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MLB commish says Derek Jeter, Jeb Bush haven't won Marlins just yet
Dreams of Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush leading the Miami Marlins to a World Series title are on hold momentarily. Contrary to an earlier report, the group led by Jeter and Bush have not officially won the rights to purchase the franchise. They remain in competition with another group, commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed on Thursday.
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It was believed Jeter and Bush’s group had won the bidding, and agreed to purchase the franchise for $1.3 billion. That’s not the case, according to Manfred.
“There are multiple bidders for the Marlins,” Manfred said Thursday at the groundbreaking for the Jackie Robinson Museum. “There is no agreement in place. We’re working with more than one group, and when we have a definitive agreement we’ll make an announcement.”
Manfred went on to add that two groups are still being considered by Major League Baseball. Jeter and Bush’s team is one of them. The other is not known at this time. Manfred was hesitant to go into detail on the proceedings, saying he only commented because “there had been so much out there that really (is) not quite accurate.”
One issue that could impact the decision is whether Jeter and Bush have enough money to follow through on the reported $1.3 billion figure. While both men are incredibly wealthy, they would still need significant investments from others in order to fund the purchase. They are reportedly working to secure that money, according to the Wall Street Journal.
If the sale goes through, Jeter and Bush would likely be the public face of the franchise due to their name recognition and popularity. Jeter was beloved as a member of the New York Yankees, and was considered the face of baseball until he retired in 2014.
Bush is a member of the one of the most prominent political families in the United States, and is the former governor of Florida. The Bush family also has strong ties to the game. George W. Bush owned the Texas Rangers, and George H.W. Bush played baseball at Yale.
One would think Jeter’s status would give his group a slight edge over the competition. Getting him back into the game can’t be a bad thing for the league. But it appears some hurdles need to be cleared in order for that to happen.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
