Miami: Hall-of-Famer Derek Jeter abruptly resigned as chief executive of the Miami Marlins on Monday, citing differences over the direction of the club as the reason for his departure.
The 47-year-old New York Yankees icon was part of the ownership group that bought the Marlins for $1.2 billion in 2017 and later took on the role of CEO.
Jeter, who had a four percent stake in the franchise, also said Monday he was offloading his shares in the club.
“Today I am announcing that the Miami Marlins and I are officially ending our relationship and I will no longer serve as CEO nor as a shareholder in the club,” Jeter said.
“We had a vision five years ago to turn the Marlins franchise around, and as CEO, I have been proud to put my name and reputation on the line to make our plan a reality.
“That said, the vision for the future of the franchise is different than the one I signed up to lead. Now is the right time for me to step aside as a new season begins.”
Jeter217;s decision comes with Major League Baseball locked in a dispute with the players over a deal for the upcoming season.
The New York Post reported that Jeter217;s departure was linked with disagreement over chairman Bruce Sherman regarding spending on players for the forthcoming season.
Jeter was reportedly told that an additional $15 million would not be available as previously indicated.
Sherman meanwhile thanked Jeter for his work with the club.
“We have a deep bench of talent that will oversee both business and baseball decisions while we work to identify a new CEO to lead our franchise,” Sherman said.
“The ownership group is committed to keeping investing in the future of the franchise — and we are determined to build a team that will return to the postseason and excites Marlins fans and the local community.”
