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Covering a span of 22 long and successful years, Alex Rodriguez decided to retire from the Pinstripes in 2016. Apart from a few setbacks, A-Rod retired from MLB as a legend, who dominated the opponent with his spectacular power-hitting. With 696 home runs, A-Rod left the Bronx with his head held high.
Within a few months post his retirement, Alex Rodriguez met his future fiancee, Jennifer Lopez. Subsequently, the couple completely fell for each other and made their first Met Gala appearance in May 2017. Maintaining a soft and wholesome presence, the J-Rod couple became a fan favorite in very little time.
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At that time, Jennifer Lopez’s influence on A-Rod’s life was beyond imagination. And it stretched to the extent where the pop icon made her presence felt while A-Rod and Marc Lore cracked the massive Minnesota Timberwolves deal.
How did Jennifer Lopez significantly influence Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore’s entrepreneurial journey in the world of sports?
Notably, former Yankees superstar turned business mogul, Alex Rodriguez, joined hands with ex-Walmart CEO Marc Lore to purchase a stake in the National League New York Mets. While their first venture together didn’t work out, the pair then moved to pursue the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves, which worked out really well.
As reported by the New York Post in an article from earlier this year, Alex Rodriguez very strategically used JLo’s presence to sway the business negotiations in his favor. A source close to both investors spoke about the same in an interview with the Post.
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Various negotiation meetings were situated at A-Rod and JLo’s luxurious mansion in Bel-Air and the Hamptons – usually when JLo was around. The source said, “Marc [Lore] got completely mesmerized by the J. Lo thing. You always took your A-Rod meeting with J.Lo. She is coming in and out of the room with workout clothes.”
The source also moved to add that the outside perception of the deal was construed as a Lopez-Rodriguez-Lore partnership. While talking about that, the source added, “A-Rod always made it seem like they were investing as a couple.”
How can the J-Rod breakup jeopardize A-Rod’s Timberwolves’ future?
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The couple’s engagement came to an end in April 2021. While their split left many hearts broken, JLo’s absence has left a mark very figuratively. A-Rod currently holds a 7% stake in the Timberwolves after making a $250million down payment in 2021 with Marc Lore. Now, he’s supposed to make another 20% payment by the end of the next year.
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via Imago
Minnesota Timberwolves co-owner Alex Rodriguez is introduced in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the New Orleans Pelicans, Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Andy Clayton-King)
With Jennifer Lopez not around anymore, A-Rod could face major obstacles given that he’s not able to raise his share of funds.
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Watch This Story: From Alex Rodriguez To Derek Jeter: Here Are The Top 5 Richest MLB Players of All Time
Do you think that the Rodriguez-Timberwolves pairing will come to an abrupt end? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.