[ad_1]
Steve Cohen wants to keep pace with his rivals from Crosstown.
For now, anyway.
The Mets’ new owner has said he has no beef with the Yankees.
“I’m not competing against the Yankees,” Cohen said during his introductory press conference via Zoom from Citi Field on Tuesday. “It’s the Mets. We will create our own enthusiasm. We are competing against 29 other clubs in the MLB. It is up to us to make the right decisions, to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, which is what we are going to do.
Introducing the Yankees Insider: Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes insight and the ability to text directly with the beat writers
It might have been tempting for Cohen to challenge the Yankees and even owner Hal Steinbrenner.
Cohen, originally from Long Island, grew up loving the Mets. He became the minority owner of the Mets in 2012.
The hedge fund billionaire has instead extended an olive branch to the Yankees, citing their illustrious past.
“The Yankees have a great history, right?” he said. “I mean, they won 27 championships. It is quite impressive. This is what happens when you create a great organization and they have it. There were times when the Mets were great too. We just want to be a lot more often. This is what I focus on. “
Cohen, who has an estimated net worth of $ 14.1 billion, said he plans to challenge the Yankees in one area – although he didn’t call them out.
Cohen said the Mets will spend like a big market team, meaning the Yankees’ reign as New York’s cash kings may be over. The Yankees franchise is only valued at $ 5 billion compared to Cohen’s wealth.
“I can promise you that we will act like I said – like a major market team,” Cohen said. “Are we going to act like drunken sailors in the market?” No, I want to be considerate. You can spend a lot of money today and then tie your team up with contracts for the next five years. It’s part of building a sustainable franchise. You want to make decisions based not on what will happen for the next 60 games, but for the next 60 years. “
Receive Yankees SMS: Get through the mess of social media and texts during games with writers and columnists. Plus, exclusive news and analysis every day. Register now.
Please subscribe now and support the local journalism you rely on and trust.
Brendan Kuty can be reached at [email protected]. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.
[ad_2]
Source link