The one-year mark of Steve Ross taking control of the Dolphins from H. Wayne Huizenga didn’t pass quietly this week. Ross was overseas, but on Wednesday his stadium got its second new name of the year: Sun Life Stadium.

It’s been an eventful –- emphasis on the event -- year for Ross’ Dolphins and his stadium. Remember, it was Jan. 20, 2009 when Huizenga made sure the papers finalizing the $1.1 billion sale were signed just hours before President Barack Obama’s inauguration -- as something of a symbolic gesture in case Obama raised capital gains taxes.

Ross promised he’d jazz up the entertainment experience for fans at the stadium then called Dolphin Stadium. In May, he began that transformation signing a cash-less naming rights/marketing partnership with Jimmy Buffett’s Land Shark Lager for the 2009 season. The announcement came complete with a short Buffett concert, hundreds of Parrot Heads and a new version of Buffett’s hit Fins written specifically for the Dolphins. Bringing brand new meaning to “Fins to the Left…”

This week, the stadium got its second new name in a year – make that three, if you count the two weeks it reverted to Dolphin Stadium between the Orange Bowl on Jan. 5 and the Sun Life announcement on Wednesday.

So, a short by the numbers:

6 World Baseball Classic games: the stadium was host to round two games in March

6 limited partners: Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony (and by marriage his wife Jennifer Lopez), Venus and Serena Williams, Fergie. (Asked whether more limited partners could be brought on board, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said, “I wouldn’t say it’s an active pursuit. We continue to keep an open mind toward additional partners. But it’s not a high priority.”)

2 stadium names: Land Shark, Sun LIfe

2 press conference concerts: Buffett’s to introduce Land Shark in May; KC & the Sunshine Band’s booty shaking serenade to introduce Sun Life on Wednesday. (Dee said KC wasn’t likely to become a limited partner, but “he could be a promotional partner.”)

1 new (much maligned) fight song: Can you forget T Pain’s autotune version of the old song?

1 new theme song: Buffett’s revamped Fins, which is played every time the team scores -- and then some. (Dee said Buffett’s song is here to stay. “What was important about the Land Shark involvement wasn’t necessarily the name on the building, but the vibe, if you will, in the stadium, the theme areas.”)

1 artist: Romero Britto’s neo pop art graces the helixes and gates at the stadium.

0 playoff appearances: Both the Dolphins and Marlins missed the postseason.

1 World Cup finalist site: The stadium was included this month among 18 in the U.S. bid to host the World Cup in 2018 or 2022.

2 (at least) stadium dissings by the NFL: Both NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Senior Vice President of Special Events Frank Supovitz told the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee and community leaders the 23-year-old venue needs upgrades to keep it competitive with other stadiums across the country vying to host future Super Bowls.

Stay tuned….

Just in time to host the 2010 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl XLIV, the Miami Dolphins reached a long-term agreement with a corporate naming rights partner to rename their multi-monikered home, Sun Life Stadium.

Sun Life Financial, a Toronto-based financial services and insurance company, has agreed to put its name on the Miami Gardens venue for at least five years.

Financial details weren’t disclosed, but a source said the deal is initially five years with multiple options that could stretch the deal to 20 years. The Dolphins are to receive roughly $5 million a year but that could rise to the $7 million range if the certain incentives occur, including securing another Super Bowl and team playoff appearances.

The Dolphins and Sun Life officials from the company’s U.S. headquarters in Wellesley, Mass., announced the deal on a stage on the field inside the stadium. A medley of songs about the sun, including Sheryl Crow’s Soak up the Sun, Smash Mouth’s Walking on the Sun and Katrina and the Waves’ Walking on Sunshine, helped introduce the name.

“Boy does it feel good under the sun,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said before sharing the name with invited season ticket holders, Super Bowl Host Committee officials and volunteers and students from American Heritage.

Sun Life officials said what attracted them to the Dolphins home stadium was that it is home to football, baseball, the Orange Bowl, Super Bowl and other events and exposes them to lots of new potential customers. It will also help the company overcome the fact that many people in the U.S. aren’t familiar with what they do.

“It really has been about building our brand in the United States," said Wes Thompson, president of Sun Life Financial U.S. "We’ve got great presence in Canada, great presence internationally, but we’ve really lacked brand presence in the U.S., as you’ve seen we’ve with our most recent commercials, our efforts are to really get our name out, so sooner or later you’ll know our name. This is another step in that journey to build our brand.”

And just as they have been doing in their recent advertising campaign launched in November, Sun Life Financial called on KC & the Sunshine Band to help spread the word about its brand. In the ad campaign, two Sun Life representatives try to convince KC to change his band’s name to the “Sun Life Band.” KC still hasn’t done that, but did perform a medley of Shake Your Booty and Get Down Tonight.

Sun Life also agreed to contribute $250,000 annually to the Dolphins Foundation and the team and Sun Life together established “Sun Life Miami Dolphins Haiti Relief Fund” with $200,000 and will match contributions made at sunlifestadium.com two to one.

Priscilla Brown, senior vice president and head of U.S. marketing for Sun Life, who attended the announcement, and Sun Life Financial President Jon A. Boscia, are no strangers to football stadium naming rights deals. Brown served as chief marketing and brand officer for Lincoln Financial Group, where Boscia was CEO. In 2002, Lincoln National Corp., struck the $139.6 million, 20-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles to name the team’s new stadium Lincoln Financial Field.

Brown said what made the two deals different was the Lincoln Financial used the Eagles Stadium as a way to announce the company's entry into the Philadelphia market, but the Dolphins' stadium allows the company to make a statement both nationally and internationally.

"Here the primary objective was to make this really big given that we don’t have most of our employees in this area," Brown said. "We want to make sure people around the globe knew about it."

Dee said he didn't think the dollars from the Sun Life deal had been earmarked as yet, but were intended to be used to continue to build a winning franchise. He said he hoped the naming rights deal, which marks the first one in more than a decade that will generate revenue for the team, lasts well beyond the initial five-year term.

"We’ve made clear we want a partner for the long haul," Dee said. "We hope this is the last name this building ever has."

The Dolphins’ home venue, which opened in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium, has had a series of name changes. For the 2009 season it was known as Land Shark Stadium, after Dolphins owner Steve Ross struck a cash-less marketing deal with Jimmy Buffett’s Land Shark Lager. That deal was only through the 2009 season.

From 1996 to 2005, the stadium was named Pro Player after then-team owner H. Wayne Huizenga struck a deal with sports apparel maker Pro Player. In 1999, Pro Player’s parent company, Fruit of the Loom, filed for bankruptcy and the Pro Player brand was shuttered. The team regained the naming rights in 2000, but never struck a new corporate deal. The stadium was called Dolphins Stadium in 2005; the ‘s’ was dropped in 2006. The Land Shark deal was announced last May.

Thompson said he hopes the lack of a consistent name for the stadium helps fans remember the Sun Life Stadium name going forward.

“In a sense no one’s established a beachhead because of that," Thompson said. "It’s not as if we have to fight a 20-year nomenclature of any type that may have existed before. So we kind of view that as an advantage for us, and we are in this for the long term per the agreement we have with the Dolphins.”

Here’s the stadium name chronology:

Aug. 16, 1987-Aug. 25, 1996: Joe Robbie Stadium
Aug. 26-Sept. 9, 1996: Pro Player Park
Sept. 10, 1996-Jan. 9, 2005: Pro Player Stadium
Jan. 10, 2005-April 7, 2006: Dolphins Stadium
April 8, 2006-May 7, 2009: Dolphin Stadium
May 8, 2009-Jan. 5, 2010: Land Shark Stadium
Jan. 6, 2010-Jan. 19: Dolphin Stadium
Jan. 20, 2010: Sun Life Stadium

Watch a video from the announcement here:

The Miami Dolphins are auctioning off those orange jerseys their players wore in the Monday Night victory over the New York Jets at Dolphin (it was Land Shark then, in case you’re keeping track) Stadium.

