Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez have added some more clout to their bid to buy the Mets, bringing billionaire Mike Repole into their group, per ESPN’s Darren Rovell (Twitter link). The 51-year-old Queens native co-founded Glaceau/Energy Brands, the original creator of Vitamin Water, in addition to co-founding the BODYARMOR sports drink company. Repole also owns his own stable which has several notable racehorses.
It’s not the first time that Repole has expressed an interest in purchasing his hometown club, per Josh Kosman and Zach Braziller of the New York Post. He previously expressed interest in 2011 but did not make a formal bid. And while Repole’s roughly $1 billion net worth eclipses the combined worth of Rodriguez and Lopez by most calculations, Kosman and Braziller report that A-Rod and J. Lo are still expected to be the designated control owners of the team.
According to the Post, Repole is one of two investors working with Galatioto Sports Partners — an investment bank that could contribute approximately a quarter billion dollars to the bid. The A-Rod/J. Lo group has also been working with JPMorgan in their efforts to compile a bid, and other investors could yet join the fray. Rovell notes that the bid from Rodriguez and Lopez is “very real.”
The Rodriguez/Lopez group is up against a group headed up by Philadelphia 76ers/New Jersey Devils owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer in their pursuit to buy the Mets. No other suitors are known right now, although other groups could yet emerge. Regardless, it’s become increasingly clear in recent months that Mets ownership, led by the Wilpon family, are amenable to a sale of the team. Back in December, New York billionaire Steve Cohen reportedly agreed to a framework on a gradual sale that would see him increase his stake in the club to 80 percent by 2025. However, that deal fell apart in February, when Cohen officially pulled out of the deal.
Given the economic crash that has been brought about by the ongoing pandemic, it’s all but certain that the Mets would sell well shy of the $2.6 billion figure that was reported back in December. However, the lost revenue to date — and any further projected losses even if a 2020 season commences — could also increase the Wilpons’ urgency to sell a majority stake in the team.
Please dear lord baby Jesus or as our brothers in the south call you, Jesús. Let this happen.
MLB is going to lose tons of fans due to their not wanting to make a deal to play this year. Might be a bad investment for Aroid.
Even if a sale goes through, it takes time to finalize it and have very little bearing with the new ownership. You can also argue that the Wilpons might be selling low. It’s NYC and the NYY are worth $5B and rising. NYC could also very well support a third local MLB team. Mets could double their current value in a few years with competent new owners. Doesn’t have to be ARod & Co. either.
It’s not a-rod’s choice. Jenny has what used to be his marbles (now pebbles) so it’ll be her investment for better or worse
Baseball was a much better product when they banned cheaters for life.
cmon. banning a player is one thing, but banning a guy from doing anything in the sport – namely owning a team – is just unreasonable.
@DarkSide Do you even know what a ban from baseball is and always has been? It means you can’t even enter a MLB stadium. And yes, A-Rod was caught cheating and should be banned for life.
exactly. that’s why i dont like the idea of it. he should have been banned from playing but beyond that he should be allowed to do whatever else he wants. his infractions were as a player, and he should have been punished as such.
I guess then MLB should force the Astros Owner Jim Crane to sell the team. Because the “buck” in the sign cheating scandal stops with him. Heck if you really thought about it and investigated it probably half if not more of the teams owners in fact all the sports teams owners (MLB, NFL, NBA & NHL) cheated & lied to get where they are.
They can’t bc MLB has made owning a team so ridiculously expensive that people who have that kind of money – don’t want to take the risk. So they stuck w the likes of jeter and arod and jlo. Sad….
How often do teams go up so sale? How many times have they been sold to groups lead by an ex players? You speak like it’s a common occurrence. Jester is the single example, Nolan Ryan was not part of the ownership group if I remember correctly.
Actually, a ban does not prevent a person from entering an MLB stadium. Pete Rose is free to buy a ticket to any stadium in MLB, and he can go to any game he wants—in the same capacity as any other fan/spectator. He is not permitted to take part in any business related to baseball.
A-Rod was caught cheating (as were hundreds of others), and was suspended, not banned. There is a difference.
Put down your pitchfork beisbolista. It’s a game with grown men running around in tight pants throwing a ball. If he’s got the cash to be part of an ownership group good for him.
What risk? Team values have been increasing much faster than the rates for even the best investment portfolios. We may be past ‘peak’ growth, but owning a team is an incredible asset to build wealth with.
Most owners cheated and lied to get where they are? That is an absurd assumption that is backed up by nothing but your ideology.
