Steve Cohen's Mets fandom called into question by insider

Not everybody is sold on Steve Cohen being a lifelong New York Mets fan.

Aug 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen stands on the field before a ceremony to honor first baseman Pete Alonso (not pictured) for breaking the Mets all time home run record before a game against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

There are several reasons why New York Mets owner Steve Cohen is seen in a very positive light by New York's fan base.

One being that Cohen is more than happy to spend his vast wealth on the franchise. This immediately turned the Mets into one of baseball's biggest spenders when Cohen bought a controlling interest in the team in October 2020, and has resulted in several massive deals, such as the 15-year, $765 million contract that Juan Soto signed last offseason, which remains the biggest contract in sports history.

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But Cohen's money isn't the only reason why he's beloved. The other aspect of this is that he comes across as a genuine, die-hard Mets fan, which makes him relatable. This is shown through some of Cohen's message about the Mets on social media, such as when he wrote, “I totally understand the fans’ reaction. There is lots of offseason left to put a playoff team on the field," in the wake of fan backlash about the Mets' current offseason, per a December 10 article from Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

May 17, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen sits in the dugout after batting practice before a game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Insider's report raises eyebrows about Steve Cohen’s Mets roots

However, it doesn't seem that everybody is sold on the idea of Cohen being a lifelong Mets fan. The Athletic's Tim Britton is among those who are skeptical, which he conveyed in a January 5 article.

"Although Cohen has talked up his own personal Mets fandom, several people who have known him for a long time recall him more as a general sports fan or as a Yankees fan. Knicks games have been a more popular social occasion for Cohen than trips to the ballpark, and he even traveled to Indianapolis one year to watch the Knicks play the Pacers in a postseason series in the late 1990s," Britton wrote in the article, which was excerpted in a January 5 X post from @SleeperMets.

"It’s Cohen’s wife, Alex, who registers more as the Mets diehard in the family," he added.

Tim Britton on Steve Cohen being a lifetime Mets fan:

"Although Cohen has talked up his own personal Mets fandom, several people who have known him for a long time recall him more as a general sports fan or as a Yankees fan. Knicks games have been a more popular social occasion… pic.twitter.com/GbILPGxMmY

— SleeperMets (@SleeperMets) January 5, 2026

While this is definitely interesting to read, the bottom line is that Cohen is clearly now a huge Mets fan. And even if he wasn't, that doesn't detract from his willingness to pour nearly endless resources into making New York one of baseball's best teams.

So even if Cohen's fandom doesn't trace as far as some fans would prefer, that doesn't mean the sentiment about him should turn sour.

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