Jerseys for 31 players are on auction until Wednesday at miamidolphins.com. Some are already running more than $1,000. As of this posting, quarterback Chad Henne’s is more than $4,000. Proceeds will benefit the Haiti earthquake relief efforts. .

“This was only the third time in team history that our team wore orange jerseys,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said in a statement. “The game was an electric night and exciting contest for all of our fans.”

The 76th FedEx Orange Bowl kicks off tonight at Land Shark Stadium with the Iowa Hawkeyes facing the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

It’s not exactly the balmy South Florida weather fans from Iowa and Georgia expected, nor what tourism officials had in mind either, when they created the Orange Bowl in 1935 to promote the region as a tourist destination. The country had just endured the Great Depression and the Orange Bowl seemed like a good way to help with economic recovery and encourage visitors to get out of the cold.

Similar feelings abound today, among Orange Bowl Committee, tourism and economic development officials. Although ticket sales have been slow for tonight’s game, local officials love the idea that two out-of-state teams are pitted against each other and many fans have been in South Florida in preparation for days.

OB Committee and tourism officials worry the lengthy vacations planned around the Orange Bowl will end if efforts to create a college football playoff system are successful. The debate rages on as it does annually, but has gotten louder with President Obama expressing his support for a playoff and Congress holding hearings on whether the Bowl Championship Series violates antitrust laws.

The story I wrote today that you can read here explores issues on both sides of the BCS versus playoff debate. Meanwhile, Playoff PAC, a political action committee formed in October to push for a playoff, released its first ad targeting the BCS this week. Watch it here:

The end of the decade also corresponds with my first decade as the Sun Sentinel’s sports business writer. When I first got the job in September 1999, people would congratulate me and then ask: “What are you going to do with the rest of your time?” As if this somehow wasn’t a full-time job!?

Just in case those people are still wondering what I do with my time, here’s my $2 added to the end of the decade lists with a by the numbers sampling of South Florida sports business stories. (Disclaimer -- this does not purport to be a full or complete list):

5 NEW TEAM OWNERS: Alan P. Cohen and his group bought the Panthers from H. Wayne Huizenga in 2001. Jeffrey Loria took ownership of the Marlins from John W. Henry (by way of Major League Baseball) in 2002. Steve Ross completed his purchase of the Dolphins from Huizenga in 2009. And Cohen’s partners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel (I’m counting them as two) took over majority ownership of the Panthers this fall.

5 (at least) TEAM MOVES: The Heat moved to AmericanAirlines Arena in 2000. Hurricanes football moved to Dolphin Stadium in 2008. FAU moved from Dolphin Stadium to Lockhart Stadium. FIU football moved into a new stadium. The Baltimore Orioles ended their spring training run at Fort Lauderdale Stadium and are moving to Sarasota next year.

10 (and counting...) TEAMS LOST: Miami Fusion (Major League Soccer); Miami Sol (WNBA); Miami Tropics (Spring Football League); Miami Manatees (minor league hockey); Florida Bobcats (AFL); Florida Pitbulls (ABA); Miami Morays, Palm Beach Phantoms and Florida Frenzy (all of the National Indoor Football League); Miami Diamantes (baseball); and others too numerous to count…

2 VENUES BUILT: UM opened BankUnited Center in 2003; FIU opened its new football stadium in 2008.

2 TORN DOWN: Both the Orange Bowl and Miami Arena came down in 2008.

4 TEAMS STARTED (and still exist in some form): Miami FC (soccer), Miami Caliente (Lingerie Football League); Miami Fury and Palm Beach Punishers of the Independent Women’s Football League.

NAME CHANGES get their own section: In 2001, Sports & Sponsorships President Scott Becher was more prophetic than he might have imagined when he told me this for a story about the golf tournament at Doral changing its name to Genuity:

"You're going to start to see names change for a second and a third time," Becher said. "I think by and large, fans get it, but from the sponsor's standpoint, it's like buying a used car. The car is never going to smell like new. The value of the sponsorship is diminished when you have to untrain fans to think of it as one name and reteach them a new name."

3 (Three-way tie) – Dolphins’ home stadium: Started the decade as Pro Player, then Dolphins Stadium, followed by Dolphin (no s) Stadium, and Land Shark Stadium. It’s set to become Dolphin Stadium again in January.

-- Key Biscayne tennis tournament: Lipton became Ericsson Open then Nasdaq-100 Open. Now it’s Sony Ericsson Open.

-- Golf tournament at Doral: Doral Ryder Open became Genuity Championship, then Ford Championship, and now it’s CA Championship.

2 (two-way tie) – Panthers home arena: National Car Rental Center became Office Depot Center and is now BankAtlantic Center.
--
FIU’s basketball arena: Golden Panther Arena started the decade as Golden Panther Arena, became Pharmed and is now U.S. Century Bank.

1 ZILLION Marlins ballpark plans: But the ballpark is under construction and scheduled to open in 2012.

Iowa Hawkeyes and Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets players visited the Orange Bowl “gift suite” last night to pick out items ranging from clock radios to iPod docking stations to mountain bikes and luggage sets.

Also among this year’s gifts for playing in the 76th FedEx Orange Bowl on Jan. 5 at Land Shark Stadium: a Tourneau watch, New Era hat and an Ogio backpack.

+ Meanwhile, ticket prices have been set for Super Bowl XLIV, which will be played Feb. 7 at the same stadium, known then as Dolphin Stadium. They’re topping out at $1,000 – just as they did this year in Tampa for Super Bowl XLIII.

The NFL is doubling the number of $500 seats reserved for fans of the two competing Super Bowl teams to 2,000 – up from 1,000 this year. Of the roughly 74,000 seats at Dolphin Stadium, 50 percent will cost $800; 35 percent cost $900 and 13 percent cost $1,000.

Face value for tickets to the 2007 Super Bowl in South Florida? $600 and $700.

Looking for a less expensive alternative to see some of the NFL’s biggest stars, who won’t be playing in the Super Bowl? Tickets to the Pro Bowl on Jan. 31 range from $50 to $195 with most priced less than $100. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com, NFL.com or by calling 800-745-3000.

+ With sadness: The sports business reporting ranks weren’t that big to begin with, so it always hurts to lose another member – particularly as part of the newspaper industry’s slow painful death march. The Washington Times publishes its last sports section Friday. Good luck to sports business and media writer, Tim Lemke, whose last TWT blog post can be found here.

When Iowa played USC in the FedEx Orange Bowl in 2003, Iowa Hawkeyes fans turned South Florida black and gold. So much so that tourism officials are hoping the Hawkeyes’ return to the Orange Bowl will be just as lucrative.

“I tell you I feel very bullish, because I remember a few years ago when Iowa played and they had their yellow shirts and those yellow shirts were here early and they stayed late. You saw them all over town,” said Bill Talbert, president and CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Whether fans of Iowa’s OB opponent, Georgia Tech, will travel as well isn’t known, but Talbert is optimistic about them as well. “Georgia -- and Atlanta -- is one of the strongest vacation feeder markets for Miami and in January, it will be cold there and warm here.”

And, of course, Georgia Tech hasn’t played in the Orange Bowl since losing to Florida in 1967.

But back to Iowa. Experts say Iowa fans in South Florida outnumbered Trojans fans by as many as four to one. USC pounded Iowa 38-17 in the game.

“I don’t know if the same numbers will be there as last time because last time was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen,” said Tom Kakert, publisher of hawkeyerepoort.com, who spoke to me while driving in a snowstorm. “They had 25,000 people show up for a pep rally.”

But Kakert expects the Hawkeyes to be well represented again, even though they’d thought they might be going to the Fiesta Bowl instead.

