Former New York Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez reveals he’d consider purchasing the New York Mets if the opportunity arose.
Last month, rumors circulated that Alex Rodriguez could be interested in buying the New York Mets. This came after a potential deal involving Steve Cohen fell through. The billionaire was to increase his investment in order to become the majority owner.
So with a new owner no longer on the way, Rodriguez revealed on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” whether he’d show interest in such a move.
.@AROD reveals he would be interested in buying the @Mets #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/FTCxSXNIrM
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) March 10, 2020
“I love New York City, that’s number one. A lot of people don’t know this: growing up, I was a big Mets fan,” he said. “With the exception of my daughters’ births — both of them — the best years of my life were 1986 and 2009 when [the New York Yankees] won. So I will say this: if the opportunity came up, I would certainly look at it, and maybe [Fallon] can buy them with me, I need a partner.”
At the moment, Rodriguez is an analyst for both ESPN and Fox. He’s yet to follow in the footsteps of former teammate Derek Jeter, who became the CEO and part-owner of the Miami Marlins in 2017 after retiring in 2014.
Thus, if A-Rod were to indeed purchase the Mets one day, we could witness Jeter vs. Rodriguez in the National League East, which would definitely make for some headlines.
Since the deal with Cohen fell through, it’s unclear what the long-term future holds for the Mets as far as ownership. The Wilpon family is still taking charge and would’ve been even if the Cohen deal stayed put. The terms of the sale were to keep Fred Wilpon (CEO) and Jeff Wilpon (COO) in their respective positions for the following five years.
But how quickly the Wilpons will sell even after what happened with the Cohen situation is unknown.
Mets fans shouldn’t be opposed to the idea of Rodriguez purchasing the team whatsoever. This is a man who has business-related experience and could thrive in this type of role. His massive popularity and presence are additionally beneficial.