The series comes after ESPN’s highly successful Michael Jordan series, ‘The Last Dance’
It looks like ESPN’s next great sports docuseries will cover the popular New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter.
Executive produced by Spike Lee, the docuseries was announced on Tuesday by ESPN films. While a premiere date has not been announced yet, the highly anticipated project is slated to premiere sometime in 2022. The docuseries promise to tell the story of “the man behind the icon,” letting audiences engage with an intimate portrait of the famous shortstop.
ESPN of course is fresh off major success with The Last Dance, their docuseries on NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Per the official announcement, the story will “tell a larger cultural story that explores race, family, community, rivalries, and more.” Speaking to Jeter’s legacy and why they chose him for the docuseries, the statement reads: “Derek Jeter’s arrival with the New York Yankees helped transform a struggling franchise into a storied dynasty, all within a time of great change in New York City. As Jeter forged a Hall of Fame career, he established himself as the model Yankee both on- and off-the-field, with his style, class, and charisma.”
The statement continues, “Jeter’s commitment to winning came with a rare combination of competitiveness and cool, traits he has taken with him into retirement as he tackles new tests as a team owner and executive with the Miami Marlins and as a father. As he prepares to enter Cooperstown this July, he is pulling back the curtain to reveal what it was really like to be ‘The Captain.’”
Cooperstown, of course, is referencing the National Baseball Hall of Fame, which Jeter is set to be inducted into this year. Jeter is a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class, but his induction was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The official ceremony is set to take place on July 25, 2021, as a closed event.
At the time of the announcement to postpone the ceremony, Jeter explained in a statement, “Being inducted into the Hall of Fame will be an incredible honor, but the health and safety of everyone involved are paramount. I respect and support the decision to postpone this year’s enshrinement and am looking forward to joining current Hall of Famers, fans, staff, and my family and friends in Cooperstown in 2021.”