After five months of intrigue and reporting on potential owners, it seems that Steve Cohen is the favorite to purchase the New York Mets.
Charles Gasparino of Fox Business is reporting that Steve Cohen and the Wilpons have made amends and are currently in discussions regarding the sale of the New York Mets.
SCOOP-Baseball sources tell @FoxBusiness hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen & the Wilpons have patches up their differences and have been discussing Cohen’s purchase of @Mets yet another indication that (as I reported) Cohen is the leading contender for the team story developing
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) July 7, 2020
It was over eight months ago that Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic originally broke the news that Cohen was going to purchase the ballclub. The deal fell apart three months later, and ever since, it’s been nothing but rumors. Despite it all, Cohen remained interested in the team and never left the picture.
He was waiting and biding his time until he could jump back into the race, and that time has finally come. The first round of bids to purchase the Mets are due on Thursday, but indications are those offers would be nowhere near the Wilpons’ $2 billion ask. That opened a door for Cohen.
Now, the hedge fund billionaire isn’t just making an offer, but he’s the favorite to purchase the team…again. It speaks volumes that Cohen and the Wilpons are already in discussions. The bidding deadline isn’t for another two days but that hasn’t stopped them, and that shows how serious Cohen is.
It’s likely that Cohen’s bid is going to blow everyone else out of the water and at least match the Wilpons’ $2 billion ask. At this point, that’s all the Wilpons could ask for.
It’s the happy ending everyone wanted, just five months late. The Wilpons get their ask, though it’s well below the original deal. Cohen gets the Mets and immediate control. The fans get an owner who’s willing to spend to make the team great.
That is, so long as nothing stops this deal from being finalized.