“A lot of people have a lot of good feelings about South Florida. They enjoyed that trip, even though they didn’t enjoy the results of the game.”

The economy and the late Jan. 5 date of the game at Land Shark Stadium are likely to prevent some fans from attending this time, he said. But, he reminded, temperatures will be around 10 degrees in Iowa in early January.

“Hawks fans are excited,” he said. “They’ll be ready to go.”

A contingent of Miami-Dade and Land Shark Stadium officials is in New York today making the region’s pitch to be included in the United States’ bid to play host to the 2018 or 2022 World Cup.

In August, Miami was included on a short list of 27 U.S. communities that are finalists as host sites. The 27 communities have been meeting and attending host community workshops with the USA Bid Committee in New York this week.

Mike Sophia, executive director of the Miami-Dade Sports Commission, is in New York, along with Commission Chairman and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau President and CEO Bill Talbert, Land Shark Stadium President M. Bruce Schulze and Vice President and General Manager Todd Boyan.

“It’s really an opportunity for us to go up and just highlight our bid, any changes,” Sophia said. “We’ll take a little bit of time to explain here’s what we are, who we are.”

Sophia says the committee is expected to narrow the group of 27 to 18 that will be announced in early December. The U.S. application to FIFA to host either of the two upcoming World Cups is due in May, with the announcement of the host nations coming in December 2010.

Meanwhile, local World Cup supporters are encouraging soccer fans to sign a petition showing their support for bringing the World Cup to the U.S.

“The USA Bid Committee wants to show the grassroots support for soccer,” Sophia said of the petition drive.

Those interested in signing the petition can find it here or through the Sports Commission’s Web site.

Additionally, the commission is planning to drum up support at local sporting events by setting up petition drive booths at Saturday night’s Miami Heat-New Jersey Nets game at AmericanAirlines Arena; Sunday’s Miami Dolphins-Tampa Bay Buccaneers game at Land Shark Stadium; and at next Wednesday’s "Celebracion Honduras Mundialista 2010" soccer friendly featuring Honduras and Peru, also at Land Shark.

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When fans arrive at Sunday’s Miami Dolphins-New Orleans Saints game at Land Shark Stadium, they’ll receive an aqua and orange Breathe Right Nasal Strip.

Not eye black, mind you. A nasal strip. It looks something like a Band-Aid -- it's affixed just below the bridge of your nose -- but it helps you breathe easier, while you’re sleeping or exercising.

According to the strips maker, GlaxoSmithKline, NFL players are increasingly using the strips because they reduce the energy needed to breathe, while you’re working out or competing. NFL players have been using them since 1994, the company says.

GSK is planning to distribute 400,000 of the strips in the next month at five NFL games to introduce its Breathe Right Extra Nasal Strips, which are 50 percent stronger than the original version. The company is to give away 75,000 strips to fans attending Sunday’s Dolphins game and 80,000 at Sunday’s New York Giants-Arizona Cardinals game.

“Breathe Right has had a long relationship with professional football players using our products both on and off the field,” Breathe Right vice president of marketing Darren Singer said in a statement. “By sampling the new Extra strips at football stadiums nationwide, we’ll have an opportunity to help people understand that this is a product strong enough for high-performance athletes, but available to every day consumers.”

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross' limited partners weren't the only Latin celebrities to walk the orange carpet Monday to help the NFL celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Sure Gloria and Emilio Estefan were there, as were Marc Anthony and his wife Jennifer Lopez. Anthony sang the national anthem; the Estefans helped out with the halftime show.

But there were lots of others: IndyCar driver Rafael Matos, who lives in Miami and competed in Saturday's IndyCar Series finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, attended his first football game. “I’m here to see Ronnie Brown and the Wildcat,” Matos said.

Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi and soap opera star wife Adamari Lopez wore matching No. 1 jerseys. Also on hand were: Lili Estefan (Emilio Estefan’s niece) and Raul de Molina of TV’s El Gordo y La Flaca; Mexican pop duo Jesse and Joy; Texas Rangers and former Marlins catcher Pudge Rodriguez; and artist Romero Britto.

Ross and ESPN President George Bodenheimer arrived together. Also walking the orange carpet were model Naomi Campbell; IndyCar driver and Boca Raton resident Ryan Hunter-Reay; Daymond John of TV’s The Shark Tank; and the Heat’s DJ Irie.

"It's an absolute spectacle," Irie said of the atmosphere. "This is the definition of Miami."

Legendary coach Don Shula, who served as honorary captain Monday night, arrived with his wife Mary Anne, to chants of "Shula! Shula! Shula!" As he was walking the carpet, so were some Victoria's Secret Angel wannabes. Shula posed for photos with the women.

The orange carpet has been evolving since it was unveiled at the team's home opener on Sept. 21. On Monday night, Lexus was sponsoring the orange carpet experience, so two Lexus cars -- an IS 250 and an IS 350 -- were displayed on either side of the carpet. At one point, the alarm on one of the cars went off...

+ Wondering why the Miami Dolphins haven’t struck a sponsorship deal with the Florida lottery now that the NFL allows such arrangements? The Dolphins told me they didn’t think a deal could be reached for this season. The SportsBusiness Journal reports the Dolphins nixed a three-team sponsorship deal with the lottery that would have also included the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

The journal says the Dolphins felt they deserved more in the deal. According to the piece, which you can read here, 18 teams have deals with 20 state lotteries.

By the way, through yesterday’s games, Florida’s three teams are a combined 3-11 on the season.

+ But the Dolphins don’t play until tonight – their highly anticipated matchup against the New York Jets at Land Shark Stadium. The MNF game marks the NFL’s celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The Dolphins are wearing their orange jerseys; team owner Steve Ross’ Latin limited partners Marc Anthony and wife Jennifer Lopez, Gloria and Emilio Estefan will be out in force. Gloria’s MNF theme video with Hank Williams Jr. complete with lines in Spanish, such as “Estos listos para futbol” debuts. Anthony is to sing the National Anthem. Latin stars perform pregame and during halftime. NFLatino.com has even created a series of videos in honor of the matchup that pit a Hispanic Dolphins and Jets fan. There are four – one for each quarter – with the first showing a child in a Mark Sanchez shirt beating up a dolphin piñata. Thanks to Advertising Age’s Laura Martinez for finding these. Here’s the first one:

Watch the others here: second, third and fourth quarters.

+ The Dolphins are 2-0 when they’ve worn their orange jerseys, but just in case the Jets do win, Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Company (14451 S. Military Trail, Delray Beach) reminds us, customers can get a free bagel the day after a Jets or Giants win. One bagel per customer who can share the winning score. Bagels are being given away today because the Giants beat the Oakland Raiders 44-7. If the Jets win tonight, same drill for customers who can recite the score.

+ Pro Bowl: Tickets for the 2010 Pro Bowl, which is being held the Sunday before the Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium, go on sale at 7 p.m. They cost $50 to $195. Buy them at NFL.com, Ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

The Miami Dolphins say a limited number of tickets are still available for Sunday’s 4:05 p.m. game against the Buffalo Bills at Land Shark Stadium.

The team’s new “Fins Value Pack,” which includes an upper level corner/endzone seat and vouchers for a free soda and a hot dog (valued at $58) for $45, is available for Sunday’s game. But the deal, sponsored by Pepsi and Ball Park, is also available for four other games: Oct. 12 against the New York Jets; Oct. 25 against the New Orleans Saints; Nov. 15 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers; and Dec. 27 against the Houston Texans.

To buy these tickets – while they last – visit miamidolphins.com/finsvalue, which explains how to get the special offer.

Meanwhile, the Dolphins are also offering another specially-priced ticket for games in October, including Sunday’s, Oct. 12 and Oct. 25, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. That deal, thanks to Boar’s Head, is for an upper sideline seat that regularly costs $80 for $52. For every one of those tickets purchased, the Dolphins will donate $10 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. To purchase tickets those tickets visit miamidolphins.com/support.

