The Miami Marlins already have a pretty hard time getting fans in the seats at Marlins Park, but now it seems like even their most notable supporter might not be making his usual appearances behind the plate this season. According to Slater Scoops, the Marlins Man, real name Laurence Leavy, was denied his request to pay $200,000 for three years of season tickets.
It's been a tough offseason for the Marlins. They lost a perennial All-Star in Giancarlo Stanton, a young talent in Christian Yelich, and now might be losing one of the most recognizable fans in all of sports. Leavy was not able to come to an agreement with the franchise to renew his seats behind home plate for the upcoming season. He sent a check worth $200,000 directly to Derek Jeter and the Marlins' front office in exchange for three years of season tickets, a check that was not accepted by The Captain. According to the report, Leavy has been a season ticket holder since the team's inaugural season back in 1993. Despite declining his $200,000 offer, the Marlins did send him counter offers.
"I've received more of a discount for other teams with a multi-year deal, including the Yankees, and I never have to pay years in advance," Leavy tells Slater Scoops. "This very reasonable offer was made in good faith and had nothing to do with Jeter getting in my Marlins car, throwing out the first pitch, or any other falsely reported nonsense."
While this is fairly minor in the grand scheme of things related to operating a baseball organization, it can still be seen as a blemish on Jeter's résumé since taking over his new position as the Marlins CEO. "I'm disappointed they didn't take almost a quarter-million dollars for empty seats," Leavy adds. The team does not offer any such packages, but you would think they could bend the rules for a man who's held the seats for over two decades.
Leavy has gained fame in recent years for more than just sitting behind home plate at Marlins home games. He has also attended big sporting events like the World Series, NCAA March Madness, and NBA Finals sporting his eye-catching orange jersey. In a way, he has become an unofficial ambassador for the team, one that Jeter could regret losing.
