Derek Jeter fulfills longtime dream with Marlins ownership

Former Yankees star Derek Jeter always talked about being an owner someday, and he will now get that opportunity with the Marlins, less than three years after playing in his final game.

Derek Jeter checked off a lot of boxes during the course of his 20-year playing career. Yankees starting shortstop. Rookie of the Year. Fourteen-time All-Star. Five-time World Series champion. Sixth all-time in hits with 3,465. And that’s just a handful. Retirement will soon bring another milestone with a Hall of Fame induction, but Jeter isn’t interested in a purely ceremonial post-playing existence.

He frequently discussed his desire to own a professional sports team over the years. Yesterday, that dream became much closer to reality, as numerous sources reported that Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria had agreed to sell the team to a group including Jeter for $1.2 billion. Jeter will reportedly oversee the franchise’s baseball and business operations.

You could argue that team ownership, especially within just three years of Jeter’s 2014 retirement, was the loftiest goal on the shortstop’s to-do list. After all, teams aren’t put up for sale every day. When they are, actually securing the winning bid is easier said than done. Jeter suggested as much in a 2015 interview, per Sporting News:

"“I’ve always been vocal about [owning a team]. Somebody said I was trying to buy the Buffalo Bills,” said Jeter during an event for his new digital company, The Players’ Tribune. “They keep associating my name with a lot of different places. Ultimately, that’s the ultimate goal. But there’s a lot of stuff along the way before that ever happens.”"

Jeter was certainly correct about there being many hurdles to jump over before becoming an owner. The long and winding road to purchasing the Marlins proved that.

Reports that Loria was getting serious about selling the team surfaced months ago, before the season even began. Several potential ownership groups jumped into and out of the bidding, with a new frontrunner seeming to emerge every week. Well-known names ranging from politics (Jeb Bush, Tagg Romney) to sports (Michael Jordan, Tom Glavine) all got involved at one point or another.

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Finally, Jeter’s group was the last one standing, as Miami businessman Jorge Mas bowed out of the running this week. Mas, who is renowned for his philanthropy in the area, will reportedly be given the option to buy into the winning group, however.

New York-based venture capitalist Bruce Sherman provided the largest investment and is set to be the organization’s “control person,” though it’s unclear whether Mas’ potential entrance could change that. Regardless, Jeter will take the reins in regard to baseball-related matters.

As a player, Jeter was always praised for his quiet determination and relentless pursuit of his goals. But even he probably would have been surprised to learn how quickly he’d realize team ownership after hanging up his spikes. That said, the Marlins’ sale isn’t quite at the finish line yet. It’s still subject to league approval, with closing expected in October, according to the Miami Herald. Given the relatively large amount of individual investors involved, there could still be a few hiccups along the way.

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But Marlins fans can finally see the light at the end of a long, Loria-darkened tunnel. There is admittedly no guarantee how successful Jeter will be as an owner, but considering the arc of his playing career and previous business ventures to this point, it’s hard to doubt him.

The Yankees faithful will find it strange to see their former captain and team icon outside of the club’s orbit, but you have to respect him for following a path he’s always wanted to travel. For Jeter himself, not much has changed: It’s always about the next challenge.

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