With the Miami Dolphins now 0-3 to start the 2009 season after a 23-13 loss to the San Diego Chargers this afternoon, filling up Land Shark Stadium for next Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills (1-2) could be a challenge.

The team hasn’t had a regular season game blacked out on local television in more than a decade.

But team officials were already anticipating avoiding blackouts this season might be tough given that season ticket sales dropped nearly 16 percent last season to 46,131 – the team’s lowest level since 1992. Season ticket sales are up and expected to exceed 50,000 this year. But the team must sell 62,133 upper and lower level seats at least 72 hours before kickoff to prevent games from being blacked out on local TV.

The team, which is scheduled to play the Bills at 4:05 p.m. Sunday, is offering a new “Fins Value Pack” for Sunday’s game – with help from Pepsi and Ball Park. For $45, you get an upper level corner/endzone seat, and vouchers for a free soda and a hot dog. That’s a $58 value.

Better late than never…. I was again part of the sports business panel on sports consultant Rick Horrow’s local show, Beyond the Game, on WPEC Ch. 12 in West Palm Beach on Saturday. (The show airs at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays). Former Miami Dolphin Troy Stradford and Horrow Sports Ventures creative director Brian Finkel and I covered the Dolphins Monday Night home opener; games we were watching in Week 2; so-called “body bag games” in which lower level college programs travel to big-time programs for the cash payouts; and the Miami Heat’s staff pay cuts. Watch here.

When he announced in July that he’d agreed to purchase a small stake in the Miami Dolphins, singer Marc Anthony said he and his wife, singer-actress Jennifer Lopez, were looking for a house in Miami with team owner Steve Ross’ help.

At Monday night’s Dolphins’ home opener at Land Shark Stadium, Anthony told People magazine the couple had purchased a condo that day.

"When we are through decorating the condo, it will be the sexiest place in town!" Anthony told the magazine.

Looks like Ross may have had something to do with the location. The magazine says condo is in swanky Icon Brickell designed by Philippe Starck and built by the Related Group. Related Group CEO Jorge Perez is Ross’ business partner (Related Group is affiliated with Ross’ Related Cos.) and Dolphins vice chairman.

In addition to all the new celebrity limited partners, pregame concerts, Jimmy Buffett beer and rewritten Fins song, the Miami Dolphins are also enhancing the technology at Land Shark Stadium.

Before Monday’s home opener, which the Dolphins lost to the Indianapolis Colts, team owner Steve Ross and Cisco CEO John Chambers gave a glimpse of how upgraded technology across the stadium is improving the game experience for fans.

Did you wait in line for concessions? If so, you no doubt saw the new high definition menu boards which can also broadcast game action so you don’t miss a thing while you’re waiting for beer and snacks.

Chambers said the Dolphins are being proactive about reaching fans – the majority of whom – especially those under age 30 -- say they want their sports venues to be high-tech and offer the latest technological advances.

There are 2,000 TV screens throughout Land Shark Stadium that can be programmed together or individually, so you can watch the game and get important messages, if necessary. Suite holders can use the phone in their suite to program the TVs to show different camera angles or other broadcast feeds during the game. They can also use the phones to order food.

Need a place to hold a business meeting with someone out of town? The Dolphins can arrange it so you can visit your suite during business hours and even set up a teleconference with a colleague in another city. Sports consultant (and friend of Ross’), Rick Horrow, demonstrated the teleconferencing, beaming in for Ross’ and Chambers’ meeting with the media.

Ross has been stressing that it takes work to encourage fans off their couches and away from their TVs to attend games in person.

“Today with the competition for the sports dollar, it’s so important that you create reasons for fans to want to come out to a game, as opposed to staying home and watching the game on television on large screens,” Ross said.

Horrow echoed Ross’ mantra, saying sports teams “need to give the fan the opportunity to live the game. You can’t always win … but you can certainly entertain.”

Horrow continued: “A facility that can entertain will offer the ability to showcase Super Bowls, Pro Bowls, University of Miami, not just the Dolphins, but all the things Steve is trying to accomplish at Land Shark Stadium.”

“We’re just scratching the surface,” said Tery Howard, Dolphins vice president of information technology. “This is not only for the fans, but also for the business partners and sponsors.”

The TV screens can be altered to welcome new sponsors or visitors. And adapted quickly for a University of Miami or a Florida Marlins game.

Read more about the details of the partnership here.

The Steve Ross' edition of the Miami Dolphins had its coming out party at Land Shark Stadium Monday night. Fans, celebrities and team officials said the pregame buzz had a Super Bowl feel.

The stadium has been jazzed up with the brightly-colored work of artist Romero Britto. Fans were dressed in all manner of aqua and orange. Some wore grass skirts or had fins fashioned from balloons atop their heads. (What’s up with the Luche Libre masks?) A wakeboarding demonstration was held in the Grand Plaza on the stadium’s south side; Land Shark T-shirts and hats were sold in the newly revamped team store; and vendors hawked Land Shark Lagers like old-fashioned cigarette sellers.

Jimmy Buffett performed a concert outside Gate F and team owner Ross joined him onstage. Buffett had already rewritten his hit Fins to honor the Dolphins and on Monday he added this verse: “Fins to my left, fins to my right, we’re going to dine on horsemeat tonight.”

Dozens of fans flanked the orange carpet near Gate G to wait for celebrities to arrive. The buzz and excitement were palpable. Fans lined up several deep strained to get a glimpse of the team's limited partners and Dolphins alumni. They cheered, snapped photos and hoped for autographs.

Among the earliest to arrive was Dan Marino, who served as an honorary captain Monday for the coin toss. He got huge applause and cheers.

"I like the attention," Marino said.

"This is better than any premiere," singer and team limited partner Gloria Estefan said when she walked the orange carpet with her husband producer Emilio Estefan.

It had a Hollywood or awards show opening meets sporting event at Miami Gardens venue feel. Other Dolphins alumni included Mark Duper, Dick Anderson, Troy Drayton, Shawn Wooden. Three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves entered on the orange carpet and said he liked both the Colts (Indy - after all) and Dolphins.

Others entering on the orange carpet included Mark and Robin Levinson of Levinson Jewelers, shoe magnate Donald Pliner and his wife Lisa, and Dolphins Vice Chairman and Ross' business partner Jorge Perez and his wife Darlene.

Hip hop singer T-Pain, who made a much-maligned autotune version of the team's fight song, walked the orange carpet with the biggest entourage of the night. "I'm very excited. I want some nachos," he said. "I'm ready to see some good football."

Meanwhile, Heat guard Dwyane Wade and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco were in attendance. Castroneves and Ocho Cino took photos from their seats and posted them on Twitter.

And Tiger Woods watched the game's first half from the Indianapolis Colts' sideline.

Buffett's Fins was played after the team scored. The original fight song was played between the third and fourth quarters.

The fun is supposed to start long before the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts take the field for Monday Night Football at Land Shark Stadium tonight. Pregame concerts, the “orange” carpet, the celebrity limited partners…

The pregame activities get started at 4:30 p.m. at the Grand Plaza at Gate G. At 5:15 p.m., Jimmy Stowe performs live at the Land Shark Tailgate Stage near Gate F – he’ll also be performing at 6:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. At 6 p.m. there will be a wakeboard demonstration near Gate H.

The celebrity orange carpet arrival is to begin at 7 p.m. by Gate G and yes, limited partners Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Marc Anthony (and wife, singer-actress Jennifer Lopez), and Venus and Serena Williams are expected. So are Bob Griese and Dan Marino, who will be honorary captains performing the coin toss before the game.

Oh, and at 7:45 p.m., don’t be surprised if the surprise guest performer is none other than … Jimmy Buffett. Surprised? Halftime is to feature 600 Parrot Heads dancing to Fins.

