Jeter, Inc.: What's next for Derek?
Jeter's said in the past he has a goal of owning a major league team.
— -- In 2007, tucked away in the old Yankee Stadium clubhouse, Derek Jeter first revealed his post-retirement plans in a rare moment when he wasn't trying to foul off questions and instead squared one up.
It was at his locker, prior to a May game against the Red Sox, when a then-32-year-old Jeter said he burned to be the lead owner of a Major League Baseball team.
"I will do it one day," said Jeter, the look in his eyes almost matter of fact.
The clock on "one day" started ticking when Jeter pulled off his uniform in Boston on Sunday.
Jeter, Inc. is just at the teething stage, but the grand plan is becoming clearer. Jeter's goal of owning a team seems structured around first developing a multimedia company.
Already, he has started with Jeter Publishing, his imprint with Simon & Schuster. The imprint could be a sneak peek inside the Jeter, Inc. playbook, how he plans to leverage his spotless image to make the business world swoon.
Jeter Publishing has so far produced a children's book, "The Contract," based off a childhood deal Jeter made with his parents. He will soon release a coffee table photo album with New York Magazine photographer Chris Anderson, who was granted what Jeter's agency described as "unprecedented access" to the Yankees captain during his final season.
"The ownership of content is all something that is very appealing," said Jaymee Messler, the chief marketing officer of Excel Sports Management, which counts Jeter as a top client.
Messler made a point to mention ancillary opportunities that could arise in television and movies. Just putting Jeter's signature on anything adds value.
"He has a brand that is very trusted," Messler said.
Jeter is one who thinks big but doesn't talk that way. When the idea of moving from books into television and movies was recently broached, Jeter kept his focus but didn't exactly swat away the suggestion.
"My vision is to get it going," the 40-year-old Jeter said of the book imprint. "There obviously could be a snowball effect eventually. It gets bigger and bigger. First, you have to get it off the ground."
The only recent parallel to how Jeter will leave the diamond is Cal Ripken Jr., who retired at 40 in 2001. Ripken learned there is plenty to do after baseball. In fact, for someone like Jeter, there is almost too much.
"The opportunities are going to be abundant for Derek," said Ripken, who will be a game analyst on TBS' playoff coverage this October. "It is just a matter of what does he want to do, what does he want to spend his time in and focus his energy. I think from the benefit of my experience -- and I made some mistakes along the way -- is there is a tendency to be curious and choose a lot of things. You can get yourself too thin and too broad."
To try to figure out what is next and what is not next for Jeter, we spoke with a number of experts, ranging from a Hollywood director to a baseball executive to a television agent to the commissioner of baseball and, of course, to Jeter himself, to gauge The Captain's potential post-playing career avenues.
Jeter's desire to create a company like Jeter, Inc. will likely be his chief endeavor as he chases ownership of a baseball franchise, but Jeter could have opportunities as a manager, a coach, an actor, a broadcaster and to continue his current extracurricular activity as an endorser.
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