Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagicLooks like the MLB will be making room for two celebrity owners should Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez go through with their plans to buy the Mets.
According to the New York Post on Monday, the duo hired JP Morgan Chase to bolster their finances in order to bid on the team. Speculation the engaged couple was interested in becoming team owners first sparked in February.
“It’s real,” the source close to the situation assured The Post regarding the couple’s move to consult JP Morgan Chase.
A-Rod’s interest in the team shouldn’t be all that surprising as he candidly revealed that, growing up, he was a fan of the Mets. He also hinted on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that he was interested in purchasing the team and even joked to the show host, “Maybe you can buy them with me. I need a partner.”
Rodriguez nearly signed a contract to play for the Mets in 2000, but the team lost out to the Texas Rangers, who offered him a $252 million deal. A-Rod was then traded to the Yankees in 2004.
As for the Mets, who haven’t won a World Series since 1986, the team is currently owned by real estate developer Fred Wilpon. He tried selling 80 percent of the team for $2.6 billion to hedge fund manager Steve Cohen in December, but the deal fell through because the Wilpon family wanted to retain ownership of the team for at least five more years.
However, Cohen could still make a play for the Mets, as he still retains eight percent stake, according to The Post.
As for Lopez and A-Rod, their combined net worth rests at around $700 million, which explains why they consulted JP Morgan Chase to make their bid.
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