Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush Angling Miami Marlins Takeover, Las Vegas’ MLB Odds Dealt Blow

Future Cooperstown member Derek Jeter and 2016 presidential candidate and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) are leading a group of investors in buying the Miami Marlins baseball franchise for a reported $1.3 billion.

According to the Miami Herald, the group is led by Bush, and the longtime politician will become the Major League Baseball (MLB) team’s “control person” once the deal is finalized. Current owner Jeffrey Loria, an art dealer, has owned the Marlins since 2003.

The Impact on Las Vegas

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said just last week that the league would consider relocating a team to Las Vegas. The Miami Marlins were one of two franchises he cited as potential targets.

In addition to Jeter, Bush’s group is reported to include at least four other individuals. Their identities and ties to South Florida, however, are unknown. While media outlets are reporting the deal is in place, there hasn’t been a formal contract signed, and the sale would then sequentially require final approval from MLB.

A Strong Bronx Influence

Should the sale go through as expected, the Miami Marlins will have two former Yankees in vital positions. Don Mattingly spent his entire 14-year playing career in pinstripes, but as a manager, he’s coached both the Los Angeles Dodgers, and since 2016, the Marlins. Jeter also spent all 20 of his playing years in New York, but has since retired to Tampa.

With Jeter in a partial ownership position and Mattingly setting the lineups, the Marlins will certainly have a strong Bronx influence. That might not sit well with New York fans, but at least the Marlins are in the National League opposed to the Yankees in the American League.

The Future of Sports Betting

Keeping the Marlins in Miami will likely be welcomed news in baseball’s front office. The league has eased its strong opposition to Las Vegas in recent years, as have the other Big Four associations, but sports betting remains a critical concern to professional sports being played in Nevada.

American Gaming Association (AGA) President Geoff Freeman says the time is ripe to repeal the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) and end sports gambling prohibition.

Talking with FOX Business this week, Freeman explained, “There is tremendous demand and tremendous need for a regulated sports betting market. I think we’re closer than at any point in the past several decades to making that a reality.”

Conclusion

The Miami Marlins are one step closer to being sold to a new ownership group led by Derek Jeter and Jeb Bush. The sale, which is expected to be finalized soon, will have significant implications for the team and its fans. With Jeter in a partial ownership position and Mattingly setting the lineups, the Marlins will certainly have a strong Bronx influence. However, the sale also highlights the challenges of sports betting in Nevada, with Freeman saying that repeal of PASPA is closer than ever.