After Derek Jeter, Fellow Owner and Billionaire Michael Jordan Accused of Poor Management of Miami Marlins Franchise By Former President

David Samson has a lot of anger against Derek Jeter. The Miami Marlins’ former president feels that Jeter wasted millions without giving the team any tangible return. The fact that some of that money was allegedly used to erase Samson’s work only further angers him. However, in a bizarre twist, during Samson’s all-out attack on the New York Yankees legend, NBA legend Michael Jordan attracted some stray bullets. 

As is known, the Miami Marlins aren’t really in the best of financial position. Neither does their stadium attract fans, nor do they have a big TV deal to fall back on. Add to that their team’s consistent underperformance (barring the 2020 and 2023 seasons), and things look bleak for the two World Series champions. All of this has led to their revenues stagnating and their payroll becoming increasingly uncompetitive.

During an appearance on the Foul Territory Show, David Samson shared how Derek Jeter was partially responsible for it. In the same vein, he noted that Jordan’s presence as the owner too might be hampering the team. “There had been so many years under Jeter where the team actually did not improve its revenue. They did not find a way to either have sustained winning or sustained revenue growth, and now Jeter’s gone,” Samson said. 

Then Samson noted that Jeter’s departure left Bruce Sherman in a difficult spot. “Sherman has a bunch of other owners, one of whom is Michael Jordan, who says, ‘Hey listen, we’re not losing any more money; stop with this.’ So there’s a clear reason not to increase the payroll because they’re not getting the increase in revenue,” Samson said. 

Is Michael Jordan responsible for the Marlins’ fall? Not directly. However, a consistent loss of revenue may have led the owners to focus on maximizing their profits. That brings up the question: how much ownership does Jordan have? 

How Michael Jordan first became a part of the Miami Marlins?

Michael Jordan wasn’t always a part of the Marlins’ ownership group. Initially, he wasn’t even someone one expected to be in the picture. However, the NBA legend joined the group partly because he wanted to help his friend Derek Jeter. The Yankees’ legend wasn’t able to muster up funds to complete his deal with the Fish. It was then he decided to pitch in $5 million to buy 1% of the Marlins’ ownership. 

So in a way, Jordan isn’t a majority owner. That makes his overall impact on the day-to-day functioning of the team quite minimal. However, one can guess that consistent underperformance and revenue stagnation may have frustrated the six-time NBA Finals winner. But can one call him responsible for the Marlins’ current state? That might be far-reaching.