Owners of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils are among those in conversations to purchase the New York Mets. Billionaire co-founder of Apollo Global Management Josh Harris and executive at private equity firm Blackstone David Blitzer are interested in the team, according to a report in Variety.
The team is currently controlled by the Wilpon family, which took control of the team in 2002 for around $391 million.
The Mets are not currently taking in an overwhelming amount of money and they reportedly lose at least $50 million annually.
With the coronavirus pandemic causing shutdowns and fans likely not walking through stadium gates for some time, the team is headed toward losing even more than usual.
Back in December, the Wilpons announced they were in negotiations to sell up to 80% of the team to Steve Cohen for $2.6 billion.
Terms of that deal allowed for the Mets to retain control of the club for five years, but it fell through because Cohen was not happy with the number of years detailed for control.
Talks of the sale then did not include the Mets' regional sports network.
Harris bought the 76ers in 2011 for about $287 million and they are currently worth $2 billion, according to Forbes. In 2013 he purchased the Devils as well as their home, Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Harris and Blitzer are not the only ones considering purchasing the team.
MLB legend Alex Rodriguez and fiancée, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez, are also in the discussion of those interested in purchasing the team.
The Mets went 86-76 last season.
