Why is former Miami Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria angry at Derek Jeter?

Though it may seem trivial to some, we can all agree that tradition, whether in the form of a practice or a tangible object is part of all sports, not the least of which is the age-old sport of baseball.

Derek Jeter angers former Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria with changes

It was back in 2002 when American entrepreneur Jeffrey Loria purchased the Miami Marlins and he would go on to hold the position of owner right up until 2017 - 15 years later - when he sold the franchise to a group that former Yankees legend, Derek Jeter, was a part of. Today, Loria has made it clear that he is not at all happy with what happened to the club after he relinquished the reins. Specifically, the man who was also once the owner of the Montreal Expos, was not at all pleased with Jeter’s decision to remove a sculpture that erupted whenever the Marlins hit a home run or won a game. “Destroying public art was a horrible thing to do,” Loria said in a recent interview.

For the purpose of context, it was Loria’s friend and artist, Red Grooms, who designed the home run sculpture as part of a $2.5 million contract with Miami-Dade County. As mentioned, whenever the Marlins hit a home run or won a game, the sculpture sent mechanical Marlins spinning, white seagulls soaring, pelicans dancing, and a fountain spraying during what amounted to a 29-second performance. After it was removed from LoanDepot Park in 2018, the sculpture was placed in a square that is situated near the stadium.

Is Jeffery Loria right to be upset with Derek Jeter?

While one could reasonably argue the point that once a person sells something, they lose the right to comment on its use or misuse, the reality is one can definitely sympathize with Loria in this case, and even more so given that more than a decade passed during which the sculpture was a part of the Marlins’ ambiance. “I asked the artist about getting it back, and I told him I would help him find a new home for it,” Loria said. “He didn’t want to get involved. Now it will rot outside where it is...condemned to neglect and outdoor decay.”

Of course, Loria didn’t stop there either as he went on to bemoan some of the other changes that Jeter ushered in during his time in the Marlins’ front office. “I was fastidious about all the color we put into the building and it was changed; it didn’t have to be changed,” Loria said. “They covered up all the [colorful] tiles, which we brought in from Europe. To me, it reflected the culture of Miami. Now it’s all blue. It’s ridiculous. The amenities like the fish tanks behind home plate - they were there for the kids - and they got rid of them. It’s silly.” Interestingly enough, Jeter stepped down from his role as CEO of the franchise in February 2022, after which he sold his shares in the franchise.