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Florio: Ross could sell the team if referendum fails

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Serpico Jones, Apr 7, 2013.

  1. slickj101

    slickj101 Is Water

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  2. gilv13

    gilv13 Well-Known Member

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  3. Perfectville_USA

    Perfectville_USA Mr Perfect

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  4. Ohio Fanatic

    Ohio Fanatic Twuaddle or bust Club Member

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    Exactly, all hype
     
  5. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    Florio is speculating, not reporting. I wish people would learn the difference.
     
  6. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    Yeah, he's speculating, just like Ross is also. I still don't see the issue with this refendum. I'd love for the thing to pass.. I can understand folks being burned by the marlins stadium, but this isn't the same and folks need to see the difference....
     
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  7. toto

    toto Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Florio isn't the first one talking about it. Even Mike Dee mentioned it. With a stadium deal there will be a contract that keeps the Dolphins in Miami for the next 30 years. Without the stadium deal there is no such contract.
    And no, Dee didn't say Ross will sell right away. But he said Ross will not be the owner forever and without the contract, who knows what the next owner will do.

    So, speculation or not, the absent of the stadium deal could very well tempt Ross to sell sooner and the new owner might have different plans for the team.

    Like it or not, but without the stadium deal this is a realistic threat in my opinion.
     
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  8. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    Ross himself said he won't sell the team though. Florio going out on a limb, once again, to say he will...
     
  9. Justright

    Justright Banned

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    Florio is a moron...
     
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  10. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

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    Ross is doing everything possible to make this as small of a burden on the city of Miami. He isn't trying to stick it to the city like the Marlins did or anything like that. He's trying to work with the city as much as possible.

    People act like he's trying to bend them over while spitting on them. What he's tying to do us going to help the city as well has himself. Makes sense that both should contribute...
     
  11. smahtaz

    smahtaz Pimpin Ain't Easy

    Florio isn't saying or even implying Ross will move the team. He is pointing out that if Ross sells, the new owner is under no obligation to keep the team in Miami. Not really news, but a valid concern nonetheless.
     
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  12. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    Ross said he has no interest in selling the team and it's staying right here. So why is Florio even bringing it up? Another pile he's throwing against the wall to see if he can guess where it lands.
     
  13. Serpico Jones

    Serpico Jones Well-Known Member

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    Ross never said that. He did say he wouldn't move the team but he's never talked about selling or not selling the team.
     
  14. Stringer Bell

    Stringer Bell Post Hard, Post Often Club Member

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    As long as Miami is unwilling to contribute any money to a new stadium, it's long-term viability as a football market will be in question.
     
  15. Desides

    Desides Well-Known Member

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    He's not going out on a limb. He presents selling the team as a last-ditch option if Ross can't get what he wants out of this franchise, and does so as his own personal opinion. However, it's entirely true; at some point, Ross is going to sell the team. He doesn't have eternal life.

    Getting taxpayer money is not the measure of sports market viability. It's not even a measure of individual interest level.
     
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  16. Larryfinfan

    Larryfinfan 17-0...Priceless Club Member

    Not always....and he's getting better and gaining more credibility....but this, to me, was simple speculation...which is something you'll see in his articles once in a while (like many media idiots) to get hits...
     
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  17. Why should residents in the panhandle contribute too?
     
  18. DPlus47

    DPlus47 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I'm confused about the referendum. Isn't the proposed source of revenue a slight increase in hotel tax? Are there other taxes hidden in the measure?

    I am normally opposed to public financing of billionaires, but if it has to happen, a hotel tax doesn't seem like a bad thing.
     
  19. smahtaz

    smahtaz Pimpin Ain't Easy

    There is also a sales tax credit piece related to merchandise sold at the stadium. I believe it's $3M/yr.
     
  20. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

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    Its true Ross could sell the team if the referendum fails....he could sell if it passes too.

    Florio is trying to graduate from the Jason Cole School of "Journalism", by acing his Armando Test.
     
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  21. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Obviously those of us who are Dolphin fans and attend the games would love to see the referendum pass. Unfortunately the vast majority of the voters in Miami-Dade County are NOT Dolphin fans and they have no interest in giving any tax money to a private enterprise. The fact is that the Marlins stadium has turned people against this referendum, even if it may not be fair to the Dolphins.

    The vast majority of the season ticket holders do not live in Miami-Dade County, but instead live in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Even if every season ticket holder who lives in Maim-Dade County votes for this referendum, I still don't see it having any chance of passing. I think at least 70% of the voters will vote against the referendum.
     
