MLB owners approve sale of Mets to Steve Cohen

The sale from the Wilpon and Katz families values the franchise at between $2.4 billion and $2.45 billion, a record for a baseball team.

Associated Press

Oct 30, 2020, 10:07 PM

Updated 1,365 days ago

Share:

Major League Baseball owners voted Friday to approve the sale of the New York Mets to billionaire hedge fund manager Steve Cohen.
The sale from the Wilpon and Katz families values the franchise at between $2.4 billion and $2.45 billion, a record for a baseball team. The sale is likely to close within 10 days.
An entity controlled by Cohen will own 95% of the franchise, and the Wilpon and Katz families will retain 5% of the team.
Former Mets general manager Sandy Alderson will return as team president.
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Friday that the city does not object to the sale. The city had the right to review the proposed transfer of the lease of Citi Field, the Mets' home since 2009.
The current Mets ownership group is headed by Fred Wilpon, brother-in-law Saul Katz and Wilpon’s son Jeff, the team’s chief operating officer.
The 64-year-old Cohen is CEO and president of Point72 Asset Management. He first bought an 8% limited partnership stake in 2012 for $40 million.
The publisher Doubleday & Co. bought the Mets in 1980 from the family of founding owner Joan Payson for $21.1 million, with the company owning 95% of the team and Wilpon controlling 5%.
When Doubleday & Co. was sold to Bertelsmann AG in 1986, the publisher sold its shares of the team for $80.75 million to Wilpon and Nelson Doubleday, who became 50-50 owners.
Wilpon completed his buyout of Doubleday in August 2002, ending what had become an acrimonious partnership. Under the original appraisal, Doubleday would have received $137.9 million - half the team’s $391 million value after accounting for debt. Wilpon sued, and the sides then settled.
Cohen controlled SAC Capital Advisors, which in 2013 pleaded guilty to criminal fraud charges. SAC agreed to pay a $900 million fine and forfeit another $900 million to the federal government, though $616 million that SAC companies had already agreed to pay to settle parallel actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was to be deducted from the $1.8 billion.


More from News 12
2:04
Boar’s Head deli meat recalled for potential listeria contamination

Boar’s Head deli meat recalled for potential listeria contamination

2:16
Fire at Fair Lawn strip mall destroys multiple businesses, including popular Zadies Bakery

Fire at Fair Lawn strip mall destroys multiple businesses, including popular Zadies Bakery

3:00
Beautiful weekend ahead for New Jersey with sunny skies and warm temperatures

Beautiful weekend ahead for New Jersey with sunny skies and warm temperatures

1:43
Lead found on Keyport beach not ‘urgent risk’ to public health, no need to close beach

Lead found on Keyport beach not ‘urgent risk’ to public health, no need to close beach

0:55
EPA completes Phase 1 of superfund site cleanup at Unimatic Manufacturing site in Fairfield

EPA completes Phase 1 of superfund site cleanup at Unimatic Manufacturing site in Fairfield

0:20
West New York school named for Sen. Menendez to revert to original name

West New York school named for Sen. Menendez to revert to original name

0:30
Attorney general: NJ state trooper ‘inexcusably crossed the line,’ admits to punching handcuffed woman in the face in 2022

Attorney general: NJ state trooper ‘inexcusably crossed the line,’ admits to punching handcuffed woman in the face in 2022

0:15
East Brunswick police: Bicyclist killed in Route 18 crash

East Brunswick police: Bicyclist killed in Route 18 crash

0:30
No one injured in Kenilworth house fire

No one injured in Kenilworth house fire

1:04
Attorney general releases body camera footage of fatal Hamilton police-involved shooting

Attorney general releases body camera footage of fatal Hamilton police-involved shooting

0:15
Part of Manchester’s Harry Wright Lake closed due to high levels of fecal bacteria

Part of Manchester’s Harry Wright Lake closed due to high levels of fecal bacteria

0:23
2 dead in Maine plane crash after leaving New Jersey airport

2 dead in Maine plane crash after leaving New Jersey airport

0:18
$1 million lottery ticket won from $20 scratch-off at North Wildwood Wawa

$1 million lottery ticket won from $20 scratch-off at North Wildwood Wawa

1:59
Paws & Pals: Felicity now up for adoption at Associated Humane Societies

Paws & Pals: Felicity now up for adoption at Associated Humane Societies

1:17
Gov. Murphy discusses potential Menendez replacement on ‘Ask Gov. Murphy’

Gov. Murphy discusses potential Menendez replacement on ‘Ask Gov. Murphy’

0:40
State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

0:33
New Jersey now has 21 towns where starter homes cost more than $1 million

New Jersey now has 21 towns where starter homes cost more than $1 million

0:48
Jersey Proud: Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis first performed together 78 years ago in Atlantic City

Jersey Proud: Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis first performed together 78 years ago in Atlantic City

1:47
Police: 3 people hospitalized as bee swarm takes over Paramus neighborhood

Police: 3 people hospitalized as bee swarm takes over Paramus neighborhood

0:23
Prosecutor: 15-year-old charged with murder in deadly Trenton shooting

Prosecutor: 15-year-old charged with murder in deadly Trenton shooting