Jeb Bush & Derek Jeter May Buy A Baseball Team Together

A very unexpected duo may be teaming up to embark on a new career together. The Miami Herald reported Wednesday that Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter might buy the Miami Marlins baseball franchise. The former governor and former New York Yankee could stand to make major moolah from this deal, and maybe forge an unlikely friendship in the process.

According to the Herald, Jeter and Bush are going up against New York businessman Wayne Rothbaum to purchase the team. It's unclear whether they are part of a larger investment group that's seeking to purchase the Marlins, which is valued at more than $940 million by Forbes. According to CNN, Bush's net worth as of July 2015 stood at just $22 million, while CelebrityNetWorth.com estimates Jeter's assets at $185 million.

Assuming that there are other investors buying into their bid, Jeter and Bush could have almost no actual relationship, and were simply brought together through mutual connections (and a love for the game) for a potentially lucrative business deal. However, the duo might be actually very well suited to work together, particularly in the 305.

Bush was the governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007, so he'd have the political connections and clout needed to get taxpayer funding for stadium improvements, as many professional sports teams do. As one of the most successful baseball players in American history, Jeter knows the ins and outs of the game more than enough to help the team make decisions on players, coaches, and managers. Their diverse expertise could make Jeter and Bush a great team, and maybe help make the Marlins a winning team again, too.

Jeb is just the latest Bush family member to express interest in sports team ownership — his brother George W. Bush previously owned stake in and served as the managing partner of the Texas Rangers. According to CNBC, owning a professional baseball team can be an especially lucrative investment compared to other sports. Unlike the NFL, which negotiates television contracts on the league level, the frequency of baseball games and larger number of teams in Major League Baseball means that team owners get to control their organization's media exposure. Many teams own regional sports networks, like the Yankees Entertainment and Sports (YES) Network, and owners get to reap all those profits for themselves.

On top of the potential monetary benefits, the idea of Bush and Jeter being friends and business partners is funny enough to make you hope it comes true. It's like a ready-made sitcom — the shy, slightly nerdy kid from a famous family becomes best buds with the hottest jock in school, and wacky adventures ensue. Maybe they can add a television deal into the mix once they seal the deal with the Marlins.