Reports: Ross declines offer to sell stake in Dolphins
Stephen Ross declined an enormous offer to sell controlling interest in the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and this weekend’s Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix at his stadium, a source confirmed.
And Ross has no intention of selling majority interest in the Dolphins to anyone, multiple sources directly involved in the process reiterated Wednesday.
A USA Today report on Wednesday said Ross rejected a $10 billion offer from an unnamed buyer for controlling interest in the Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and the F1 race.
A source with direct knowledge did not dispute the accuracy of that report.
Ross, in recent months, had advanced talks about a complex deal that would have given a minority stake in the team to hedge fund owner Ken Griffin, who relocated from Chicago to South Florida in the past two years.
Ross and Griffin have ongoing nearby real estate projects in South Florida, and a source said they discussed a deal that would serve both parties, including Griffin obtaining a majority stake in the Dolphins, stadium and the F1 race.
Griffin, who has a report net worth of nearly $37 billion, is the only person with that type of wealth who has been publicly linked to a pursuit of the Dolphins.
But those talks with Griffin ended in recent months. Forbes values the Dolphins at $5.7 billion,
11th among NFL teams. A source who works for Ross said the internal valuation of the team itself is at least $6 billion.
In 2008, Ross purchased 50 percent of the Dolphins, the stadium (then known as Dolphins Stadium) and surrounding land from then-owner H. Wayne Huizenga for $550 million, with an agreement to later become the Dolphins’ managing general partner. On January 20, 2009, Ross \purchased an additional 45 percent of the team from Huizenga. The total value of the deal was $1.1 billion.
The value of NFL teams has skyrocketed in recent years. The Denver Broncos were sold for $4.65 billion in August 2022 and the Washington Commanders were sold for $6.05 billion last year.
Ross, 83, intends to leave the team in hands of daughter Jennifer Ross. Forbes reports Ross’ net worth at $10.1 billion.
Elsewhere: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wanted more money but was not interested in executing a leverage play as a means to get it. Kelce, as it turns out, got what he wanted as the Chiefs reworked his contract, pumping up his salary to $34.25 million over the next two seasons. The $17.125 million per year represents the highest average annual salary among all NFL tight ends. Kelce, 34, was in line to earn $12 million in 2024 and $16.25 million in 2025 prior to the deal.
ETC.
Tennis: Andrey Rublev recorded a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Carlos Alcaraz in a quarterfinal match on Wednesday, ending the Spaniard’s bid to collect a third consecutive Mutua Madrid Open title. Also on Wednesday, top-seeded
Jannik Sinner announced on social media that he had to withdraw from the tournament due to a hip injury. The 22-year-old Italian was set to face Felix AugerAliassime of Canada in a quarterfinal match on Thursday. Sinner reached the quarterfinals at Madrid for the first time, rebounding from dropping the first set to defeat No. 16 seed
Karen Khachanov of Russia 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Rublev posted five aces and 27 winners to set up a match against either 12thseeded Taylor Fritz or 21st-seeded Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina.
College football: Marcus Outzen, who stepped in at starting quarterback to lead Florida State to the first BCS National Championship game in 1999, died Tuesday after a battle with a rare immune deficiency disorder. “The Rooster” was 46. Outzen was recently diagnosed with HLH (Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis), a severe inflammatory syndrome that prevents the immune system from functioning properly, the Tallahassee Democrat reported Wednesday.
Outzen played at FSU from 1996-00 as a career backup to QB Chris Weinke. However, a neck injury to Weinke late in the 1998 season thrust Outzen into the starting role. He led the Seminoles to wins over Wake Forest and archrival Florida and into the inaugural BCS National Championship game in Tempe, Ariz., where they lost to Tennessee, 23-16. Outzen threw for 145 yards and rushed for a touchdown against the Volunteers. Outzen returned to a backup role behind
Weinke, who led FSU to the BCS Championship title over Virginia Tech the following year at the 2000 Sugar Bowl. Outzen finished his career with 1,074 yards passing and five touchdowns against six interceptions.
Outzen lived in the Tampa Bay area with his wife and children.