It may not take very long for Derek Jeter to land back in the spotlight after his stunning departure from the Miami Marlins this week.
The retired New York Yankees great shocked the baseball world on Monday by announcing that he was stepping down as Marlins CEO and selling his stake in the team. Jeter elaborated on the decision in a pensive statement.
It turns out though that Jeter’s decision may have also been motivated by the opportunities that lie ahead for him. Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported Monday that ESPN would “love” to get into business with the 14-time All-Star. The report notes that ESPN has already established a relationship with Jeter, having produced a multipart documentary about Jeter (entitled “The Captain”) that will air later this year. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro is also a big Yankees fan, McCarthy adds.
The Worldwide Leader has previously hired several ex-Yankees players to work baseball telecasts, including Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, and Aaron Boone. Rodriguez specifically is still with ESPN and is slated to team up with Michael Kay for a “Kay-Rod” alternate MLB telecast in the theme of ESPN’s “ManningCast” with Peyton and Eli Manning. McCarthy notes that a similar “JeterCast” could be a possibility for Jeter.
The former World Series MVP Jeter was known for his charisma as a player and has already gotten involved in some other media ventures since retiring. A move to the booth could be the next logical step for Jeter now that he no longer has the Marlins to worry about.
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