What Will Happen To The Dolphins When Stephen Ross Dies?

[SkapePhin]

Texans Owner Bob McNair just died at 81. Seahawks Owner Paul Allen died earlier this year at 65. Stephen Ross is 78.

Ross seems like he is in very good shape for his age so this could be far off in the future, but at that age the curtains could drop at any moment. So what is the succession plan?

His wife is a successful jewelry designer and relatively young at 52. I doubt she has any intentions of remaining owner of the Dolphins once her husband passes. He also has 4 children, but 2 are step children. I think he has 2 biological daughters. Will they have any interest in owning the Dolphins?

The family will probably look into selling the team once he passes. Are there any local billionaires who have expressed interest in buying the team in the past? We might be getting near the time when Ross starts selling part of the team to the eventual full owner like Huzienga did.

I wonder if the passing of McNair and other NFL owners has added any sense of urgency to Ross. He has been somewhat patient with incompetent coaches and GMs during his tenure as owner, but that must be wearing on him. I wonder if that sunset on the horizon could finally push him to make a bold move sooner than later.

 

[BobDole]

I believe the succession plan is already in place. Butt cheeks spread for the foreseeable future. Gotta hope for dumb luck at this point.

 

[Burnt Reynolds]

this is what it's come to, huh?

 

[phins_4_ever]

Texans Owner Bob McNair just died at 81. Seahawks Owner Paul Allen died earlier this year at 65. Stephen Ross is 78.

Ross seems like he is in very good shape for his age so this could be far off in the future, but at that age the curtains could drop at any moment. So what is the succession plan?

His wife is a successful jewelry designer and relatively young at 52. I doubt she has any intentions of remaining owner of the Dolphins once her husband passes. He also has 4 children, but 2 are step children. I think he has 2 biological daughters. Will they have any interest in owning the Dolphins?

The family will probably look into selling the team once he passes. Are there any local billionaires who have expressed interest in buying the team in the past? We might be getting near the time when Ross starts selling part of the team to the eventual full owner like Huzienga did.

I wonder if the passing of McNair and other NFL owners has added any sense of urgency to Ross. He has been somewhat patient with incompetent coaches and GMs during his tenure as owner, but that must be wearing on him. I wonder if that sunset on the horizon could finally push him to make a bold move sooner than later.

Ross set up a succession plan naming his friend and bussiness associate Bruce Beal as a "successor".
Most people think that he will be the new owner but unless approved by the NFL as an owner he won't be long term.

Knowing how estates are setup Beal is probably the trustee while the Dolphins are put into a type of a trust fund. The NFL is concerned about owners dying and then the rush for new ownership is causing trouble like when our dear Joe Robbie died. Beal will be responsible for "as is" and looking for a new ownership.
Beal has the right to first ownership though.

For Beal to use "his first right" his net worth has to be clarified. The Beal family is listed at some 10 Bill but that is family net worth not Bruce Beal Jr's alone.

 

[Danny]

I'm not hoping for him to die. He seems like a very good person. I wish he'd sell the team or clean house and get a real GM with power to build this team the right way.

 

[SkapePhin]

I'm not hoping for him to die. He seems like a very good person. I wish he'd sell the team or clean house and get a real GM with power to build this team the right way.

I'm certainly not hoping for his death, I was just wondering what the plan was given his age and the death of other owners recently...

I think Ross's heart is in the right place as owner, he just has a Manhattan real estate sensibility to owning a football team which bungles the whole thing. As we've learned lately, applying a Manhattan real estate sensibility to other very different kinds of organizations, whether it be a football team or [removed] , doesn't really work out too well.

 

[phins_4_ever]

I'm certainly not hoping for his death, I was just wondering what the plan was given his age and the death of other owners recently...

I think Ross's heart is in the right place as owner, he just has a Manhattan real estate sensibility to owning a football team which bungles the whole thing. As we've learned lately, applying a Manhattan real estate sensibility to other very different kinds of organizations, whether it be a football team or a federal government, doesn't really work out too well.

I am not sure about that. Ross wanted an NFL franchise. It is the thing to have and collect as a rich man: collect sports franchises.
The reason why I say I am not sure is because his first attempt to score an NFL franchise was the NY Jets before Johnson got the nod. The Dolphins were just available without a bidding process.

 

[johngarryvo]

Beals already has leauge/ownership approval; was setup/voted on almost 4-5ys ago.. he also has “1st refusal” rights and can sell to another.. Beals runs Related; also has ‘old Boston money’.. many many many bill$... Beals fam seeded Ross his first 100m to startup back when..

 

[SkapePhin]

Beals already has leauge/ownership approval; was setup/voted on almost 4-5ys ago.. he also has “1st refusal” rights and can sell to another.. Beals runs Related; also has ‘old Boston money’.. many many many bill$... Beals fam seeded Ross his first 100m to startup back when..

So we may be stuck with real estate tycoons owning the team for many decades?

 

[SkapePhin]

I am not sure about that. Ross wanted an NFL franchise. It is the thing to have and collect as a rich man: collect sports franchises.
The reason why I say I am not sure is because his first attempt to score an NFL franchise was the NY Jets before Johnson got the nod. The Dolphins were just available without a bidding process.

Just because he wanted to own the Jets before doesn't mean he doesn't actually want to see the team he ended up buying succeed. I do think that his remote ownership (iving/working in NYC) hurts more than it helps the team though.

 

[phins_4_ever]

Beals already has leauge/ownership approval; was setup/voted on almost 4-5ys ago.. he also has “1st refusal” rights and can sell to another.. Beals runs Related; also has ‘old Boston money’.. many many many bill$... Beals fam seeded Ross his first 100m to startup back when..

They approved the intermediate succession plan with his "first right" but he is not approved as an owner yet. He can't be approved as an owner yet.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

They approved the intermediate succession plan with his "first right" but he is not approved as an owner yet. He can't be approved as an owner yet.

My hope is Beal refuses, and the franchise is sold to either the Arison or Mas families; I have no idea if either family would be interested.... but Mickey Arison has built a model franchise with the Heat, and he himself has been a model owner. The Mas family is ingrained in the South Florida community, and I think they’d be great caretakers of the franchise. I want local ownership FROM MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA. No more long distance ownership.

 

[phins_4_ever]

My hope is Beal refuses, and the franchise is sold to either the Arison or Mas families; I have no idea if either family would be interested.... but Mickey Arison has built a model franchise with the Heat, and he himself has been a model owner. The Mas family is ingrained in the South Florida community, and I think they’d be great caretakers of the franchise. I want local ownership FROM MIAMI/SOUTH FLORIDA. No more long distance ownership.

I don't have that Big O boner for the Mas family. They are doing a major mistake with the soccer stadium but it will benefit them. They are not that "sports oriented" people Big O made them out to be. I don't want them to be close to the Dolphins until they prove their dedication to sports in South Florida. Right now they are looking for a big paycheck regardless of the success of the future MLS franchise.

 

[TheJetsBlow]

I don't have that Big O boner for the Mas family. They are doing a major mistake with the soccer stadium but it will benefit them. They are not that "sports oriented" people Big O made them out to be. I don't want them to be close to the Dolphins until they prove their dedication to sports in South Florida. Right now they are looking for a big paycheck regardless of the success of the future MLS franchise.

Yeah I know Big O loves them, but I had also heard good things from others in the South Florida media as well (some of that may have stemmed from the Mas family missing out on the Marlins, as I know pretty much everyone wanted them over Jeter’s group). The Arisons by far would be my number one choice though.

 

[SkapePhin]

Do the Arisons have enough money to buy the Dolphins? What would the Dolphins go for today anyway?