A-Rod and J-Lo won’t be buying the New York Mets

Oct 23, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Former MLB player Alex Rodreguiez talks to Houston Astros designated hitter Carlos Beltran (15) during workouts one day prior to game one of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

A few weeks ago, it was reported by several outlets that former New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez and singer, actress and performer Jennifer Lopez, his fiancée, were interested in acquiring the New York Mets from the Wilpons. They were reportedly looking for investors to realize their plan.

However, that doesn’t appear to be the case as things currently stand. According to Thornton McEnery of the New York Post, Rodriguez and Lopez are no longer interested in buying the Mets.

The reason for the decision was because negotiations with potential partners didn’t come to fruition. Also, according to the writer, it became evident that the Wilpons’ unwillingness to part with SNY made any deal impossible for people without very, very deep pockets.

The interest in acquiring the Mets hit a bump in the road

Rodriguez and Lopez’s intentions hit a bump in the road in recent days, when “their chosen money partner, Long Island biotech billionaire Wayne Rothbaum, made it clear he was only interested in scooping up the MLB franchise at an Amazin’ discount. Rothbaum also wanted to exert more control over the team than J-Rod was comfortable surrendering,” according to McEnery.

“The Rothbaum thing soured fast,” a source familiar with the J-Rod/Rothbaum relationship told The Post. “He was not their first choice, but he was the first to agree to next steps.”

Two challenges remain for any person or group looking to acquire the New York Mets: the difficulty to establish the franchise value in the times of coronavirus, and the Mets’ owners reluctance to part with SNY.

“They really think they can sell the team and keep SNY,” one Mets insider said. “But the only person to agree to that was Steve Cohen, and we all know how that ended.”

Some have even speculated that Cohen will eventually resurface as the primary candidate to buy the New York Mets, although he has said that he is out of the hunt.

“Cohen was going to do it, sure,” one banker close to the situation said. “But there is no way this team trades now without SNY. The Wilpons can play hardball as much as they want but no one can afford to own this team without the TV revenue. It literally doesn’t add up.”