  22. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    Joe Robbie built his stadium without taxpayer support and he certainly didn't have any problem with the viability of the Dolphins in Miami. He made the Dolphins relevant by hiring individuals to run the organization who put a quality product on the field, year after year.

    Once the Dolphins start winning on a consistent basis again, fans will return and the talk of Miami not being a quality football market will cease. The reality is that most Dolphin fans want a winning team. They could care less if the stadium is upgraded or if a Super Bowl Game ever comes to South Florida again. Winning games will take care of the long term viability issues with the Dolphins, not getting a SB every five or six years.
     
  23. Striking

    Striking Junior Member

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    Pretty much every area around a sports stadium is economically depressed. Why is that? Why would you vote to give millionaires money that would be better spent on hiring police or buying text books? People vote against their own self interest, its nutty.
     
  24. DPlus47

    DPlus47 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Is there a reliable source for what is going to be included in the referendum, or is it all still "up in the air" at this point?
     
  25. Hurricane

    Hurricane Guest

    Actually, he's not speculating... He said "some believe".

    The sad part is who he's reporting to believe this... Probably most of his cats.
     
  26. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    I read the other day that Mike dee and the mayors office convened for about 8 hours, the Mayor was quoted as saying " we're not far apart.", dee sounded optimistic about the late night meeting...

    It was posted in the Miami herald the other day, gotta get a new browser on my iPad, getting cut off.

    .I'm tired of debating its importance to the city, culture and football team, and if folks can't see that this front office is being as fair and transparent as possible, then they don't deserve a pro team to root for.

    I'm back to watching my Daniel tosh marathon...had to catch up to the cool folk.
     
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  27. Shamboubou

    Shamboubou Well-Known Member

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    Just be glad Ross is posting for some of it. We just built a new stadium here in Indy paying 100% while still paying off the stadium they blew up to build the new one.
     
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  28. Shula and Marino as co owners.


    Sent from the depths of hell
    using Tapatalk.
     
  29. Da 'Fins

    Da 'Fins Season Ticket Holder Staff Member Club Member

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    Ultimately, the Miami community should not complain about what they think the owner can or cannot do. They should decide on the basis of whether they want an NFL Franchise, whether they think that is good for the community (in most cases it is), whether they think it brings good economic benefit over the long haul (not just for the SB); and want to contribute to its support. The community essentially needs to decide whether they want the Dolphins there or not because there are other communities that are willing to pay for a stadium and potentially lure the Dolphins away should another owner decide to move them. Several factors are involved from several different vantage points, it seems to me:

    1) Ross is 72. At that age, there's no telling how long he'll be around or want to own the team. He could hold on for 5 or 10 more years but he's not going to be there much longer, really. He's going to sell and a new owner may want to move the team.

    2) The NFL is not going to go for a SB without a new stadium.

    3) Yes, areas in the immediately vicinity of NFL Stadiums are often economically depressed - that doesn't mean an NFL team does not contribute to the broader economy. The reason for the former is the traffic/noise congestion. People don't want a stadium right in their neighborhood. But, there are broader issues. The overall attraction of an MSA with an NFL franchise can have an economic impact on surrounding communities and indirect business development. But, Miami may not actually see the value in having an NFL franchise. And, for some communities (Green Bay, Dallas, NYC, Boston, Philadelphia) having an NFL franchise is a significant community factor. Those communities gain a kind of emotional benefit from that.

    4) Robbie was able to build the stadium and had to do so because he had no boxes in the OB and because he was able to draw an MLB franchise and earn from that rental venture. The difference these days is it is not viable to be a two-sport stadium. Robbie built what would soon turn out to be the worst venue (other than perhaps Oakland) in the NFL because it's not specifically designed for football. If Ross were to build his own stadium he would not make the money from it that Robbie would and he'd have to trash the current stadium.

    5) Ross is offering about as good a deal as an owner can (aside from a team like Dallas that is nearly economically independent - meaning the owner can actually make money from the franchise). It really should be the greater Miami-Ft.Lauderdale area that should be voting/contributing to this (All of southeast FL); local politics are so very tricky. But, what Ross is offering is a great deal (though I actually think he should contribute another $200 M and make it an even better upgrade - I'm a bit skeptical about the actual upgrade - it will be better but still ...).

    6) Miami - Ft. Lauderdale and vicinity is a unique area. In many ways it is not the same community that was there in the 60's & 70's when the Dolphins were a big thing. The people there may decide it's not a football community and that's fine (it really isn't - it's a great, diverse mixture of people but it's not the same kind of place it was in 40 years ago). So that may just be how it goes. Sad, because I'm a traditionalist at heart when it comes to sports franchises, but I don't think the Dolphins will remain there without a stadium deal.
     
