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A mystery bidder for the Mets has been revealed, but it’s not a new group, it’s merely huge new players. According to multiple sources, billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and private equity giant Silver Lake Partners are joining with the group led by Josh Harris and David Blitzer in their pursuit of the Amazins. Considering …
A mystery bidder for the Mets has been revealed, but it’s not a new group, it’s merely huge new players.
According to multiple sources, billionaire casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and private equity giant Silver Lake Partners are joining with the group led by Josh Harris and David Blitzer in their pursuit of the Amazins.
Considering that the 86-year-old Adelson is worth an estimated $30 billion and that Silver Lake is a $43 billion fund long rumored to have an interest in a professional sports team, their massive combined wealth would present the first real threat to Steve Cohen’s status as front-runner for the team.
Adelson is a sometimes divisive figure who comes out of the gambling world and could possibly have a difficult time getting through the approval process by MLB owners. Being a limited partner would give him a stake in a team without the headache of approval.
Silver Lake has long been in pursuit of a pro sports franchise. As The Post reported, the private equity titan even kicked the tires on buying out Knicks owner James Dolan at the end of 2019. In a statement to The Post, Silver Lake shot down reports of its participation, writing “Any claim that Silver Lake is making or joining a bid for the NY Mets is entirely false and inaccurate.”
Should Adelson and Silver Lake throw their full weight behind Harris and Blitzer, the owners of the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers would jump in front of Cohen as the deepest-pocketed group bidding on what would be their third major sports franchise.
UPDATE: Representatives for both Sheldon Adelson and Silver Lake partners deny that they are interested in buying the Mets.