Calling it a “great investment,” comedian/political satirist Bill Maher has purchased a minority share of the New York Mets. “First of all, I think it’s a great investment,” Maher said in a statement. “People sometimes forget that there’s only one National League franchise in New York City and they’re not making anymore. I’m a Met […]
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Mets retooling: closer fences, more hospitality
The New York Mets have had an absolutely horrendous offseason, focused more on financials than fielders. But everything is new on Opening Day, and the Mets start with a clean slate. With budget issues, lawsuits and clawbacks related to team ownership investments with Bernie Madoff, Mets fans spent more time looking for team news on […]
Mets settle Madoff clawback case
New York Mets ownership will enter the 2012 season without some huge financial uncertainty, settling for $162 million a lawsuit alleging they had willfully ignored signs of fraud committed by Bernie Madoff. The lawsuit, brought by trustee Irving Picard, called for Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz — owners of the Mets — to pay $300 […]
Mets/Einhorn deal collapses
David Einhorn’s bid to buy a minority share of the New York Mets has fallen through, leaving the team to beat the bushes for other limited investors. The official word is that the Mets ownership, which could owe upwards of a billion dollars as a result of investments with swindler Bernie Madoff, can cover this […]
Mets’ financial woes worse than thought
The New York Mets required a cash infusion of $25 million from MLB lines of credit last November after the team faced a cash-flow crisis and had tapped out its other sources of capital, leaving many to wonder how long Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz can keep control of the ailing franchise. That the Mets […]
Mets managed Madoff investments for other investors
The owners of the New York Mets managed investments for others in Bernie Madoff‘s Ponzi scheme and threw some interesting conditions on participation: the investors, which included Larry King, Sandy Koufax and Tim Teufel, could have no interaction with Madoff and ask how he generated such impressive returns. The New York Times went through the […]
Jeff Wilpon: Mets aren’t for sale
Despite some vocal interest from the likes of Donald Trump in buying a majority share of the New York Mets, Jeff Wilpon says the team isn’t for sale — and he expects his family to be found innocent of charges that they unfairly profited from Bernie Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Wilpon, the chief operating officer of […]
Potential buyers emerge for Mets — but are they serious?
Donald Trump has reached out to Fred Wilpon about buying into the New York Mets — but he would so only if he could buy majority control. He’s the latest suitor for the team, which has attracted a lot of interest from the Manhattan monied set. According to Trump, he called Wilpon after the team’s […]
Citi Field debt downgraded by Moody’s because of Mets-Madoff connection
More bad news for Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz: debt of Citi Field has been downgraded by Moody’s because of concerns over ties between the New York Mets ownership and disgraced felon Bernie Madoff, as well as an impending clawback lawsuit. “While the ultimate outcome of the litigation and the timeframe for final resolution are […]
Madoff, Mets finances more intertwined than assumed: report
To date the Wilpons have downplayed their financial ties to Bernie Madoff, characterizing their investments as somewhat limited. It’s now coming out that the relationship was more significant, with the team also investing deferred player payments with Madoff. The New York Times outlines the relationship between the Wilpons and Madoff: When the Mets negotiated their […]
Bottom-shelf-booze magnate making play for Mets?
Martin J. Silver, whose Long Island-based Star Industries is a prime purveyor of fine spirits like Georgi Vodka and Carnabys Gin, says he’s willing to invest in the New York Mets with the Wilpons, forced to seek a minority investor because of potential financial problems. Silver, an investor in the Wilmington Blue Rocks (High Class […]
Wilpons explore selling minority chunk of Mets
Fred and Jeff Wilpon are looking at selling a minority share of the New York Mets due to financial complications due to their family firm’s investments with Bernie Madoff, as they face a potential clawback lawsuit from the court-appointed bankruptcy trustee. The following statement comes from Fred Wilpon, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the […]