Steve Cohen had open media availability Tuesday morning and spoke about a variety of topics including, staring with their attendance from last season. The Mets were ranked 18th in MLB.
Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
“I didn’t like it, it bothered me” he said. “We were 18th and right in the middle of a pennant race. I’m really looking forward to the fans coming out to the stadium because attendance lags behind performance.”
The Mets have noted on multiple occasions tickets sales are up from last season, particularly after signing Juan Soto.
Other topics Cohen touched on include:
Competing in 2025
Expectations this year are much higher than they were to start 2024–formerly known as a transition year. After making the NLCS last year, Cohen said playoffs are the expectation—not gravy—this year.
“I think it’s a team that’s going to produce runs,” he said of this year’s roster, “And I think our pitching is going to surprise people.”
The Dodgers + Luxury Tax
When Cohen bought the Mets, he envisioned building a Dodgers of the East. He was asked about the rival’s offseason and how they’re able to continually add stars.
”They’ve built a great business over there with with revenues that are significantly above almost any other team and that gives them the ability to do things that perhaps other teams can’t do,” he said.
The Mets are looking to get to that level and maintain the success. They’ve made strides on players wanting to play for the Mets. Next comes the revenue, which may be why Cohen called out attendance.
Many fans look at the Dodgers’ model of deferrals as why they’re able to do what they can do. Cohen called out that people don’t realize teams need to advance all of the deferred money at the beginning of the contract. Cash-rich teams with good attendance can do things like that.
Should those rules ever change, Cohen said, “I’ll compete under any circumstance. You tell me the rules and I’ll compete against them.”
The Willets Point Project
One of Cohen’s projects since owning the Mets is developing Willets Point. Current renderings have a soccer stadium, casino, bars, hotels, ann upgraded transit station and more.
“It’s a two-step process thats hopefully going to happen in the next year,” he said of building the complex. First comes getting the property re-zoned (that’s a state legislature issue). Then comes the casino license. When asked by Anthony DiComo if he’d move forward with the project without a casino, he said they’d need “an economic engine to make it work,” essentially saying it’s casino or bust.
He described 2025 as a big year for the project.
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