New York Mets owners Jeff and Fred Wilpon are inching closer to selling their franchise, and the most star-studded group looking to buy the team may be the one that wins the bid.
Multiple MLB executives told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that the ownership group led by Alex Rodriguez and his fiancee Jennifer Lopez is considered the “clear-cut favorite” to win the Mets bid. The interested parties reportedly have until Aug. 31 to submit their best offers.
Several #MLB executives believe that the Alex Rodriguez ownership group, which has shown it has the money, is now the clear-cut favorite to purchase the #Mets. There's an Aug. 31 deadline to provide the best and final bids, according to Sportico.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 16, 2020
That is somewhat surprising news, as A-Rod and J-Lo are going up against several billionaires in their pursuit of the Mets. As of last month, it was believed that the bidding was down to three groups — the Rodriguez group, a group led by hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which is the firm that owns both the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils.
Cohen had a deal in place to buy the Mets earlier this year, but it fell apart for a number of reasons. He is still reportedly offering at least $2 billion for the franchise and wants to purchase the team’s TV network, SNY, for another $2 billion.
The group led by A-Rod and J-Lo features a number of prominent current and former athletes, but there have been questions about whether they can raise enough funds. That may not be as much of an issue as initially believed.
