Miami Dolphins Chairman and Owner Stephen M. Ross has announced a strategic investment into the franchise by Bin Lin, the co-founder and vice chairman of Xiaomi. Lin will acquire a 1% stake of the Miami Dolphins, along with Ross's full portfolio of Hard Rock Stadium, the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix and the Miami Open presented by Itaú, at a record-setting valuation of $12.5 billion, the highest in professional sports. The minority, non-controlling interest sale was approved by the NFL on Tuesday, March 31, and is expected to close in the coming days.
This limited investment will fuel the continued growth of Ross' sports and entertainment portfolio and its impact on the greater South Florida community. In the 17 years since Ross assumed the responsibilities of chairman and owner of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium in 2009, he has revolutionized the region through his ambitious vision and private investment, including more than $1 billion of his personal funds to modernize Hard Rock Stadium and bring marquee events to the area. The venue now serves as a global sports and entertainment destination and one of the busiest stadiums in the world, hosting events such as the 2026 CFP National Championship, the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, the Miami Open presented by Itaú tennis tournament, Super Bowl LIV, Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes games and high-profile concerts. The Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium now drive billions of dollars annually in economic impact for South Florida.
"I am excited to have Bin Lin join us as a new strategic partner in our investment group," said Ross. "He is a dynamic and brilliant entrepreneur who brings a shared vision for innovation and joins us at an exciting time in our organization. Bin's investment will allow us to continue prioritizing the growth of the Dolphins and our other properties – ultimately allowing us to invest further into the South Florida region."
Bin Lin co-founded Xiaomi in 2010 and grew it to become one of the world's most innovative consumer electronics companies. Its product lines include smartphones, smart TVs, wearables, home appliances, and recently electric vehicles. He earned a master's degree from Philadelphia's Drexel University in 1992 and worked as a software engineer at Microsoft and Google for over 15 years before co-founding Xiaomi.
"I am privileged to have the opportunity to invest in the Miami Dolphins and the amazing sports business built by the great entrepreneur Stephen Ross," said Lin. "This world-class team operates not only the Dolphins but also the incredible Hard Rock Stadium and a host of renowned sporting events from Formula 1 racing to the Miami Open. As a huge sports fan, it's a wonderful investment and learning opportunity for me."
Other partners of Ross's sports and entertainment portfolio include Ares Management, Joseph Tsai, Oliver Weisberg and Bruce Beal, Jr., who is also vice chairman.
Media Contacts:
Anne Noland, Vice President of Communications
Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium and Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix
About The Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins, owned by Chairman and Owner Stephen M. Ross, are the oldest major-league professional sports franchise in the state of Florida, having been founded in 1966 and joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL merger in 1970. The organization has played in five Super Bowls, winning championships following the 1972 (VII) and 1973 (VIII) seasons. The franchise also has won five conference championships and 13 division titles. The Dolphins play home games at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a global sports and entertainment destination that hosts events such as the Formula 1 Crypto.com Miami Grand Prix, the Miami Open tennis tournament, international soccer, concerts and more. For more information, visit Dolphins.com.
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