The Miami Dolphins fanbase isn’t particularly fond of Stephen Ross, the team’s owner, and it’s understandable why. Apart from the club constantly underperforming over the years, Ross has been criticized by fans and critics alike, especially after former HC Brian Flores accused him of deliberately tanking games. Hence, there were a lot of frowny faces when reports revealed that Ross is now set to increase his focus on the NFL team and Miami F1.
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A few days ago, Stephen announced in a letter to his colleagues that he would be stepping down as the chairman of Related Companies. The 84-year-old billionaire then outlined his future plans, revealing that he intends to focus on his new real estate venture, Related Ross, alongside his sporting ventures: the Miami Dolphins and Miami F1.
This shift in dynamics is significant for the real estate scene in the South Florida market, as Related Ross has inherited key properties and land from Stephen’s holdings in Related Cos.
That said, from a sporting standpoint, Ross putting more focus on the Dolphins should be good news for the fans. Every fanbase loves a passionate and invested owner. However, given Stephen’s past track record, fans aren’t entirely without reservations about seeing the billionaire expend more of his energy on the Dolphins.
Dolphins Fans: “Sell the Team…” Demand Less Stephen Ross Focus
When fans first saw ‘Stephen Ross’ and ‘stepping down’ in the same sentence, they were elated, as many had been clamoring for his exit for some time. However, their hopes were dashed when they read the news more carefully — he was stepping down from Related Companies, not as the owner of the Dolphins.
Got me excited man I thought he was stepping down as owner of the dolphins
— Fitz (@AFitzsimons14) July 14, 2024
I thought he was selling the dolphins when I seen the words “stepping down”. For a second there I thought there was hope
— MJTM (@CanadianEH35) July 14, 2024
The majority of Dolphins fans didn’t take this move at face value. A few speculated that Stephen’s sudden interest in the Dolphins might be to make the best use of this profitable venture to import money into his other sporting ventures.
He’s focused on the $$$$ he’s making off the property he bought. The Dolphins seem to be a front for F1, College Bowl games and Tennis.
If he wants to improve the Fins,maybe he can ask Garfinkle / Grier why this franchise hasn’t been relevant in over two decades. Am I right?— JPawl (@JohnPawl66) July 14, 2024
Ross is going to be saving that Tua extension money for other stuff like Tennis, F1 and soccer games. Super Bowls for other teams hosting. Bills, Chiefs etc.
— Miami Joe Real Estate (@ufotua1) July 14, 2024
While most fans were expressing grave concern for the future, one fan was still upset with the owner’s decision to approve a new logo for the Dolphins. Hence, he urged Stephen to sell the team and bring back the old logo.
While the concerns of Ross using Miami’s revenue to fund his other ventures can be possible, fans also need to realize that for more revenue, performances also have to improve.
A team that consistently finishes at the bottom or barely makes it to the playoffs will naturally attract poor sponsorship deals. So regardless of the intention, having Ross focus more on the Dolphins is a wise move, as a better-performing Miami team benefits both the billionaire and the fans.
