The New York Mets agreed to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract with superstar outfielder Juan Soto. The deal could even surpass $800 million if certain conditions are met. Some people are irked by the fact they paid that much, and some fans (mainly of other squads) have been pointing out that the deal could be ugly in the future when Soto ages and declines.
While it may be true that Decline and Father Time don’t forgive anyone, the Soto deal has to be looked at with a much broader lens. The analysis involves many other factors.
Juan Soto is already helping to sell tickets
According to Dan Bartels of the New York Post, Soto is already starting to pay for his own contract. The revenue he is already generating for the Mets is incredible, and there is more to come.
“Last year, the Mets averaged 29,484 fans and were 17th in MLB attendance (2.3M) — through one full week, they’ve doubled the tickets sold compared to last year. In terms of first-day sales, they’ve tripled that total compared to last offseason. The Juan Soto effect is real,” he posted on X.
The Mets are already reaping the benefits of the Soto deal
Soto is already making the Mets money, and he is months away from taking his first at-bat with the team. People are already lining up to watch him play, which is why there is such a high demand for tickets.
That’s only tickets. The amount of money the Mets can make through jersey and merchandise sales is also astronomical. Sponsors will show more interest in the franchise, added attendance equals more money in concession stands, and more.
Soto is a money-making machine, and the Mets are already reaping the benefits. In the grand scheme of things, the All-Star outfielder is far from an expense — he is actually an investment Steve Cohen made.