Marlins Man is willing to spend big on the Miami Marlins, but that might not be enough to get him back into Marlins Park this season.
Laurence Leavy - more popularly known as "Marlins Man" thanks to his propensity to show up at sporting events in his orange Marlins jacket - told Andy Slater of 940 AM and SlaterScoops.com that he sent the team a $200,000 check to renew his season tickets behind home plate for the next three or four seasons, only to have his offer rejected.
Leavy has held Marlins season tickets since the franchise was established in 1993.
"I'm disappointed they didn't take almost a quarter-million dollars for empty seats," Leavy told Slater.
Leavy has been one of the most vocal opponents to the Marlins' salary purging this winter under the direction of new CEO and part-owner Derek Jeter. In December - shortly after reigning National League MVP Giancarlo Stanton and All-Star Marcell Ozuna were traded, and nearly a month before Christian Yelich was shipped out - Leavy got into a public spat with Jeter after not being invited to a town hall meeting.
He did show up at the meeting, where Leavy then told Jeter that he was debating whether or not to renew and pay big-league prices to watch a "Triple-A team."
Related: Marlins fans get salty at Jeter's town hall for season-ticket holders
"This makes me miss (former owner Jeffrey) Loria," Leavy said at the time. "Who would have thought that?"
In regards to this latest spat with the franchise, Leavy said that the Marlins did give him two counter-offers after receiving his $200,000 check, though he didn't reveal the details. A Marlins spokesperson didn't comment on the fan's claims.
"I wish the Marlins much success," Leavy added. "I look forward to becoming a Diamond Club member again when they have a winning product, if that happens in my lifetime."