No. The agreement negotiated between the MLBPA and MLB did not allow for a permanent ban for using steroids.
right, which is his point, he SHOULD have been banned
So if we’re banning A Rod, let’s also ban Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Big Papi..
If you have the money to even be part of a group bidding to buy a franchise, you no longer need to build wealth…
So you’d want Pete Rose owning a team? They were banned for tarnishing the sport, now you want them signing checks? Where they can actually CONTROL the game and players? get me some of what you smoke please
would you believe im sober? honestly, I dont care. Im one of the biggest A-Rod haters out there, but what he did on the field shouldnt mean he cant make a purchase with the money he owns simply because that’s a league-related purchase.
Pete Rose cannot own a team because he is BANNED from participating in the game in any manner other than as a fan. Rodriguez was suspended, not banned. Both players were punished according to the bylaws of MLB.
Pete Rose bet with his “own money” it’s bad optics and A Rod is the worlds biggest scumbag
Ok, both points you make weren’t necessary but I’ll play the game. A Rod failed SEVERAL PED tests and most importantly A Rod CHEATED!! What don’t you get? Rose as much as they wanted to say he did, he didn’t. Regardless, A Rod tarnished the game, cheated the fans and players etc.
Remember Tim meadows in trainwreck ? All the guys were all gitty over the pro athletes bill hader worked with. Then he got to Arod- *%#+ that guy ! And they all cheered. The views on him haven’t changed since then.
Ironically he may be more well liked than jlo
Repole’s net worth according to report is estimated to be just over $1B ($1 Billion). The bid by A-Rod, J-Lo and now Repole could be coming together. Combined the 3 have a Net Work of close to $2 billion.
The sale would be good for the Mets fans and baseball.
They still to borrow a ton of additional cash or find another investor with much deeper pockets to become part of the group. Just because they may be known to be worth a certain amount, it doesn’t not mean they are able or willing to put it all up as part of the purchase.
No one puts up ALL of their money. But you’re right they still will need additional capitol investors. The same as Mark Walter did when he bought the Dodgers.
si.com/mlb/2017/10/31/who-owns-los-angeles-dodgers
Lmfao
A Rod has a past of cheating and if you have ever read the horror stories of how J-Lo has fired people she considers “peasants” just for looking at her you don’t want them as owners. As a Sixer fan, I will tell you that Joshua Harris who is also making a bid with a group would be a great owner. He is truly dedicated to not just being competitive, but trying to win the World Series. He will not cut corners and is willing to spend money to do it. As a Phillies fan I would be a lot more scared of a Joshua Harris owned Mets team than an A Rod and J Lo owned one.
He is trying to win the World Series with a basketball team! That would be a quite a feat if he gets it done, haha
Somebody needs to tell them baseball is not profitable.
Like
LMFAO! Someone needs to research before making comments that makes them look foolish!! You really think Billionaires line you to lose money?
Foolish? This was in reference to DeWitt’s public comments about owning a team. Clearly it is profitable.
In fact running a franchise could be a money losing endeavor, but that doesn’t meant that owning the franchise in the long run is not highly profitable.
You also have to remember that although as a fan the team, stadium, tv channel, merchandise, etc may seem like a single entity, they are likely operated as individual units of a holding company, each design to minimize the tax impact of the entire operation.
Most owners look to break even during the 162-game season. Profits are expected if a team makes the post-season.
/s
Weren’t the New Jersey Devils involved in some way with the YES Network? Are they still?
If Harris and Blitzer add the Mets to the Devils, they have all they need to start their own RSN.
You mean SNY?
RSN stands for Regional Sports Network
That’s what SNY is
Repole has been a successful business man but remember- it’s widely believed that Steve Cohen will make another bid on the Mets.. whoever wants to bid, they will but Cohen can top all of them.. like Repole Cohen is a lifelong Met fan & his personal worth is anywhere from $10 to 13 billion so good luck outbidding him.. he would become the richest owner in MLB.. Met fans are are praying day & night for Cohen to jump in…just the thought of a guy with his $$ getting the team..
The Devil games are broadcast on MSG as are the Islander games.. if Harris buys the team & part of SNY then the Devils will be on SNY.. sounds as if Harris & Blitzer would look to create a mega RSN.. maybe we get some Sixer games on SNY??.. who knows what will happen ?
ARods tainted money. Probably has to borrow from jlo
Ah, this is my life as well. I started a company that sold on-line advertising, sold it to Google for several billion (have forgotten how many….I let my Family Office handle these things), then branched out into Old Masters, a pair of vineyards, and fine polo ponies. Fred, call me, we will talk. I’m terribly bored..
