Following their professional playing careers, it seems as if retired athletes’ first stop is the first tee box at his golf course. Looking to scratch that competitive itch, former players from NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL flock to the green grass that makes up 18 holes.
Derek Jeter has taken a bit of a different route. After trying his hand at MLB team ownership, the former New York Yankees captain has taken up broadcasting. Despite his busy schedule, the five-time World Series champion is still able to carve out some time on the course for competition, albeit with a twist.
“The handicap system, regardless of how good you are … you can still compete against someone because of the handicap system,” Jeter said. “Everyone thinks they are better than they are [when] they’re really not, but it’s where you can have common ground. You don’t have to be 6-foot-8 to play golf. You don’t have to run too fast — you know, golfers are athletes, especially now they are athletic. It’s more of an even playing field on the golf course.”
Jeter is not only still involved with the MLB through his new day job, he also has ties to professional golf now. An investor in the TGL’s New York Golf Club, the 50-year-old believes he has a sense of where entertainment is headed when it comes to live sports.
His own sport, baseball, has gone through peaks and valleys of being too slow for consumers; it has come out the other end with rule changes such as a pitch clock. Jeter noted sports are always adapting, and while rule changes may be uncomfortable for some, they may ultimately be necessary for the masses.
“It’s different sports, but every sport evolves over time,” Jeter said relating MLB to pro golf. “You talk about the NBA, I mean, the 3-point line, they didn’t use to have it. They make changes, and I think you have traditionalists you get upset when you change the rules. I think it’s the same thing with baseball. It’s the same thing with golf. But ultimately, you’re going to have to adapt to what the consumers want. Everyone now is into instant gratification and failure and everything needs to happen right away.
“So, there’s always changes in sports. I think TGL is an awesome idea for the younger generation. I think you’re going to have the traditional golfers that are saying they don’t like it, but I think the younger generation is going to be into it.”
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