Derek Jeter will always be incredibly famous, but the long-time New York Yankees shortstop (and future Hall of Fame inductee) has escaped from the microscope to some degree since retiring in 2014. However, that won’t be the case any longer, as the Miami Herald brings word that Jeter will be included in an ownership group that will purchase the Miami Marlins from Jeffrey Loria.
The report indicates that Jeter is partnering with Bruce Sherman, a businessman from New York, to fund the $1.2 billion price tag for the baseball franchise and, yet, Jeter isn’t even the biggest name involved in the pursuit. In fact, Jeter isn’t even the biggest sports name in the mix, as NBA legend and current Charlotte Hornets majority owner Michael Jordan is a part of the investment group that will be pulling the trigger on a deal.
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It should be noted that the sale is not finalized at this point and will still require approval from the league’s owners. Still, there is a great deal of reporting from both the Herald and ESPN and this is not the first time that Jeter has been linked to the pursuit of franchise ownership in Miami. At this point, it appears that Jordan and Jeter will be partnering together in a venture outside of the Jordan Brand relationship that existed during Jeter’s playing career.
There is plenty of negativity surrounding Loria, who has been a controversial figure since buying the Marlins in 2002. While he certainly made a fantastic business investment, there will be real buzz about a group that includes both Jeter and Jordan involved, even if day-to-day roles for the two retired athletes might be limited. At the end of the day, that is probably a win for both the organization and Major League Baseball in general.
