NFL, NBA stars join A-Rod, J-Lo bid
to buy Mets
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[July 14, 2020]
Celebrity power couple Alex
Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez reportedly have turned to some heavy
hitters associated with other sports in yet another bid to purchase
the New York Mets.
Per ESPN, Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Brian Urlacher, Super
Bowl champion Travis Kelce, former NFL running back DeMarco Murray
and retired offensive lineman Joe Thomas have joined the NBA's
Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) and Mason Plumlee (Denver Nuggets)
as investors in the bid.
"Being a former athlete and having a chance to be a part of a group
trying to purchase a professional team, it's pretty cool," Urlacher
told ESPN on Monday. "It's especially cool to be involved with Alex.
Alex is the man. You've got Kelce, Joe Thomas, DeMarco Murray. It's
great to be in a group with them."
"We couldn't be more excited to have such high-quality individuals
as part of our group," Rodriguez and fiancee Lopez said in a
combined statement, according to CBSSports.com.
The group reportedly made an initial bid of $1.7 billion, per ESPN.
The former New York Yankees slugger and Bronx-born actress/singer
have reportedly ponied up $300 million of their own money toward the
bid.
The sum total, however, trails the $2 billion made by hedge fund
billionaire Steve Cohen, according to a report by the New York Post.
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Per the newspaper, Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon would
prefer to sell to the Rodriguez-Lopez group if its offer is close to
the best bid at the end of the auction.
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The Wilpons are willing to package SNY, the Mets' cable network, for
sale along with the club, the New York Post reported.
The Wilpons' previous unwillingness to include SNY in the deal
helped sink the first bid from Rodriguez and Lopez, the newspaper
reported.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Jul/14/images/ads/current/castlemanor_sda_FINANCIAL_2017.png)
In April, Forbes placed the Mets' value at $2.4 billion, a 4 percent
rise from last year. The Mets' ranked sixth on Forbes list of values
for Major League Baseball teams, trailing only the Yankees ($5
billion), Los Angeles Dodgers ($3.4 billion), Boston Red Sox ($3.3
billion), Chicago Cubs ($3.2 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($3.1
billion).
Rodriguez, 44, was a three-time Most Valuable Player and 14-time
All-Star in a 22-year major league career that included stints with
the Seattle Mariners (1994-2000), Texas Rangers (2001-03) and
Yankees (2004-13). His career accomplishments were tarnished by his
admitted use of performance-enhancing substances.
Lopez, 50, has enjoyed success as both a movie star and a singer.
Fox Business reported in February that her net worth is between $225
million and $400 million, with Rodriguez's net worth estimated at
$300 million to $350 million.
(Field Level Media)
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