,758,407. Among defined benefit plans that places it in the 5,000 to 24,999 participants band, which held 651 plans in plan year 2024.
What does Pension Committee of MLB Players Benefit Plan contribute per participant?
The filing reports $142,840,000 in employer contributions for the year, which is $130,091 per active participant; the median for plans of the same type and size was $9,468 in plan year 2024. Form 5500 reports the total only. It does not state the match formula, and the per-participant figure is an average, not any one person's contribution.
What fees does the plan pay and how do they compare?
Schedule C reports $10,063,922 in compensation to service provider organisations, $1,001 per participant or 0.22% of net assets. The same-size median among plans reporting any Schedule C compensation was $232 per participant. Administrative expenses on Schedule H were $11,051,268. Investment costs deducted inside mutual funds and other pooled vehicles are not itemised on Form 5500, so these figures are a floor rather than a full cost.
Who runs the plan?
The sponsor is Pension Committee of MLB Players Benefit Plan. Recordkeeping or administration: Associated Administrators LLC. Investment advisory or management: Baron Capital, LSV Asset Management and JP Morgan Investment Management Inc.. Trustee or custodian: State Street Bank and Trust Company. The financial statements were audited by Schultheis & Panettieri, LLP. Form 5500 also names the plan administrator's signer and other individuals; this site publishes organisations only.
Was the audit opinion unqualified?
The filing reports an unmodified (unqualified) opinion. Unmodified (formerly "unqualified") is the standard clean opinion.
How current is this, and does it show my balance?
This is the Form 5500 for the plan year 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2025, received by the Department of Labor on 14 Jan 2026. Filings are due seven months after the plan year ends, or nine and a half with an extension, so the public record always runs a year or more behind. It contains plan-level totals only: no individual balances, contributions or names of participants exist in the data.
Provenance
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Form 5500 research files (Form 5500, Schedule H, Schedule C) for plan years 2009 to 2025, public domain, with filings received through 24 Aug 2026. This page shows the latest filing on record for EIN 51-0185287, plan 001, received 14 Jan 2026; an amended filing replaces it at the next build. Medians and percentiles are computed by this site; see the methodology. Report an error through corrections.