The Real Reason A-Rod And J.Lo Want To Buy The Mets
A-Rod and J.Lo are thinking about making a special purchase and no, it ain't a new air fryer. Rodriguez and Lopez are interested in buying the New York Mets (casual) and have already retained JPMorgan Chase to raise the capitol for a potential bid on the New York baseball team, according to Variety.
According to Variety, the couple has collaborated with Eric Menell, "the bank's co-head of North American media investment banking" to make things happen. They've elicited the help of JPMorgan Chase because the power couple, despite their success, actually doesn't have enough money to buy the Mets outright.
According to TMZ, the financial side of things is still in flux. Some reports list the Mets at a value of $2.4 billion, while others say that's much too high and price the team at $1.5 billion. Wow! So what are J.Lo and A-Rod worth as a combined force? Can they swing (yes, a pun) such a massive purchase?
But an even more pressing question is why they have their eyes on the Mets in the first place. According to Variety, A-Rod won a World Series with the Yankees and J.Lo is from the Bronx, home of the Yankees. So why do two superstars who seem totally connected to the Yankees want to buy another baseball team?
What are A-Rod and J.Lo worth?
While it might be a stretch for Alex Rodriguez and his fiance, Jennifer Lopez, to shell out the $1.5-2.4 billion it would cost to buy the New York Mets, they're not exactly paupers. According to New York Daily News, A-Rod "is one of the highest earners in pro sports history." The retired baseball star earned $317 million from his contracts and this amount doesn't even factor in his endorsements and broadcasting work with ESPN and Fox Sports, per the outlet.
Then there's Jennifer Lopez. According to Celebrity Net Worth, J.Lo comes in at a whopping $400 million in net worth, thus bringing a combined net worth of over $700 million between the two.
But it's not just an issue of finances that could stall the purchase. According to New York Daily News, the Mets are owned by the Wilpon family who are "notoriously fickle." When billionaire hedge fund tycoon Steve Cohen tried to buy the Mets, the Wilpons made the sale so difficult they chased him away and Cohen backed out in February 2020, per the outlet. Allegedly, they came forward with "an exorbitant list of demands, including continued control over the team's day-to-day operations and cable network."
The purchase sounds complicated and insanely expensive, so why do A-Rod and J.Lo want to proceed with it?
A-Rod and J.Lo have their sights set on the Mets
With a history in the Bronx and the Yankees in their past, it's mystifying to fans why Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez are looking at buying the Mets. However, A-Rod ended up answering the question while talking to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show. When Fallon asked Rodriguez if he was actually interested in buying the New York Mets, Rodriguez said: "Here's what it is. I love New York City, for one. A lot of people don't know this."
A-Rod continued: "Growing up, I was a big Mets fan and with the exception of my daughters' births, both of them, the best years of my life were 1986 and 2009 when we won. So I will say this, if the opportunity came up, I would certainly look at it." He joked and said to Fallon, "Maybe you can buy them with me? I need a partner!"
How exciting for the Mets as well as A-Rod and J.Lo as this prospective purchase takes shape!