Stephen Ross Sells 1% of Dolphins at Record $12.5B Valuation

BREAKING NEWS: Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has just announced a groundbreaking deal to sell 1 percent of the team and associated assets, including the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, Hard Rock Stadium, and the Miami Open, at a staggering valuation of $12.5 billion. This deal, confirmed by a league source, marks a record for publicly known minority transactions in sports.

Billionaire Lin Bin, co-founder and vice chairman of Chinese tech giant Xiaomi, is set to acquire this stake, underscoring the soaring value of sports franchises. Ross initially purchased the Dolphins in 2009 for $1 billion, highlighting the dramatic escalation in the team’s market value.

The transaction is pending NFL approval, but it signifies Ross’s ongoing strategy to bring in minority investors while maintaining majority ownership within his family. The 85-year-old billionaire has expressed intentions to keep the franchise in family hands, eyeing his son-in-law Daniel Sillman for future leadership.

This sale follows Ross’s earlier minority interest sales, including a 10 percent stake to Ares Management and a combined 3 percent interest sold to Brooklyn Nets owners Joe Tsai and Oliver Weisberg in December 2024. Just last January, Ross disclosed to Bloomberg that he rejected a jaw-dropping offer nearing $15 billion for the Dolphins and its related assets.

The Dolphins are entering a pivotal era, as Ross and Sillman, along with executive Brandon Shore and Hall of Fame quarterbacks Dan Marino and Troy Aikman, recently appointed Jon-Eric Sullivan as the new general manager. Sullivan has already made a significant move by hiring Jeff Hafley as the team’s new head coach, signaling a fresh direction for the franchise.

As the details unfold, all eyes are on the NFL’s decision regarding this monumental sale. The implications of this record-breaking transaction resonate far beyond Miami, potentially reshaping the landscape of sports investments.

Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.