Just two days after his retirement from professional baseball, New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter made perhaps the biggest media splash of his 20-year career by launching The Players’ Tribune, an online media outlet that allows athletes to publish first-person articles on the topics of their choice. Several heavy hitters have contributed articles in the first four weeks following the website’s launch, ranging from Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson to NASCAR driver Danica Patrick and NBA All-Star Blake Griffin.

Jeter’s new venture has certainly grabbed the attention of fans and journalists alike, and it’s clear that it will have an impact on how we produce and consume sports media going forward. But will The Players’ Tribune ultimately change the traditional sports-media landscape for better or for worse?

At first glance, the fan and PR sides of me are excited about the idea of enabling professional athletes to deliver unfiltered messages directly to their fans. By having a trusted vehicle to deliver their messages, these superstars produce articles with heightened intimacy that, in many cases, reveal characteristics that were largely unknown by the general public, establishing a stronger, more authentic relationship. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between fans and their idols, removing the guard to unveil the true identity of the person behind the jersey.

Creating this authentic relationship with the public is no easy task, but is highly effective in building a personal brand. Athletes have tried this before, communicating directly with fans on Twitter or penning articles in external media outlets such as Sports Illustrated.

The Players’ Tribune takes this one step further. There is no 140-character restriction. No “middleman” reporter or editor. Just a space for athletes to have full control over their media engagements, from creating the original message to approving the final posting and headline.

Having full control over your message is important, especially in the sports arena where there are well-documented cases of mistrust between athletes and media outlets. Even the most well-established outlets are guilty of this mistrust – just ask Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall about his experience with ESPN’s popular E:60 show.

The benefits of providing a platform that eliminates the media member are clear for the athlete and fan. But are these benefits healthy for the growth of an industry that depends largely on external media? Leagues, teams, and players all depend on external media as the main source of revenue, as evidenced by the NBA inking a new $24 billion deal with Turner and Disney for broadcast rights. If external media are eliminated from the equation, there may be an unintended backlash that stunts the rapid growth of professional sports.

Jeter argues that his website does not make the sports writer obsolete, but instead works in conjunction with traditional media outlets to continue to increase exposure, stating that his goal is to “ultimately transform how athletes and newsmakers share information, bringing fans closer than ever before to the games they love.”

This revolutionary idea may not be so groundbreaking outside of the world of professional sports. In many ways, The Players’ Tribune is to the professional athlete what LinkedIn has become to the business professional. With LinkedIn’s long-form publishing, business leaders can communicate directly with their target audience without working through external media, which is perhaps best utilized by Richard Branson, who was more than seven million followers reading his posts.

But in an industry so heavily dependent on external media, it will be interesting to see how The Players’ Tribune will affect the sports media landscape. If it follows a similar path to its business counterparts, it will likely benefit all parties involved, driving further interest and engagement from fans across the globe.