SPECIAL REPORT: Bill Maher

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Team(s) owned / ownership stake: New York Mets | minority

Other businesses / titles: Host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher,” Executive Producer HBO’s “Vice”

How did you come to own a sports team?

I read in the newspaper the Mets were selling 40 percent of the team, which is very rare. Sports teams get sold frequently, but rarely is it possible to buy a piece under an existing ownership. I was just lucky it was the team I happen to have rooted for my whole life.

Is it an investment or more of a hobby?

Like a labor of love, it’s an investment of love. And is there any more sure thing than sports franchises? Especially the New York market? They are definitely not making any more major league baseball teams for New York. How others richer than I didn’t jump in before I did I’ll never know.

Is it a good investment?

See above; the best.

Other than winning, what’s the best thing about owning part of a sports team?

Your own parking spot, own box, can have all your friends to a game, and eat at the stadium in a private dining room before the game. Pretty sweet.

What’s the worst thing (besides losing)?

Mr. Met comes into my box during the game, and he’s such an egomaniac. A really big head on that guy. Also, I went to one owner’s meeting, and that’s 3 hours I’ll never get back. A lot about how parking concessions and zzzzzzzz until we got to who’s coming up in the minors, which was fun. And they’re all in the majors now!

How many games a season do you attend?

Only a few, since I live in L A. I also see the team out here when they play the Dodgers.

What was your favorite team when you were growing up?

We rooted for all the New York teams when I was a kid – Yankees and Mets, Giants and Jets, Knicks and Nets – it gave you twice the chance of having a winner! But when Steinbrenner took over the Yankees, I started to not like them, and by the ’80s I was out. He truly was the Donald Trump of sports.

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