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  30. jw3102

    jw3102 season ticket holder

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    As a long time Dolphin fan, I agree with much of what you have written.

    I agree that the stadium Robbie built was not as much a football stadium as it was a multipurpose stadium which could also be a home to a major league baseball team. This design has led to a problem in that the seats are far from the field. The upgrades to the stadium should help solve this problem to a degree.

    I agree also that Ross is offering a very good deal to the public. As a Miami Dade County resident, I agree that the hotel taxes should also be raised in Broward and West Palm Beach and the vote on this referendum should include all three of these counties. Unfortunately the politicians Broward and West Palm have no interest in helping to fund a stadium which sits in Miami Dade County. Even though most of the season ticket holders live in Broward and West Palm, not in Miami.

    I tend to think that winning games will resolve the attendance issue, not an upgraded stadium. While I will vote for the referendum because I think Ross is being fair and he certainly deserves the money, far more than the Marlins did. I just don't think that the vast majority of the voters in Miami really care enough about the Dolphins to vote for the referendum. Less and less fans have been showing up at the stadium in recent years. The Dolphins also had the lowest TV ratings for an NFL team in 2012.

    I think the only thing really wrong with the Dolphins is the fact they have been a consistent loser for most of the last decade. While the fan base now may not be what it was years ago, the Miami Heat clearly showed that a winning team will bring the fans to the games. A few years ago, before Lebron, the Heat put a tarp over the upper deck, so all the empty seats wouldn't be shown on TV. Now that they are winning, they are one of the hottest tickets in sports.

    I would never say never in regards to the Dolphins leaving Miami in the future, if they don't get approval for these stadium upgrades. If the Colts could leave Baltimore and the Browns could leave Cleveland over stadium issues, I guess it could also happen in Miami. I would hate to see the day the Dolphins departed to another city, but I'm realistic enough to understand that anything is possible, even if them leaving Miami would break my heart.
     
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  31. Samphin

    Samphin Κακό σκυλί ψόφο δεν έχει

    Miami is one of two teams that owns the stadium outright (Panthers being the other). If Ross sells, he is selling the stadium too. That cuts both ways as there is no lease for the Dolphinsto be locked into, but then again, owning the stadium is a pretty enticing piece to stay put, regardless of owner.
     
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  32. Alex13

    Alex13 Tua Time !!! Club Member

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    i don't buy that you gotta win to draw the fans ****....there is 8 home games a season, look at cleveland, buffalo, oakland, kansas city, arizona, they suck for years...doesn't stop the fans to get there and support their team, its not the product.. its a fan base issue
     
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  33. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    just adding to your point, I truly think the problem is two fold Alex, the fanbase and the stadium, one doesn't inspire the other..
     
  34. unifiedtheory

    unifiedtheory Sub Pending Luxury Box

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    I "speculated" this the day the referendum was announced.

    He will be in a no win situation.

    A) Get stadium renos paid for.

    B) Don't get stadium renos paid for.

    If it's "A" he is laughing.

    If it is "B" he has a few choices. Move the team (Rog would slap him down, it would never happen). Pay for the renos himself (the option he should be choosing now). Do nothing. Sell the team.
     
  35. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box


    Huh? Buffalo, and Oakland's fans are worse than Miami fans. Hell, Oakland fans have more blackouts than any team in the NFL.
     
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  36. Coral Reefer

    Coral Reefer Premium Member

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    Horse crap....

    Some of you guys like to buy into hysteria at an alarming rate.
    The crew around here that likes to constantly portray the Miami market as being one of the worst fan bases are simply full of crap.

    This franchise has historically enjoyed a strong following.
    It will never be at a level of following like Green Bay or Pittsburgh but VERY FEW markets are like that including the markets you listed above beyond maybe Kansas City. The team gets a few premier players again and start winning they'll be the belle of the ball once again.

    The NFL with all it's posturing about a stadium upgrade will never want to be out of the Miami market.
    The Dolphins aren't going anywhere.
     
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  37. ASOT

    ASOT New Member

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    Everyone forgets about Broward County. If Miami-Dade rejects it, Ross can go to Broward and get a brand new stadium from them. The Dolphins are not leaving South Fla as much as some here want them too.
     
  38. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    Umm he was said to have been in negotiations to sell part of the team during the season. He said he had no interest in selling the team. So yes, he did say it. Most recently Mike Dee said the team is staying in Miami under Ross's watch.
     
  39. Ozzy

    Ozzy Premium Member Luxury Box

    He could also pass away as the owner so it's not entirely true.
     

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