Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross "recently entertained" a $10 billion offer to purchase the Dolphins along with Hard Rock Stadium and the right to host Formula One's Miami Grand Prix, according to USA Today's Safid Deen.
"Ross declined the offer because he wants to keep the assets in his family, the two people said," Deen reported. "Still, the offer shows the ceiling of NFL franchise valuations and sports conglomerates continues to rise exponentially."
According to ESPN's Marcel Louis-Jacques, a source said majority control of the Dolphins "is not for sale" in light of Deen's report.
Selling the Dolphins alone would probably net Ross a historic payday. The Washington Commanders carried a record-setting price tag ($6.05 billion) when they changed hands last July, which far surpassed the $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos in 2022.
Forbes valued the Dolphins at $5.7 billion last August, and that figure will probably be higher when the business magazine conducts the exercise again this summer. The franchise's valuation had climbed by 24 percent compared to 2022.
Deen's report, however, underlines the explosion of Formula One's popularity in the United States and how much money can potentially be mined from the racing circuit. One economic impact report estimated that a total of $798 million was generated by the first two editions of the Miami Grand Prix.
Granted, it's worth asking whether this is a bit of a boom period for the sport. American fans quickly came to understand the exorbitant cost of attending one of the three races on U.S. soil, and they may have started to tune out thanks to Max Verstappen's ongoing dominance.
Fast forward a few years and hosting the Miami Grand Prix may not be the financial boon it is now.
From that perspective, this could perhaps be the time for Ross to cash out.
The valuations for American sports franchises continue to rise basically across the board, though, and the NFL is essentially recession-proof at this point amid questions over how fans' changing viewing habits could impact future media rights deals.
There might come a time soon when the Dolphins on their own are worth $10 billion.