And in case you missed it, here’s today’s Two-Minute Drill interview with Dolphins CEO Mike Dee:

Mike Dee spent 14 years working in Major League Baseball, the past five as chief operating officer of the Boston Red Sox, before being named CEO of the Dolphins in May. Staff Writer Sarah Talalay asked Dee about moving from baseball to football and the Dolphins’ 2009 home opener against the Indianapolis Colts tonight, which happens to be Dee’s birthday. Dee grew up in Maryland, rooting for the Baltimore Colts.

Q. What’s the biggest difference between baseball and football?

A. You start to immediately recognize that every game [in football] is like the seventh game of a playoff series, the regular season is so important. And obviously it’s that way for the football team and the coaching staff and the players take that seriously, but it’s also important on the business side. You have to make sure you get everything right, If you misstep or don’t get something right one game of the year, that’s 10 percent of your schedule. And that’s coming from a place like Boston, where every game was a sellout, so every game was a big deal. But when you only have 10 games, eight in the regular season, it puts a lot of pressure on you to get it right.

Q. The home opener is on a Monday night and it’s against the Colts. What does that mean to you?

A. My team growing up. Isn’t that amazing? It’s actually eerie. My parents and I talked about this, like can you imagine on your 46 birthday all those things happen? I live a charmed life. At least I recognize it.

Q. Do you consider the Colts the team you grew up with even though they moved from Baltimore?

A. I do. Oh yes. They’re the team I grew up with. I became a Dolphins fan when I was 22.

Q. How did that happen?

A. The Colts left and I moved to South Florida [for a job in a family-owned paint company]. Two months after I moved here, I went to the Monday night game against the Bears [Dec. 2, 1985]. I was mad at the Colts for leaving, I was an independent, I had left my party. I was a free agent fan, and I walked into the Orange Bowl and the electricity in that game, just being here in South Florida, at the time, I remember wow. From that day forward I was a Dolphins fan. I’ve been described by some online bloggers as a quote unquote newbie … but I’ve been around for 25 years as a fan… and stayed with it, even after it was the Shula-Marino era that sucked me into it and got me excited. But I’ve stayed with it all the way through the good times and the bad times.”

Oh, and don't forget to follow me on Twitter: @sarahtalalay

The Florida Marlins are freezing season ticket prices for next season and offering fans a break if they commit to pay for two seasons.

Pay by Monday – aren’t the Marlins still in a pennant race and wild card race? – and you’ll get an 8 percent discount. If you also agree to pay for 2011 – you won’t be charged until March – you’ll get the 2009 prices and 8 percent discount, too. The Marlins, who broke ground in July for their new $515 million ballpark in Little Havana they expect to open in 2012, are hoping 2011 is their last season at Land Shark Stadium.

If you just commit for next season, but want to pay in five installments, you’ll still get a 2.5 percent discount. Season tickets offer you seating priority in the new ballpark.

Full 81-game season ticket plans range from $6.75 a game in the Fish Tank to $184.50 a game in the Batters Box MVP seats. Infield box seats cost $27.25 a game and Club A seats costs $31.50 a game. The team is also offering 41-game plans ($8.75 in Fish Tank to $61.75 in the Founders Club); 28-game plans ($8.75 in Fish Tank to $34.75 in infield box) and 15 game plans ($12 in Fish Tank to $39 in infield box).

Individual ticket prices are also being frozen for 2010, but the team has assigned the games into new categories: Gold games are Opening Day and Saturdays; Silver games are Fridays; Bronze games are Sunday through Thursday games. It still costs more if you wait until game day to buy your tickets.

Tickets are still available to Monday Night’s Dolphins home opener against the Indianapolis Colts at Land Shark Stadium. As of yet, none of the team's games this season has been declared a sellout.

The team saw season ticket sales drop nearly 16 percent last year to 46,131 – the lowest level since 1992. While team officials say season ticket sales are pacing ahead of last year and should exceed 50,000, the team could be facing the possibility of local television blackouts for the first time in more than a decade.

The team needs to sell 62,133 general seats in the lower and upper decks at the 75,540-seat stadium at least 72 hours before kickoff to prevent a blackout. Suite and club seats are not included in the blackout guidelines.

Read my story today for more details on how the team is trying to sell tickets this season.

It helps that the team had such a dramatic turnaround on the field, going from a franchise-worst 1-15 in 2007 to 11-5 and the first trip to the playoffs in seven years last season. But Florida’s unemployment rate is 10.7 percent and the economy is still sputtering. And not everyone’s convinced – especially after last Sunday’s 19-7 loss to the Atlanta Falcons – that the team is back.

But I’ve spoken to several fans who’ve either decided to keep their season tickets or invest in season tickets for the first time.

After buying individual tickets to every game last season, Dave and Susan Pein of Coral Springs, decided to buy season ticket after their favorite team made the playoffs last season. (See photo of the Peins waiting in line to buy playoff tickets last December).

“This is it,” Dave Pein said. “We’re back and it’s time to go.”

It’s actually more economical for the Peins, who have two sons, Devin and David, and a third -- to be named Dillon -- on the way. The couple is spending $2,900 to buy a pair of lower bowl seats on the 35-yard line from a veteran season ticket holder, rather than about $6,000 to buy by the game, Dave Pein said.

Tom Pillsy is entering his fifth year as a season ticket holder. The paramedic supervisor from Cape Coral who makes the 2.5-hour drive each way for Dolphins home games, almost gave up his tickets this year, when his hours and overtime pay were cut. But he kept the tickets because he enjoys the outings with his teenage son Ryan.

“I can’t think of anything else an 18-year-old still wants to do with his dad,” Pillsy said. “I’m just a fan whether they win or lose. I think this year they have a better team than last year.”

What about you? Have you purchased season tickets?

Long time sports business consultant Rick Horrow interviewed his friend Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross for Tuesday’s installment of his new national sports business show The $ports Take, asking Ross if he overpaid when he spent $1.1 billion for 95 percent of the team and Land Shark Stadium.

“Let’s put it this way, I wouldn’t call it a shrewd investment, I didn’t steal it certainly,” Ross said on the show, scheduled to air on Versus at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. (The show is repeated at 4 p.m. on Wednesday). “ Many people would think I overpaid when you look back with 20/20 hindsight, especially in today’s market.”

But Ross told Horrow “I’m having more fun in doing something I’ve always wanted to do, in an environment like this. I don’t think a lot of people can say that, so I feel very lucky to really own the Miami Dolphins. I think there is a lot of opportunity there, I believe.”

Ross also repeated his mantra about celebrities, including Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Venus and Serena Williams, who have joined his ownership group as limited partners.

“They represent the community. I wanted to show that the Miami Dolphins were about all of South Florida,” Ross said. “And I wanted everyone to be able to identify with the ownership of the Miami Dolphins. So I think that if you look at the celebrity owners, as they have been labeled, you’ll feel that. And what they’re doing, their excitement for owning part of an NFL team, and being involved and actively engaged in the community.”

Sports consultant Rick Horrow’s new local show Beyond the Game began airing on WPEC Ch. 12 in West Palm Beach on Saturday. Yours truly was on the sports business panel along with former Miami Dolphin Troy Stradford and Brian Finkel, creative director of Horrow Sports Ventures and a student in FAU’s sports management program.

We touched on what to expect at Land Shark Stadium on Dolphins game days; the Dolphins’ new AT&T sponsor patch on practice jerseys, and sports business news around the NFL. Watch it here. The show airs Saturdays at 7:30 p.m.

The Dolphins are hosting four pep rallies across South Florida to get fans excited about the team’s Monday Night home opener against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 21 at Land Shark Stadium. The first is at 5:30 p.m. today at Bongos Cuban Café, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

The team is calling the pep rallies, which will feature Dolphins alumni, cheerleaders, ticket giveaways, interactive games and music, the “Countdown To Kickoff, Ride The Aqua & Orange Wave.”

