3
2011
Wilpon Is Right, Minority Owners None Of Mets Fans Business
An article by Former Writers
This past Monday, Mets COO Jeff Wilpon updated the media and fans about the status of the minority ownership stakes, saying it was “going very well.” That was the first significant update since the David Einhorn deal fell apart.
Fans and the media alike were interested in who these minority owners were, and Mr. Wilpon stated:
Some of the people don’t want to be public. Some of the people might never be public. I don’t think anybody knows all the minority shareholders in each of the other teams. Do you know all the minority shareholders in Atlanta or Kansas City or St. Louis, Cincinnati, the Yankees? It’s just not widely known.
The bottom line is that Jeff Wilpon is right. The minority owners who have invested in the Mets are none of the fans’ business. I know in today’s information age we want to know everything, but this is a non-issue and I’ll tell you why.
- This has nothing to do with what happens on the field. These minority owners are being brought in to infuse more cash into the team overall and not just the roster which is our business. The renovations that are being made to Citi Field are a prime example of where some of this money is going to.
- The Mets and Sterling Equities are a privately owned company. They are not required by law to divulge information like this to us and the media.
- It does sound like there have been some sales of the minority shares which means that the sales and new minority owners have been approved of by Major League Baseball.
That last point is what matters most. I believe last week when Bud Selig said:
I do have a lot of worries today, but frankly I’m happy to say the Mets are not one of them.
He knew of the sales and there’s nothing to worry about which is refreshing.
We need to worry about what is on the field, and the players the front office is putting on that field – not who is infusing new cash into the team. I know that is not popular in today’s climate. We have a GM giving bloggers access to help share team news with the fans, and yet one of them attacks the owners of the Mets in order to help drive up his book sales. As long as MLB is happy and approves what the owners are doing, that is good enough for me and should be good enough for the fan base as well.
About the Author: Former Writers
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you know, CC sabathia got a contract extension the minute the yankees were able to negotiate with their own players… the mets mean while had a chance to contact reyes and offer at least what’s fair to him.. but instead…….. not a peep.. that is the difference between a winning org, and the mets.. what else can we focus on other than the guys ruining this franchise day by day!?
Brandon Nimmo!!
Woo Hooooooooo!!!
LMAO!!!!!! are you baiting the sandy apologist’s!!!!!????
Sabathia and Reyes’ situation couldn’t be less similar.
Sabathia:
-already experienced free agency
-had 4 guaranteed contract years in his possession
-was set to earn $23 million per season (more than any other pitcher)
-had an option to opt out, if he wanted
-didn’t opt out because he was already the highest paid pitcher, but still got another $30 million guaranteed
Reyes:
-has never experienced free agency
-has no player/team options for 2012
-only made $11 million last season
The Mets “window” to negotiate does not equate to Sabathia’s opt out clause. Simple as that.
And it’s also as simple as calling up the ballplayer yourself and making it know to him directly how important he is to the future of your organization and that you DO want to make an attempt to win in 2012.
There is definite lines of communication between the Yanks and CC, not so with Alderson and….ANYBODY!
So it’s not that simple.
I guess you don’t follow the team that closely, but there was a night dedicated to him with thousands of people waving banners with is face on them.
Not to mention all the other promotional stuff he does with the team.
It’s unfathomable how dumb you are.
No one wants the public to know that they invested in Nigerian royalty e-mail schemes either!
“We need to worry about what is on the field, and the players the front office is putting on that field – not who is infusing new cash into the team.”
And somehow you don’t see how that is related? The fact that the Wilpons have owned at least 50 percent of this team and have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into actually trying to be successful is beyond your comprehension?
Who the GM is putting on the field is directly related to the ownership situation. There is no sense even thinking about what is on the field until that is finalized and settled.
So, the fact the the Mets accepted public funding for their new stadium doesn’t come into play? I understand it was structured loans and not nearly the over the barrel treatment we got from Bloomberg and the Yankees, but still, getting those paid off rests on the Mets turning profits.
And who thought having Jeffy say this was a good idea? I get what he was saying, but he said it so poorly. He should have said something like, “Like most Major League Baseball teams, the Mets have several investors and minority owners that wish to remain private. Please join us in respecting those wishes” or along those lines.
Can this franchise do anything right?
Bravo, Greg. You hit the nail right on the head. Jeff Wilpon is right. Regardless of our views on team ownership, he’s the man at the center of the risk-reward relationship — not us. I think we may be seeing the the Irving Picard attempt to rip off the Mets going down in flames. Not completely, because the embers are still glowing red, but the federal judge is unsympathetic to Uncle Irving and he might put the fire out. He has set a tough but realistic standard for Picard. He wants Picard to prove that the Mets ownership knew it was a Ponzi scheme. I don’t think he’ll be able to do it.
Fans are customers. I’m a customer too. We don’t have an equity position and we don’t have skin in the game. If we don’t like a product, it behooves us to spend our entertainment dollars elsewhere. The Big Apple is blessed with so much to do, so much to see. Disaffected fans have alternatives. It’s up to them to use their bucks as they want, but whining is easier than doing, I’d imagine.
Not quite right. The fans invest their time in money and merchandise and want to know if there are any Bernie Madoffs in this bunch. You take the word of Selig and Wilpon on these matters , not me. I don’t have a legal right to know but likewise in the interest of the fans the Wilpons should not be accepting “secret money.” This all seems a little “seedy” to me if you get my drift.
Metfan, I get your drift. I’m sympathetic to your interests but I was referring to the financial win/lose line. I’m not sure the fans invest their time. They spend their time as they see fit. Big difference when corporate finances are viewed.
Where did the wilpons accept seedy money? As the federal judge ruled, there is no evidence of wrongdoing unless Irving Picard can show it and convince the judge or jury. I think your ‘seedy’ term implies you’ve convicted the Wilpons in your mind. I haven’t. In any case, we’ll have a lot to discuss as events unfold. I’m looking forward to it.
yet one of them attacks the owners of the Mets in order to help drive up his book sales.
Who is this referring to?
Not sure but I think it might be Howard Megdal.
So this is where all the most retarded Mets fans hang out. A)Alderson called Reyes’ people and asked for a number and got no response. B) BayonneMetsfan is the literal definition of a Mongo. And C) as per usual Pomes uses a blog to slander another blogger. Real good writing shit head. Yech.
the reason mets fans want to know who might be part owners is because we are DESPERATELY hoping that SOMEONE who might genuinely care about making this a winning organization will buy into the club. what some desperate fans are forgetting is that the coupons are NOT trying to add on supporters to create a winner but only to cut their own operating expenses and increase profit margin through efficiency. sandy alderson already knows it and will dance to whatever tune the coupons play.
Love how Pomes writes his awful article and doesn’t even comment back to anyone who disagrees with it. Real classy.