Bobby Bonilla's Mets contract sells for $180K at auction originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
Bobby Bonilla isn’t the only one still making money off his famous contract with the New York Mets.
The deferred compensation agreement in his contract was part of an auction package that sold for $180,000, with buyer’s premium included, through Goldin. The action began in July and closed at 12:11 a.m. ET on Sunday.
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Bonilla and agent Dennis Gilbert worked out the contract addendum with the Mets after he was released in 2000. Instead of paying out the $5.9 million still owed to him following the 1999 season, the team agreed to pay Bonilla $1.19 million every July 1 from 2011 through 2035, when he will be 72 years old.
This year marked the 12th annual Bobby Bonilla Day, as the six-time All-Star once again collected a seven-figure check from the Mets. In all, Bonilla will earn nearly $30 million from the franchise in his post-playing career.
The contract itself has been in Gilbert’s possession since 1993 and was authenticated by Beckett Authentication, according to Goldin.
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Along with the six-page contract, the auction winner also secured their own “Bobby Bonilla Day” experience. The winner gets a day with Bonilla himself that includes breakfast, a chance to watch batting practice for a Mets game at Citi Field, tickets to said game and dinner. That will take place at a future date in 2023.
Other features from the auction package include separate 30-minute Zoom calls with Bonilla and Gilbert, a signed baseball from Bonilla, a game-used bat from Bonilla and a one-on-one Bonilla contract NFT.