The one today is being held in partnership with new Dolphins limited partners Gloria and Emilio Estefan. The second one will be held Saturday at 6 p.m. at CityPlace, a development built by Dolphins owner Steve Ross’ Related Companies.

On Wednesday, Jim Mandich’s Ziggie & Mad Dog’s at 83000 Overseas Hwy, Islamorada, plays host starting at 5 p.m. And then on Friday, Sept. 18, the party moves to Huizenga Plaza in downtown Fort Lauderdale, where Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler is scheduled to proclaim the day “Aqua and Orange Day.”

The team is also encouraging fans to turn Fridays aqua and orange, by wearing and decorating their offices and buildings in the team’s colors.

Just back from vacation. What’d I miss?

Marlins Stadium Update No. Third District Court of Appeals: Lawyers for auto dealer Norman Braman appeared at an appeal hearing last week for the case targeting financing for the Marlins ballpark that Braman lost last summer at the circuit court level. Don’t expect a ruling anytime soon. Meanwhile, work continues on the ballpark, including the first “vertical pour” for the first of 12 super columns is scheduled Friday afternoon at the former site of the Orange Bowl.

Land Shark Stadium spiced up: The stadium’s helixes, gates and security gates got the signature colorful paint styling of neo pop artist Romero Britto, who was joined by South Florida children on Sunday for a painting party.

Another day, another Miami Dolphins limited partner press conference. Well, it only seems that way.

Dolphins owner Steve Ross introduced tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams as his newest limited partners on Tuesday. He gave them Dolphins jerseys – Venus chose No. 11 for her EleVen clothing line; Serena picked No. 89 in memory of the Aug. 9 birthday of her sister, Yetunde Price, who was shot and killed in 2003.

The sisters, who live in Palm Beach Gardens, said they were thrilled at the opportunity to own a piece of the team they’ve followed for years. They plan to attend games when they aren’t away playing tennis, and participate in charity events on behalf of the Dolphins’ foundation. It’s possible Venus’ V Starr Interiors could design a lounge at the stadium and the sisters’ clothing lines might do cross-promotion with the team.

The sisters have won a combined 18 grand slam titles, including this year’s Wimbledon title, which Serena, 27, won by defeating Venus, 29, in the finals.

No financial details were disclosed – as usual – and the stakes are said to be very small. But when pressed on whether limited partners, Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Marc Anthony, are making a financial investment, Ross insisted they are.

“They’re limited partners, they’re putting up money, they are investing real dollars,” Ross said earlier in the day Tuesday in reference to the Estefans and Anthony. “They’re also enthusiastic, there’s nothing they have to do to perform or anything like that. They want to. They love it and they’re doing it much like I am, hoping we really are building something.”

Ross paid $1.1 billion for 95 percent of the team and Land Shark Stadium. He says his limited partners are investing based on what he paid for the team, but it's not clear quite how much that would be since his total purchase price includes the stadium and debt.

“They’re investing with real dollars and not discounting. Real dollars, based on what I paid for the team.”

As for other partners, Ross says to expect at least one other partner. As for others going forward, he wasn’t saying.

“ I’m not sure, right now. I have the bulk of money in it," Ross said. "I might bring in somebody for substantial sums, but I will keep at least 60 percent, two-thirds of ownership.”

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross and CEO Mike Dee met with Sun Sentinel editors and reporters this morning. Here are some of their answers to some of your questions:

Q. A number of fans really don’t like the new fight song, they don’t like the T-Pain version. A lot of people don’t like hearing Jimmy Buffett’s Fins when the team scores.

A. Ross: A lot of people do like the Fins song. The thing is you don’t know what people like and you don’t get a feeling for impact until you try something. We’re experimenting. That ‘s what preseason is for. I think Jimmy Buffett will definitely be part of it, he’s not going away. We happen to like the song, we’ve gotten a tremendous amount of favorable comments with regard to that. I think the T-Pain version was controversial. You have to realize, people inherently don’t like change. Same old, same old.

Q. I’ve never heard so many people love that fight song until you changed it.

A. Ross: Isn't it unbelievable? The biggest surprise I’ve ever seen in my life. You have the same feeling I have, you have to look at change. We’re not done looking at ideas to do that, because there was so much negativity about the existing fight song before.

Dee: Basically T-Pain contributed that song, we played it at the first preseason game. Again it was a preseason game, we were experimenting and continue to experiment there are at least two other people I know of, who want to contribute their own version of the fight song, different than T-Pain’s. It wasn’t the old song out and T-Pain’s in. I think it was hey here’s a version that may appeal to a different listener and perhaps there will be two more that have a different flair as well. I think it’s fair to say we recognize the sacred nature of the original version.

Q. Old fight song, it’s not like it’s dead, you’ll still be playing it, but might be interspersing it with others?

A. Dee: It might have a different role. Before it was played exclusively after scores. And we’re still working on how it will be used.

Ross: But we want to start a ritual, we don’t know what song it will be, after the third period, there will be a song we’ll sing on a continual basis. I can’t tell you what that song will be. To inspire people, like the seventh inning stretch, and really inspire the team. You want to start that in football, you want to do after the third period in every game. We’re going to come up with one until we find the right song, that we sing and everybody’s ready for it at the end of the third period, kind of a ritualistic thing that I think will be interesting in football.

Q. Do you have plans to change the team colors and uniforms?

A. Ross: We haven’t even looked at that. I haven’t thought of it.

Dee: Not this year and we just missed the deadline for 2010, so not next year either.

Q. Would you consider selling pieces of the team to retired Dolphins player greats?

A. Ross: No.

Q. Why not sell a one share to the fans or season ticket holders? I don't think you can do that in the NFL.

A. Ross: That isn’t allowed in the NFL, you’re limited to I think 25 owners and it’s not the kind of thing [where] you want a public company. They don’t allow public companies. Someone has to be able to make all the decisions without going to a board or anybody else, which I think is good, because that way you get decisions made. You don’t have fights within different teams which certain sports have, you know divisions. I’m prepared to take all the blame, but still the fans we love them and they’re the most important thing we have. I want to make sure they feel good about the team.

Q. Is there any way you could make ticket prices cheaper? Is there an opportunity to offer a standing room seat? At the Cowboys new stadium, the cheapest seats are $25.

A. Dee: We’re one of the best values in the NFL. Our ticket pricing is in I think the lower third of all teams, we have currently 4,600 seats that cost $31, which is one of the lowest price points in the NFL. That’s per seat, not a standing room seat. We are looking at standing room, kind of irrespective of costs, we think standing room is good and is part of our evaluation of the facility moving forward. We’ll continue to be competitive with the South Florida marketplace and what entertainment experiences are out there and you know overtime we want to make sure we stay competitively priced, given the dynamic of our marketplace.

Q. Is there any ability or talk of moving some seats closer to the field? That’s what people miss about the Orange Bowl.

A. Ross: That’s one of the things we’re looking at. This year with the Sideline Club (passes that allow on-field access throughout the game, new this season) they’re going to be closer to the field. We are studying it. I think when we come up with a total package, I think we can really have a major impact on the stadium.

Q. Is there anything that can be done about the dirt infield, until the Marlins are gone?

A. Ross: We have two more seasons of that. There’s nothing you can do. Contractually we’re obligated.

Dee: We have made the effort over the last couple of years, our grounds crew has sodded the pitcher’s mound area, and we’ve sodded the west endzone corner, which used to be exposed on that terrible rubber warning track, we do that for preseason games, took the turf down. It’s pretty much what it is until they’re gone.

Q. What about a retractable roof at Land Shark Stadium?

A. Ross: We’re studying all that, I don’t think it would be a retractable roof, because I don’t think one, the cost. I don’t think the county, in these economic times has the money and I think the cost of acclimatizing a stadium is so expensive and for the amount of usage it would get it’s probably not feasible. It probably doesn’t need a retractable roof from a football standpoint or soccer. But one thing we’re looking at, is how to do we really improve the stadium and cover some of those issues, not having a roof.

