Ross & Dolphins rank #21 in Forbes’ 2022 Most Valuable Sports Empires

According to Forbes’ 2022 report regarding the World’s Most Valuable Sports Empires, Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen Ross, has managed to enter the list as he is ranked #21 of the #25 that have been included in this year’s edition.

Of course, those that are aware of the report will know that Ross has only just managed to appear on the list, as only the top #20 sports empires are typically featured. Nonetheless, it still highlights just how powerful he is and how big the Dolphins are across the world as a brand.

Naturally, the NFL franchise is not the only source of all his $3.45 billion worth, as he is also known to be involved in properties such as the Drone Racing League, the Champions Cup, and the Miami Open. In regard to the American Football organization, though, it ranks the team as 13th in the list of the World’s Most Valuable Sports Empires.

Will Ross be able to improve his worth via the Miami Dolphins?

Although the findings will show that Ross has a rather impressive sports empire, it is likely that he is going to want to improve it and see that wealth continue to increase. Indeed, the sports properties that he has a stake in will certainly go a long way in helping him to achieve this, with the Dolphins likely to be a key driver.

The NFL organization is in a rather good position in regard to its brand, with the franchise being popular in various corners of the world, including in the United Kingdom, however, some will suggest that the team will need to get better on the gridiron if they are to be able to grow in value.

Indeed, the most recent season was one that was very mixed to be brutally honest, and one that many that would have participated in sports betting would have found incredibly difficult to try and predict what they would have seen from the organization throughout the year.

Although many would have been able to find football news at the best NFL betting sites to try and inform them of everything that they would have wanted to know, it would have been incredibly hard to predict that the franchise would go on a seven-game winning streak after the start to the year that they had.

The Dolphins looked to be one of the worst teams in the NFL after Week 8 as they were 1-7, however eight wins in the final nine games of the season meant that the team was only eliminated from playoff contention in Week 17 by a one-game swing due to what the Jacksonville Jaguars had managed to do despite winning three games, thus highlighting how extremely difficult they were to bet on.

Changes already made to the franchise

Of course, whilst we are yet to actually enter the offseason due to the ongoing postseason games and the Super Bowl still required to be played, the team has already made moves to ensure that they are in a position to improve right from the beginning of the 2022 NFL season.

Ross decided to fire head coach Brian Flores in what some had believed was a rather surprising move given the turnaround in the middle of the season that had been experienced, however, there were a number of underlying problems that perhaps made the former coach’s position rather untenable.

Although Flores had a record of 24-25 during his three seasons in Miami and two winning seasons, whilst his first would have been a bust regardless as many had expected the team to go 0-16 when he actually coached them to a respectable 5-11, it was clear that there were problems brewing underneath the surface.

In a statement that was released by Ross after his decision to fire the coach, he revealed that he had “determined that key dynamics of our football organization weren’t functioning at a level I want it to be and felt that this decision was in the best interest of the Miami Dolphins. I believe we have a talented young roster in place and have the opportunity to be much better in 2022.”

How will the Dolphins improve in 2022?

Presently, it is anybody’s guess at the moment regarding what direction and how the Miami Dolphins will improve next season, especially as there is still a head coach vacancy that needs to be filled.

Unsurprisingly, there are a number of names to have been touted with the vacant position, although until something is concrete, it is hardly going to help Ross in his likely ambitions to turn the team into a wealthier franchise by playing better football and finally reaching the playoffs; a feat Dolphins fans have not seen since 2016 when they were a Wild Card team. Of course, fans are used to not being in the playoff picture, though, as the team has only been in two playoffs since 2002.

Of course, we all know that the immediate aim will be to be improving on the field and making sure they at least put up a challenge for the AFC East title and to enter the playoffs, but at this moment until Ross hires a head coach, we can only speculate what happens as they will likely play a huge role on the direction of the organization, themselves.

What we do know, though, is that the team will need to be a lot more consistent in the upcoming season, especially as we already know the 2022 NFL schedule and there are tough fixtures against the likes of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers to come at the Hard Rock Stadium next season.