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In Case You Weren't Positive, Mets Are A Financial Mess
By
Ben Yakas
Published Mar 24, 2011
Modified Mar 24, 2011
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via Daily Show
By
Ben Yakas
Published Mar 24, 2011
Modified Mar 24, 2011
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A lot has changed in a few years for the Mets: in 2009, they were the second most valuable team in the MLB, worth $912 million, and averaged over 3 million fans a year. But according to Forbes, their value has dropped 13 percent from last year. The Mets are now worth $747 million, attendance at Citifield fell by 600,000 last year, and they are approximately $450 million in debt. The Post has even taken to calling them the "New York Debts." Guess this proves once and for all that a $1 billion lawsuit really isn't a good thing.
Forbes thinks it'll take a (financial) miracle for Fred Wilpon and Saul Katz to retain majority ownership of the team at this point, something the two have sworn to do time and again as they've begun the process of selling a minority share of the team.
On the plus side, the team has been trimming the fat for the past few weeks, getting rid of some deadweight, including overpaid albatrosses Oliver Perez and Luis Castillo. And wouldn't you know, both players have signed with division rivals! Castillo even signed with the dread Frillies, but the joke was on them: Castillo didn't bother to turn up for his first game with the team, skipping the first two days of camp. Phillies blogs Zoo With Roy has already taken to him: they've put his image on the side of a milk carton, and they've created a Where's Waldo Luis poster.
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baseball
financial troubles
luis castillo
madoff
mets
mlb
wilpons
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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