Q. Does that mean some sort of covering over some areas?

A. Ross: Yes.

The Miami Dolphins are seeking singers for Dolphins Voices -- the team’s new A Capella group, which is to perform the National Anthem at all Dolphins home games at Land Shark Stadium this season.

New Dolphins limited partner and Grammy Award-winning producer Emilio Estefan is helping the team lead the search for the eight-piece group. Musician and arranger Derric Johnson will direct the group. The group is just another of new Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross' plans to enhance the fan experience at games.

Aspiring singers must be 18 and perform a song that reflects their vocal range. They also must be available for all eight of the team’s home games during the 2009 season and for rehearsals throughout the season. The group will also perform at other events.

Auditions are scheduled Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. at Paradise Live at the Hard Rock, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood; and Thursday, 4-8 p.m. at Bongos Cuban Café, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.

For more information, visit miamidolphins.com/DolphinsVoices or email dolphinsvoices@dolphins.nfl.com.

We’re meeting with Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross and CEO Mike Dee on Tuesday morning to discuss the changes taking place on the team’s business side and at Land Shark Stadium.

Do fans have any questions for the owner and/or CEO? No promises, but we’ll try to get you some answers. If you have a question, please post it with your name, city you live in and email address, in the comments section below. Also, let us know if you’re a season ticket holder.

And then there were 27… The USA Bid Committee narrowed on Thursday its list of potential U.S. cities to host the 2018 or 2022 World Cup to 27, including Miami and Land Shark Stadium.

Eleven U.S. communities were stripped from contention. The remaining cities will continue working with the bid committee to develop their local campaigns to host the giant soccer event. FIFA and its 24-member executive committee will spend the fall studying the bids and visiting the communities. The cities the U.S. will put forward for formal bids will be determined in December. The host nations for the two upcoming World Cups will be announced in December 2010.

The group of 27 communities includes 32 stadiums ranging from the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to the new Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

Miami’s bid was submitted by a group of local leaders that includes the Miami-Dade Sports Commission, Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross, retired Heat center Alonzo Mourning, Brightstar Corp. CEO Marcelo Claure, music producer Emilio Estefan, and Bacardi’s Facundo L. Barcardi.

“Miami is proud to be contention for this exciting and prestigious event,” Miami-Dade County Commissioner and Miami Bid Committee Chairman Jose “Pepe” Diaz said in a statement. “The FIFA World Cup is the most significant international event in the world today.”

The Miami Dolphins are trying to make it easier than ever to attend home games by expanding the Dolphins Express.

The new bus service unveiled last month to take Dolphins fans from southwest Florida (in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties) to and from Dolphins home games is going to provide service from Duffy’s Sports Grill locations from Deerfield Beach to Melbourne.

“We have a strong base of fans throughout the state of Florida and we want to make it as easy as possible for them to visit Land Shark Stadium,” Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said in a statement. “To our fans from the Palm Beaches to the Treasure Coast, the Dolphins Express will be leaving from a Duffy's near you in 2009."

To introduce the new service, team alumni, including Hall of Famer Dwight Stephenson, and fans took the bus from Palm Beach to last night’s team practice at training camp in Davie.

The service, which begins with the Dolphins’ Sept. 21 Monday Night home opener against the Indianapolis Colts, costs $69 for an upper corner end zone ticket, round-trip bus ride and a take- out Duffy’s meal. The buses leave two and half hours before kickoff and will be available from the following locations:

Duffy’s of Melbourne, 1700 Evans Rd., Melbourne
Duffy’s of Jupiter East, 185 E. Indiantown Rd., Jupiter
Duffy’s of The Villages Inc., 721 Village Blvd., West Palm Beach
Duffy’s of Boynton, 4746 North Congress Ave., Boynton Beach
Duffy’s of Superplay USA, 1608 NW Courtyard Circle, Port St. Lucie
Duffy’s of Royal Palm Beach, 11943 Southern Blvd., Royal Palm Beach
Duffy’s of Jensen Beach, 4179 NW Federal Highway, Jensen Beach
Duffy’s of Deerfield, 401 N. Federal Highway, Deerfield Beach
Duffy’s of Delray, 1750 S. Federal Highway, Delray Beach

For more information, visit www.DolphinsExpress.com or call 1-888-FINS-BUS.

New Miami Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross has added dashes of Key West, Cuba and Puerto Rico to his team. On Friday, he went South Beach.

With Casa Casuarina, the former Versace Mansion, on Ocean Drive as his backdrop, Ross introduced neo-pop artist Romero Britto as the newest addition to help enhance the fan experience at Land Shark Stadium. Britto, known for his bright-colored, playful paintings and sculpture, will add his signature style to the helixes and gates at the stadium. (See photo courtesy of the Dolphins).

“It’s fitting that we’re here in Miami Beach, first of all because I’m from Miami Beach, and since the Miami Dolphins really represent the South Florida, South Beach lifestyle,” said Ross, who was dressed more for a team meeting -- in khakis, pink shirt and dark jacket -- than for a night on South Beach. “Today we bring the Miami Dolphins to South Beach and I know we’re going to bring back a lot of South Beach to Land Shark Stadium this year.”

Britto, dressed in a black suit and bright red shirt, said the project will be done in three phases and take three years to complete. But Ross promised some of the work will be in place for the Dolphins home opener on Monday, Sept. 21 against the Indianapolis Colts. Britto thanked Ross for choosing his art to help grace the stadium.

“As you can see here, the Dolphins are going to have my art around the stadium, and this is like a dream come true for an artist to be able to share his art with so many people,” Britto said.

Ross promised his priority is creating a winning football team, but with that, he also reminded that he wants to create “a greater fan experience” at the stadium.

He was also cognizant that people have gotten accustomed to his flashy press conferences to introduce new celebrity limited partners in the team, since he’s introduced Gloria and Emilio Estefan and Marc Anthony in recent weeks. Although not yet a limited partner, Jimmy Buffett has also partnered with Ross: the stadium has been re-named this season for Buffett’s Land Shark Lager and Buffett has re-written his hit Fins in honor of the team.

“The two announcements tonight, deal with really creating a fan experience as opposed to announcing another celebrity limited partner,” Ross said. “I can tell you we have some additional celebrity limited partners and we’ll have an announcement like that in the next two weeks, but tonight I’m really delighted to announce that the world renowned and South Florida artist Romero Britto will be bringing Land Shark Stadium alive through his iconic art.”

Additionally, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee announced the creation of the exclusive VIP Ocean Drive Club at the stadium in partnership with Ocean Drive magazine. The invitation-only club is designed for up to 250 members, who will enter it on an orange carpet and will have direct access to the field. The sleek club will have lounge space, carving station, flat-screen TVs and other benefits. It will be housed in the Gate G sub-concourse in 4,500 square feet where the Marlins batting cages are, but will eventually expand to 20,000- to 25,000-square feet, Dee said.

“We’ll see you all around the orange carpet,” Dee said to close the press conference.

After a break, the Dolphins cheerleaders held a swimsuit fashion show – complete with runway and some cheerleaders sporting Britto body paint -- to unveil their 2010 calendar. They were backed by hip hop artist T-Pain, who served as DJ for the event, adding his own commentary such as “I’ll be a fool for you,” as Miss April appeared and “Mother my I?” for Miss May.

And then, T-Pain debuted his updated version of the Miami Dolphins Fight Song. Don’t worry traditionalists – he hasn’t changed the words. Both the new and original versions will be played at games this season.

The Dolphins are beefing up the business side of the organization under new CEO Mike Dee. The team has hired two new executives, promoted some current ones and altered a few job descriptions.

