After SS Jose Reyes signed with the Marlins for six years and $106M, Mets GM Sandy Alderson's "message was clear: the Mets’ inability to chase Reyes was an indication of the harsh reality of their significant financial losses over the past few years," according to Andrew Keh of the N.Y. TIMES. The Mets "will now have to endure the cycle of lowering their payroll and overachieving under that new figure before having the means and confidence to raise their payroll anew" (NYTIMES.com, 12/5). N.Y. Daily News’ Frank Isola said, "The Mets right now -- let’s face it, they act like they are a small market team.” Isola: "You name me the New York team that lets the star player on their team in his prime just walk? This happens to players in other cities." SportsNet N.Y.’s Brian Custer said, “Sandy Alderson, now it’s time for you to lay out your gameplan to the Mets fans so they know that, ‘Hey, look, these guys are going to try to compete and that our team is not going to go down the tubes 'cause we lost José Reyes’” (“The WheelHouse,” SportsNet N.Y., 12/5).
GATE RECEIPTS IMPORTANT: In N.Y., Tyler Kepner notes after yesterday's first day of winter meetings in Dallas, Alderson spoke "about the importance of gate receipts." Alderson said that "media revenue and sponsorships are fixed," which makes "income from tickets and concessions the critical variable." But Alderson "stopped short of directly blaming the absence of fans for the Mets’ $70 million loss last year." He said, “People vote with their feet. We understand that. It’s up to us to do a better job of getting them back in the ballpark.” It seems that for the Mets "to raise the payroll -- as long as the Wilpons own the team, anyway -- the fans must buy more tickets" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/6). Meanwhile, in N.Y., George Vecsey writes, "The Mets are not building. The Mets are hunkering down." Alderson "referred to a loss of $70 million last year as the reason the Mets could not compete" with the Marlins' offer. Vecsey: "Madoff had nothing to do with that?" It is "intellectually dishonest to suggest that the incarcerated Uncle Bernie has nothing to do with all this failure and loss." Madoff "robbed the guts and heart of a franchise," and "nothing is the same with this team." The fans "know that, and are staying away." Tickets are "going for pennies on the Web, and that is Bernie Madoff’s doing" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/6).
DEBT COLLECTOR: In New Jersey, Bob Klapisch noted MLB Commissioner Bud Selig "is aware that unless the Mets can convince fans to return to Citi, they will be crushed by the weight of their financial obligations." The Wilpons "owe $430 million in principal on a loan against the team, due in 2014." They owe $450M "in principal on a loan against SNY, due in 2015." They owe "an estimated $600 million, due in $25 million increments every six months, on the ballpark." And none of these debts "factor in the settlement of the Madoff scandal," where at "best, the Wilpons are on the hook for $83 million" (Bergen RECORD, 12/5).
