Jeter, Inc.: What's next for Derek?

— -- 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.

DEREK JETER, ACTOR

Peter Segal has directed "Tommy Boy," "50 First Dates" and "Get Smart," among other films. A decade ago, he cast Jeter for a small part in "Anger Management." In the 2003 film, starring Adam Sandler and Jack Nicholson, Jeter played himself.

When Sandler emerges onto the old Yankee Stadium infield, trying to propose to Marisa Tomei's character, Roger Clemens (also playing himself) becomes a bit peeved at the delay in his warm-ups.

"Hey, dude, chill," Jeter says in the movie, before uttering one of Nicholson's signature lines from the flick: "Goosefraba."

The scene isn't Oscar-worthy, but the backstory makes it a bit better. Jeter was actually not in the Yankees' dugout with Clemens. Instead, he was in front of a green screen in Tampa, Florida, staring at a tennis ball that approximated Clemens' height.

"So if you look at that searing, intense performance from Derek on that day, you can only imagine if an actual human being was there instead of a Mr. Spalding, it is not only a testament to the great acting prowess he had on that day. It shows he has a lot of potential," Segal said, displaying a bit of the wit from many of his movies.

Jeter famously hosted "Saturday Night Live" and appeared in "The Other Guys." He also has a great affinity for movies, going to the theater three to four times a week in the offseason.

This love of film, his links to Hollywood actresses, his success as an endorser and his ease with a microphone make acting seem like a possibility for Jeter. However, Jeter said he doesn't like all the standing around and doing the same thing over and over again.

"I'm not acting, bro," Jeter said.

DEREK JETER, MANAGER

Here is an exclusive: Jeter is willing to become a coach.

"I want to have kids," Jeter said. "I would coach them if they wanted me to."

Jeter, though, doesn't want to be on the bench as a manager or a coach at the major league level. Based on countless comments he's made during his final season, the aspect of retiring Jeter seems to be most looking forward to is the lack of travel.

With more than a quarter-billion dollars in earnings just as a player, Jeter has no real incentive to manage unless he wants to. He doesn't. But if he did, how would he do?

"I think he is more than capable of managing," Yankees skipper and former teammate Joe Girardi said. "He understands the game. He understands people. He obviously knows how to deal with the media. So I think he would be very good at it."

Rob Thomson, the Yankees' third-base coach who appeared in the Jeter RE2PECT ad for Nike, has been a coach for more than a quarter-century. He said Jeter could not only make a big impact telling young players how he once made 56 errors in a minor league season before he found success, but that Jeter has the right demeanor for the job.

"He's cool as a cucumber, and that's how you have to be," Thomson said.

Jeter has long said he has no interest in managing or coaching on the MLB level, but he might be at a Tampa Little League field one day.

DEREK JETER, BROADCASTER

Jeter has the name recognition and is very smooth in front of a mike. However, he doesn't make a habit of catching games on television. Once, when he was hurt last year, he said he couldn't watch the Yankees games because he doesn't have the YES network in his Tampa home.

"Derek Jeter, analyzing a game, obviously would be great at that," said Steve Rosner, co-founder of 16W Marketing, which represents many high-profile ex-athletes who've transitioned to broadcasting. "Would he have the willingness to critique and criticize? My guess is that, at this stage, he would not do that."

For all his heads-up play, Jeter has never been inclined to share the inner workings of his baseball mind. During his final games in Tampa, the local media there asked if he would be a regular at Tropicana Field. The way he made it sound, he might never attend a game.

While Jeter likes the spotlight, it is hard to imagine him ever being a regular in a baseball booth or on a studio show.

DEREK JETER, ENDORSER

In this, his final season Nike, Gatorade and Jeter have teamed up to tug on his well-manicured lore. The public has eaten up the commercials, buying the wholesome, doing it the right way spots. While it is genuine, Jeter is not opposed to using his image for personal gain.

"Derek Jeter as an endorser?" Rosner said. "There is 100 percent chance he will be some sort of endorser and take advantage of that. There is no question he will be a productive and successful endorser after his career."

So if Jeter, who might start slow in building up his content company, wants to sit back and relax for a while, he can do that. In the meantime, though, he will have plenty of opportunities to appear in advertisements.

"There are not a lot of people like him," Messler said. "He is not only an iconic athlete who is so respected on the field, but the professionalism and personality that he exhibits off the field -- people really look up to him."

DEREK JETER, OWNER

There is no question Jeter wants to "Be Like Mike" -- that is, of course, Michael Jordan, whom a variety of people called Jeter's idol.

When a reporter tried to delve deeper into Jeter's plans as an owner and a business person, the success of Magic Johnson was brought up, too.

"MJ is a little different than Magic in terms of the ownership side of things," Jeter said. "MJ is the majority owner. What Magic has done business wise, it is unbelievable post-career."

Still, Magic has never called the shots as a sports owner and has instead been part of larger groups. Jeter wants to be the boss, but he probably won't be like the Boss, George Steinbrenner.

"Easy," Girardi said when asked how he could envision managing with Jeter as the owner. "I think he would expect things to be done the right way, but I don't think he would be a yeller and a screamer. It is not his personality."

Rosner brought up an idea for Jeter to ponder.

"I think Derek Jeter has the opportunity to be the lead guy and put it together," Rosner said. "Not from a business standpoint, but just a group together. I think an interesting thing for him to consider -- which really rarely has been done before, if ever -- is put together a group that is not all, but a majority of them, ex-players."

The next question will be what team he will try to buy. The  Rays are in his backyard and could be an option. While there are always whispers that the Steinbrenner family might sell one day, the Yankees, like Tampa Bay, are not currently on the block.

"The other interesting part is will he wait for the Yankees?" Rosner said. "Or will he go out there and try to be an owner of another franchise? Derek Jeter is seen as a Yankee, but his post-playing career, will he be seen as an owner of another franchise?"

While Jordan is the majority owner of the  Charlotte Hornets, no baseball player has ever headed up an ownership group. CC Sabathia, who lockered next to Jeter at home, pointed to the "MJ connection" and noted how much Jordan is enjoying being an owner.

"I could definitely see that happening," Sabathia said of Jeter.

Jeter has friends in the right places. Outgoing commissioner Bud Selig has told Jeter he would help him any way he can to make it happen.

"I think he would be fabulous," Selig said.

No one knows for sure if Jeter, Inc. will grow, or if he will indeed make good on his vow to one day own a team. What appears certain, though, is that Jeter enters retirement working with a 3-0 count.