“I live in hotels, tear out the walls, I have accountants pay for it all”. “Life’s been good to me”
It’s always nice to have one of the games biggest cheaters own a baseball team.
A Rod just yelled “ha!” at this can of corn.
A-Rod and JLo purchasing the Mets could be great for Mets fans…although it might take a while. It’ll end poorly, but so did Frank McCort’s ownership of the Dodgers; he and his wife had no business owning an MLB team, and then when they broke up it destroyed the Dodgers…then they got an owner with the actual ability to use the team’s finances to run the team. Same could happen with the Mets. Or, as a Phillies fan, it’d just be hysterical to watch another way for the Mets to implode.
I wish A-Rod would just go away. He will do anything to stay in the news and I’m so tired of him.
I can see A-rod and JLO doing duets together during the 7th inning stretch for some reason.
Just did some reading on Repole.
forbes.com/sites/markjburns/2014/10/13/think-big-d…
If you’re a Mets fan, there is a lot to be encouraged by his inclusion. He has a passion for both sports and business which his education and activities easily validate. He came from a low income family where his mother was a seasmstress and his father was a waiter so nothing was given to him.
If you want a shorter but more personal evaluation read here:
parade.com/345070/michaelosacky/interview-with-ent…
I know these two articles and other readings doesn’t assure anyone that he will be a good co-owner but as initial first impressions go, I think Mets fans should want this. If I were a Mets fan, I think I would prefer Repole taking greater control than Arod because his background makes him the more qualified manager.
As a Braves fan, this guy concerns me a little because you don’t want your opponents leadership being TOO competent and this guy strikes me as competent.
You’re a Marlins fan.. you’re commenting on another team???.. and A Rod alone can’t buy the team but depending who’s involved- and if it’s Repole he’ll be the one calling the shots.. but pal, you’re commenting on the Mets.. how about you guys actually show up at a game.. I went to a Mets-Marlins game in Miami last season & it sounded as if I was in Citi Field..
Repole has been a successful business man but remember- it’s widely believed that Steve Cohen will make another bid on the Mets.. whoever wants to bid, they will but Cohen can top all of them.. like Repole Cohen is a lifelong Met fan & his personal worth is anywhere from $10 to 13 billion so good luck outbidding him.. he would become the richest owner in MLB.. Met fans are are praying day & night for Cohen to jump in…just the thought of a guy with his $$ getting the team..
I’m..a Braves fan. But besides that, why COULDN’T a Marlins fan be happy for the Mets that they are getting a good co-owner? Maybe you should let me know which fans can be happy for other teams when there is an improvement.
And what does a teams attendance have to do with having an opinion about another teams ownership or potential ownership anyway?
Also, post a source about who will be the controlling owner if you don’t mind because “And while Repole’s roughly $1 billion net worth eclipses the combined worth of Rodriguez and Lopez by most calculations, Kosman and Braziller report that A-Rod and J. Lo are still expected to be the designated control owners of the team.” tells me something different.
I’m guessing you intended to post on the comment bellow mine though as that one clearly has a Marlins fan
A baseball team? Seriously? Take that money and invest in minority owned businesses and housing. Of course, they can invest their money anywhere they want, but isn’t it time millionaire/billionaire minorities start putting their money where their mouths are? I don’t mean the occasional youth center, I mean honest to goodness businesses. LeBron doesn’t live in the ‘hood. None of his NBA brothers do. Barry Bonds just sold his mansion for $24 million. How much you wanna bet he buys a fixer-upper in Oakland? Yeah…that’s what I thought.
This is one of the best comments I’ve seen on this site.
Of course we know that they won’t invest on minority-owned businesses (unless it’s their own family members). They’ll talk and take a stance on behalf of minorities and express outrage, but they won’t put their money where their mouth is.
Also, notice how everyone of these millionaire minority brothers and sisters of ours (who many used to be working class or impoverished) were safely protesting social injustice and inequality from the safety of their mansions via Zoom? Kind of reminded me of the safe homes, in the high-end secure neighborhoods, in the movie The Purge.
Just as quickly as some of them start to voice their options, I bet you would be one of those people that would say, athletes and the rich should keep quiet, what do they know about being a regular working person.
Also, I am not a fan of LeBron by any means, but he is at least doing some positive things. You may not think it’s nearly enough but it’s better than doing nothing or being part of the problem.
How much have you done?
