Fine Print on Record-Setting Sports Contract Raises Alarm for Adelphi Students

By Joseph D’Andrea

A footnote in the story of the largest contract in professional sports history that’s been somewhat swept under the rug is Adelphi University’s suspicious connection.

On Dec. 11, 2024, baseball superstar Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. The contract included a $75 million signing bonus and a club option that would increase the base salary by $4 million per year, which if declined would allow him to opt out after the 2029 season. 

Juan Soto’s contract may be good news for Mets fans, but for students, their pockets are feeling lighter after Adelphi’s sketchy connection to the team’s acquisition. Photo by Rawpixel

Knowing this would leave a dent in the Mets’ pocket, the team’s owner Steve Cohen is reported to have reached out to Adelphi soon after the 2024 postseason ended, negotiating with the administration and ultimately getting the university to agree to pay 15% of the contract each year — with students’ tuition dollars.

In recent months, a new provision to Adelphi’s enrollment contracts and admissions page was added without notifying students, appearing to be in a font size not legible by the human eye. The Defiler obtained a copy from a prospective student.

This reporter, using a 64x magnifier lens, saw that it reads: “In line with Adelphi University’s recent dealings with the New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc., the university is permitted to use tuition funds accordingly. Any agreement to this contract is fully binding and any actions to deter the university’s intentions will be put down with the full force of the law.”

“The whole situation is being overblown,” said an Adelphi spokesperson who asked to remain anonymous. “We made sure to hear the students’ voices before making any decisions.” This was in reference to a social media poll that was taken down three seconds after being posted, which asked students if they agreed with the change. “The results are clear,” the representative continued. “Zero students were opposed!”

“Sports Illustrated” reported in February that the Mets’ roster payroll has jumped to $320 million, second only to the Los Angeles Dodgers’ estimated $382 million, a team that consistently tops the majors’ charts in the category. Knowing the payroll would grow as much as it did, Cohen saw it as a no-brainer to reach out for external support. 

Because he grew up in nearby Great Neck, Adelphi was one of the schools Cohen toured before graduating high school. Although he eventually chose the University of Pennsylvania, Cohen claimed he made connections with several (now retired) Adelphi faculty members and administration during his college search.

Helping win the American League pennant with the New York Yankees in 2024, Soto was criticized by Yanks fans for choosing the Mets’ turf in Queens instead of the Yankees’ 16-year, $760 million offer. To this, Soto said the decision in part came because the fewer miles between the Mets’ Citi Field and Adelphi would make it easier for him to be driven to campus after games for his contract-binding appearances at the university’s donor events.

“I’d like to thank the Panthers from the bottom of my heart for their contributions,” Soto recently said at an event that had students in the audience. This was followed by a demonstration in which students blocked the doors of the University Center’s ballroom, demanding their money back. In response, Soto was led out of a secret exit by his security guards and flown to a safehouse, according to several sources.

“As if I couldn’t have any more questions: is it really necessary to have a helicopter pad on campus?” a student who requested to remain anonymous told The Defiler.

The administration has declined to comment despite repeated requests.