Mets fans have dealt with the ineptitude of Fred and Jeff Wilpon for 13 seasons. The Madoff financial scandal has effectively crippled ownership into spending at the same level as a small-market team. This is a team that is located in the nation's largest media market, but the payroll has been limited to just over $100 million. The reason why is because ownership has felt that they can use payroll to pay off the Irving Packard lawsuit settlement. Furthermore, ownership has shown that they cannot handle both running the team and paying off the settlement, as in 2011, they took out a $25 Million loan to help pay off the debt, and were late on paying the loan back. This was encouraged by then-commissioner Allan H. Selig, who was close friends with the Wilpon family. Incidentally, when similar financial issues plagued the Los Angeles Dodgers and their previous owners, the McCourt family at the same time, Selig forced the McCourt family to sell the team. Even though the Mets won the National League Pennant in 2015, ownership has yet to show that they are committed to improving the team by making the necessary personnel improvements for the 2016 season. This should be very upsetting to Major League Baseball because it shows that one of its best teams is operating under dire financial straits, As a Mets fan of 13 years, I have had to deal with the ineptitude of the Wilpon ownership each season, from the initial bad signings to the major slashing of payroll to handle personal financial issues. I, along with every other Mets fan that signs this petition, demand that Rob Manfred strip the Wilpon family of team ownership and sell it to an owner that is committed to putting the best product on the field. If Major League Baseball wants to see a continued and renewed passion for baseball in New York, as well as a continued growth in interest in New York baseball, they will ensure that one of the best teams is given owners that are competent enough to run a baseball team like a baseball team, and not like a war chest to handle personal financial issues.