The Mets "have narrowed their search for an investor to eight groups," according to a source cited by Teri Thompson of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS. The groups "have been vetted by Major League Baseball and their bids for 25% or more of the team are now in the hands of the Mets' owners." The source said the Mets are "very happy with the numbers they're seeing." The source: "There's a range -- the low end is marginally acceptable and the high end is very acceptable" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 4/8). Mets Exec VP/Business Operations Dave Howard appeared on CNBC Friday and said the Bernie Madoff suit "is a distraction, but from our perspective, we know what the truth is, we know what the reality is." Howard, when asked how much he can do from a marketing perspective, said, "We can do everything that we've always done and then some. It's a great opportunity for us because quite frankly some of those issues are not what Mets fans want to hear about. They want to see the team, they want to get focused on the field and that's why Opening Day is such a highlight for us." Friday's home opener against the Nationals is soldout, and Howard said sales are "good overall." Howard added, "Last year we did have a drop-off, a combination of performance and the economy, and we think we'll start the rebound this year." CNBC's Mark Haines responded, "I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but you had a little bit more than a drop-off in 2010. Attendance declined 600,000. Come on! That was a disaster!" Howard: "I am familiar with our numbers. It was a drop-off and it was something that we were not happy to see, and we're working very hard to get it back. The fans will come back, there's no question about it." Haines: "If you win" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 4/8).
