"Marlins Man" is coming back to the team he dumped earlier this year.
SlaterScoops.com reports the Miami Marlins' superfan — who in his real-life persona is a Florida lawyer named Laurence Leavy — will sign a one-day contract with the team Sept. 17, and make his first visit to Marlins Park this season. His big day at the Marlins-Nationals game will include a media conference, a chance to shag balls and the opportunity to present the team's lineup card to umpires.
Leavy had been a season-ticket holder since the franchise's inception in 1993. In his highly visible orange Marlins jersey and visor, Marlins Man stood out behind home plate on telecasts, and he was often spotted in the outfit at almost 200 other sporting events each year, from the World Series to big-time NCAA football games.
But like many Marlins fans, Leavy became livid as the franchise traded away its top stars, including Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich and Dee Gordon, under a new ownership group. When the most public face of that ownership, CEO Derek Jeter, held a town hall with season-ticket holders late last year, Leavy shared his frustration, then asked Jeter, "Do you know who I am?"
Still, Marlins Man was on board as a fan, offering $200,000 for three years of season tickets behind home plate, albeit at a 10 percent discount. When the team declined, Leavy renounced his fanship, in effect becoming a free agent.
"Four teams reached out to me already and said that I could become, like, the 'Tigers Man' or other teams, and they would be happy to sell me tickets on TV view for three years paid in advance with a substantial discount," Leavy said in March.
But like a free agent who tested the market before re-signing with his original team, Marlins Man is coming home. He's also bringing hundreds of fans with him for his big game. According to Slater.com, Leavy is buying tickets for 300 fans (the website has details on how to win tickets), and he's buying their concessions during the game.