Actually, I could not ever say that a lot of them don’t know what regular working people go through because a lot of them have been working class or impoverished as I’ve said in my statement. The thing that looks bad is that when they are one of the fortunate ones to successfully stride in business or be gifted with a special talent they were born with, many of them forget where they came from. Now, don’t take me wrong. I understand when they turn away from the freeloaders that try to leech off of them or the losers that they could no longer be around because of their new status, but to completely turn away from or think they’re above the good people in their past or the new good people going to the same struggles they once went through is what makes many of them look bad. It looks worse when they in turn, in order to continue building their statuses, pretend to care when they’ve not done anything except post a comment or uploaded a video with the attention gaining #hashtag on their social media.
As for me, I came from a lower middle class ‘hood’. Now, I’m a small business owner in an entertainment industry. I don’t have the financial or same level of influential strength as these celebrities or am I wealthy, but I do okay (upper working class). Even from my position, for newcomers that I see are serious about their craft and the industry, I give them the opportunities in doing work for me and others or giving opportunities for being a vendor for my business (as needed). Is that enough for me to qualify to make the comment I made about the individuals who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk when they’re safely hidden in their mansions?
So is Mike Repole going to the lazy journalist start referring him as “M-Pole” and make it a trifecta for all 3 of them.
On behalf of all Marlins, Phillies, Braves, Nats and certain Mets fans, oh please let A*Roids buy the Mets! Please! Please! Please let this happen!
You’re a Marlins fan.. you’re commenting on another team???.. and A Rod alone can’t buy the team but depending who’s involved- and if it’s Repole he’ll be the one calling the shots.. but pal, you’re commenting on the Mets.. how about you guys actually show up at a game.. I went to a Mets-Marlins game in Miami last season & it sounded as if I was in Citi Field..
He is too busy learning everything possible about failed prospects for other NL East teams so he can come on here and troll. That leaves no time to attend any fish games.
Worry about your own stinking team.
J. Lo knows a thing or two about repole.
Mike Repole is a lifelong Met fan & a billionaire who hit it big with Vitamin Water.. he no owns Body Armor drinks which showed earnings of $400 million last year.. if Repole is involved, make no mistake- he’ll be in charge.. he’s worth anywhere from.$1 to 1.5 billion depending who you listen to.. A Rod might get the team president position, something in team operations but Repole will be calling the shots..
Man vitamin water was huge about 10 years ago. Can’t remember the last time I had one.
Neither do I but Repole & his partner sold the company to Coke for an estimated $4.1 billion.. and today he owns Body Armor which which supposedly showed earnings of $400 mill.. so obviously he’s got some $$..and last night Vinnie Viola, who owns the Florida Panthers & has other companies he owns is also looking to get involved.. I read that Viola is the former head of the NY Mercantile exchange..he also is worth around $1.5 to 2 billion.. and Vincent Viola is also a local guy, born & raised in Brooklyn
Keep the Wilpons there forever if the only alternative is A-Roid. Cheating pile of crap. Let Repole & Viola push those two privileged clowns down a sewer and buy the team themselves.
The comments on Arod is hilarious does anyone think he was the only player taking steriods? Ask yourself this question even those that didn’t take Steroids they benefited from those that did because they received a higher contract due to those that were on steroids.
If he can muster to jump in the game as a small minority owner let him be why are so many people whining because he took steroids and to ban him from the game? Bud Selig was not banned as an owner or commissioner from letting it happened? Jeter was not banned himself from getting in on the Marlins he may have not taken it but he sure as hell stayed quiet on what was going on in the clubhouse so he is just as guilty.
Also Torre became a high ranking MLB Official and we know his history of those that were on steroids during his watch, how about Tony LaRussa “the man” that actually first had the first team that all looked like wrestlers when with the A’s he became an important figure with the Dimondbacks none of the aforementioned were banned from baseball and moved on up to higher positions within in the game so why the hate on Arod because he signed the most money 2x?
The Mets need new ownership and having two people that are from nyc in Arod & JLo will be great for the city this coming from a Yankees fan.
It’s a joke but remember- a lot of this A Rod hammering comes from Yankee fans- they never wanted him on the team.. meanwhile the Yanks had plenty of guys who were on PED’s.. whatever, If A Rod is serious about building a winner with the Mets, then I’m all for it but they’re will be other big $$ guys bidding for the team..this is just starting to heat up…
With this investor, has ARod promised that he wouldn’t teach players how to use steroids? Or should I say teach them how not to get caught and suspended from baseball for a year!