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THREAD: If you are on board with me that Jennifer Lopez is a role model for women’s empowerment and the American Dream, you won’t believe how Major League Baseball is treating her bid to buy the New York Mets. I’m worked up about this, so buckle up...
. @JLo & her group of investors made the exact same $2.4 billion bid as this guy, Steven Cohen. Who’s he? For starters, he’s a controversial hedge fund titan who lives in Connecticut, avoiding NY taxes.
His firm pleaded guilty to what federal prosecutors called “the most profitable insider-trading conspiracy in history" and Cohen personally paid a massive fine and was barred from the industry. He was lucky to avoid going to prison, unlike several of his subordinates.
He has also been tied to a rash of sexual harassment claims, including settlements which were kept concealed by forced arbitration and non-disclosure provisions. Here’s a NYT piece last week all about that. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/sports/baseball/steve-cohen-mets-point72-discrimination.html
But, wait a second! Doesn’t @MLB have a tiny problem with players and execs who abuse women? Uhhhh...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_suspended_for_domestic_violence
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_players_suspended_for_domestic_violence
. @MLB promised for years it would improve diversity in its executive ranks. "Hiring and promoting women and diverse individuals at all levels remain an important priority under Commissioner Manfred’s leadership,” the league declared a few weeks ago. https://theathletic.com/1889328/2020/06/26/at-its-highest-level-mlb-leadership-has-become-less-diverse-in-recent-years/
What about the group of principal @MLB owners -- does that group have a diverse mix? Let's take a look:
The craziest part to me is @JLo would finally bring some celebrity and public energy to baseball, by owning a team with one of most diverse fan bases. She’d be a global ambassador for the game at a time when the sport needs it the most.
But in a couple of days, MLB is poised to rubber stamp the sale of the @Mets to a law-breaking Wall Street tycoon who, despite a huge bank account, is credibly accused of being horrible on women’s issues and a controversial past that could bring even more scrutiny to the league.
So as someone who has worked in crisis communications for a while now, the MLB should know better than to push through a team sale that could invite a huge PR nightmare.
So, as someone who absolutely loves baseball, women absolutely slaying in business and @JLo ("Making the Video" for "Waiting for Tonight" visions dancing in my head right now), I truly hope the league does the right thing and gives her a chance.
Gonna drop this ICONIC @jlo video in the thread just because...
