After his attempt to buy the New York Mets from the Wilpons fell through in February, billionaire hedge funder Steve Cohen is once again leading the pack when it comes to the sale process.
However, and according to the New York Post, a “mystery” bidder continues to lurk around with considerable odds of securing the Mets, even though Cohen remains the favorite to close the transaction this time around.
According to a report by Sportico on Tuesday, four bidders advanced to the second round of negotiations to buy the New York Mets: Cohen, the mystery bidder, Alex Rodriguez and fiancee Jennifer Lopez (and a host of sports stars), and New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer.
“Rumors persist of a mysterious fourth bidder actively engaged in the process. What is also clear is that hedge fund billionaire Steve Cohen remains the leading contender in the process due to his deeper pockets and even deeper understanding of the franchise’s woeful financial picture, advantages that might weaken interest in a bidding war for the team,” the Post reported.
Who will run the Mets?
One source involved in the process told The Post that “maybe there is another mystery bidder, but it’s more likely that this is just an attempt to keep Steve Cohen on his toes.â€
Per FOX Business Network’s Charles Gasparino, Cohen came out on top on last week’s first round of bids after putting a $2 billion offer on the table for the Mets. “J-Rod” offer was first reported to be around $1.7 billion, but it is actually closer to $2 billion. Harris and Blitzer were around $1.7 billion.
Several outlets report that SNY is not for sale.
The next few months will tell the ending of this long story, as the Wilpons hope to sell the team by October.