Holy smokes, Seattle, grab your jerseys because Dolphins owner Stephen Ross just dropped a bombshell. He’s agreed to sell a tiny 2.1 percent slice of his team and its related businesses at a valuation slightly north of $12.5 billion. Think about that for a second. It completely blows away the previous record for controlling interest in a franchise, which was when our beloved Seahawks went for $9.612 billion. Yeah, you heard that right, our whole damn team was valued at less than a *fraction* of another team in a non-controlling deal!
Dolphins’ Minority Stake Setting New NFL Highs
This isn’t just about the Dolphins team, either. This 2.1 percent sale to Chilean billionaire Jean Eric Salata also includes a piece of Hard Rock Stadium, the F1 Hard Rock Miami Grand Prix, and even the Miami Open tennis event. It’s a sweet package, sure, but the valuation is what’s truly bonkers. Earlier this year, Ross sold just one percent of the team to Lin Bin at a cool $12.5 billion valuation. The numbers are just climbing, and they don’t seem to care what’s happening on the field.
Our Hawks and the Shifting Sands of NFL Ownership Value
For us 12s, this hits a little different. We all remember when our Seahawks were sold, right? That deal for *controlling interest* went for $9.612 billion. Now, a minority stake in another team, where you don’t even call the shots, is worth a whole lot more. It’s wild to think about. That long-held belief that control is king for NFL equity? It’s getting debunked right before our eyes. The source even mentioned our Hawks were sold to a “Steelers fan whose preferred team currently has a better record” when talking about that record-setting sale price back then. It just goes to show you, this isn’t about how many wins a team has. It’s about how rare an asset an NFL franchise is, and there are always rich folks out there ready to pay top dollar for what amounts to a seriously expensive vanity plate. The value just keeps going up, and up, and up.
What’s next for ownership valuations? Who knows, but if these numbers keep climbing, our Hawks’ value is only going to keep appreciating too. It’s a good reminder that being an NFL owner isn’t just about Sundays, it’s a gold mine, no matter the team’s record.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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