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Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross recently changed the franchise succession plan to designate his daughter, Jennifer Ross, as the sole successor in ownership of the Dolphins. The previous plan had called for giving New York businessman Bruce Beal Jr. first dibs on purchasing the franchise should the 82-year-old Ross die or decide to sell.
The good news for Jennifer Ross didn’t stop there, though. Because according to new rankings released by the website GoBankingRates.com, Jennifer’s Dolphins now rank in the top third of the NFL’s most valuable franchises.
Damn – everything is coming up Jennifer!
According to GoBankingRates.com, the Dolphins are now worth a whopping $4.6 billion – more than $3.5 billion above what Ross paid in 2009, good for 11th place among NFL franchises. The estimate clocks in more than $1 billion over most previous estimates.
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Perhaps the most incredible tidbit to come out of new list: The Dolphins’ value grew an astonishing 35 percent last year alone, notwithstanding yet another season that ended without a playoff berth and the revenue that comes with it.
We’re not great at math, but this is all adding up to what appears to be a solid family business.
As part of its rankings, GoBankingRates.com estimates the Dolphins’ annual revenue at $533 million and operating income at $160 million. Both numbers are also top tier in the NFL and likely at least paritally attributable to lucrative non-football events hosted at Hard Rock Stadium.
To the surprise of few, the Dallas Cowboys topped the richest-team ranks with an estimated value of $8 billion and annual revenue of $1.1 billion. Rounding out the Top 5: the New England Patriots ($6.4 billion), Los Angles Rams ($6.2 billion), New York Giants ($6 billion), and San Fransico 49ers ($5.2 billion).
Bottom line on the home front: It’s good to be a Ross. If you see Jennifer out and about, give her a high-five.