The team, which announced the changes Thursday, called the moves “the first step in the eventual integration of the team and Land Shark Stadium businesses.”

Dolphins President and Chief Operating Officer Bryan Wiedmeier moves to the newly created position of senior vice president of NFL affairs & special projects. The team release says “Wiedmeier will work closely with Dee on NFL matters and a variety of special assignments.” Not entirely sure what that means at this point, other than it likely includes working more extensively on preparations for next year’s Super Bowl and Pro Bowl being held at Lank Shark Stadium, which will be known as Dolphin Stadium for the games.

Stadium President Bruce Schulze is to focus on the stadium’s operation and fan experience and Senior Director of Community Relations & Government Affairs Eric Knowles is to expand the team's government relations outreach, the team release said.

Dee, who previously worked at the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres, also hired two former colleagues: Adam Grossman, vice president of marketing at the Boston Red Sox, was named Dolphins’ senior vice president of public affairs, and Mark Tilson, who worked for the Padres and most recently as the Kansas City Royals’ vice president of sales & marketing, becomes Dolphins senior vice president of sales & ticket operations.

Other changes: Ilona Wolpin becomes senior director of community relations up from community relations manager; Matt Thomas adds vice president to his General Counsel and Football Administration title; Tery Howard, who oversees the stadium and team’s technology efforts, becomes senior vice president/Chief Technology Officer; and Danielle Sergeant was promoted to director of client services.

"We have made a commitment to build a tier one organization that will be equipped to execute the great vision and high expectations that Steve Ross has set for this franchise," Dee said in a statement. “We believe that these moves were essential to make at this time in order to begin the process of positioning the franchise for future growth and to maximum efficiency."

The Dolphins literally – and figuratively – put down roots in Southwest Florida this afternoon. Dolphins players, alumni, cheerleaders, T.D., and team officials stopped at Germain Toyota in Naples signed autographs, posed for photos and yes, raised an aqua Dolphins flag high above the dealership.

And so began a new team initiative to reach out to current and prospective Dolphins fans in Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. The team counts 1,200 season ticket holders from southwest Florida and hopes over time to increase that number, Dolphins CEO Mike Dee said.

One way the team plans to make it easier for southwest Floridians to attend games is through “Dolphins Express” – a bus service from points in the southwest, including Germain Toyota, to Dolphins games. The new bus service does not require a group, but can be purchased by individuals just wanting transportation to and from Land Shark Stadium. Fans can purchase an upper sideline ticket and the bus trip for $75. Check out DolphinsExpress.com or 1-888-FINS-BUS.

Germain Toyota was dubbed the Dolphins official southwest Florida headquarters and the automotive company plans to host tailgate parties and promote the bus service in its own advertisements, said Bob Germain, vice president of Germain Motor Company.

“We’re reaching out to fans, expanding our footprint beyond what has been known traditionally as our core market of South Florida,” Dee said. “We’re taking our message on the road, across the state, across the southern half of Florida and the Dolphins Express program is going to be a big part of that bringing fans from around the state over to Land Shark Stadium.”

In addition to focusing efforts in South and southwest Florida, Dee said the team is also targeting the Treasure Coast and Central Florida to bolster its existing fan base and attract new fans.

The group that included wide receiver Davone Bess, tackle Vernon Carey, linebacker Akin Ayodele and running back Patrick Cobbs, then moved to Buckingham Community Park in Fort Myers for a football clinic and cheerleading camp for some 500 kids.

Bess said he likes participating in community events and meeting fans.

“They’re the reason why we do what we do. They’re a big part of why we’re who we are and our identity,” Bess said, “so it’s always good to go out and meet them and give back.”

Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross did try to recruit rock star Jon Bon Jovi to join his ownership group even entertaining him along with Heat guard Dwyane Wade in his suite at the Dolphins playoff game against the Baltimore Ravens in January.

But according to the SportsBusiness Journal, Bon Jovi’s demands were too rich. Bon Jovi, the trade publication reported last week, “insisted upon an exclusive arrangement during their talks late last year.”

That would have prevented Ross from adding the celebrities he’s enticed to join his ownership group this summer, including Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Marc Anthony, who was announced as a new minority owner today. Last month, Gloria Estefan and her producer husband Emilio Estefan agreed to buy a small stake in the team.

Ross forged a partnership with pop singer Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville enterprise in May that included re-naming the team’s stadium after Buffett’s Land Shark Lager for this season. Buffett has an option to purchase a stake in the team, but so far has not become a minority owner.

There are likely to be a few other names to come, Ross said today in a conference call from New York, where he and Anthony had announced their partnership. The pair were joined by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and ESPN President George Bodenheimer at a press conference at New York’s Time Warner Center, the Columbus Circle condo-retail complex built by Ross’ Related Cos. Enjoy this description of the event from The New York Times' Fifth Down Blog.

Ross said he always planned to add investors to his ownership group, but wants those partners to reflect the South Florida community. Adding the Estefans and Anthony, who is married to singer-actress Jennifer Lopez, help add to the Latin flavor of the ownership group.

“The Miami Dolphins want to really represent the community itself,” Ross said. “Having Marc and Emilio and Gloria is important for showing this community, this team is about them. They are great representatives of the Latin community.

“There will be a few more people who will join them,” Ross added.

Goodell and Bodenheimer attended the press conference to announce the league and network’s involvement in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. They will hold a series of special events around the Dolphins-New York Jets Monday Night game on Oct. 12 at Land Shark Stadium.

That night, ESPN, which is broadcasting the game, will debut a special version of Hank Williams Jr.’s “Are You Ready for Some Football” video featuring Gloria Estefan – in a Dolphins jersey – and some lyrics in Spanish. Anthony, meanwhile, will perform the National Anthem at the stadium.

As for Anthony’s additional involvement in the team, he and Ross said it’s too early to say, but they’ve already been discussing ideas. Ross said Anthony was brought in for his ideas, not just to perform.

“This is a business investment. To bring his ideas, his creativity,” Ross said stressing that Anthony is writing a check for his investment, although the amount was not disclosed.

Anthony, who has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, said he can’t wait to get started.

“The most important thing now is Steve is open, he’s a great listener and a great visionary,” Anthony said. “I want to fly to Miami right now and sit at my desk.”

Had a chance to catch up a little bit with new Dolphins CEO Mike Dee this week.

The veteran sports team executive, who joined the Dolphins in May after five years as Chief Operating Officer at the Boston Red Sox, is as enthusiastic about enhancing the business side of the Dolphins, as his new boss, team owner Stephen M. Ross.

Dee shares Ross’ philosophy that owning and running a franchise is akin to being the steward of a community asset. The two want to be as inclusive as possible with all fans, Dee said: “We have a new saying that: no fan gets left behind.”

That partly explains the new partnerships with Jimmy Buffett and Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Dee reiterated that while Ross’ priority is winning, he wants to ensure an entertaining fan experience, too.

“We want to make sure everything we do is fun, looking through the lens of the fan,” Dee said. “Steve’s career and his success has been built on being avant garde. He’s a bold aggressive entrepreneur. That’s what attracted me to him. He lives outside the box. That’s what makes him successful and also what makes it fun.”

The changes being made are Ross putting his “own stamp” on the team,” Dee said.

And it’s the success of the business side, Dee says, that can help the football side make upgrades and sign new players.

Among Dee’s challenges is boosting season ticket sales. Season ticket sales dropped to 47,000 in 2008, from 54,465 in 2007 and 61,121 in 2006. Dee said he expects the team to sell about 50,000 in 2009, but he’s aiming for more than 60,000 in the next few years.

“Season ticket holders are the lifeblood of your franchise,” Dee said. “We have some work to do.”

The Land Shark Stadium concession stands are being upgraded. The 100 and 400 level concession stands are being equipped with 180 flat-screen digital menu boards – just like the 110 that were installed on the club level in 2007 during the stadium’s $300 million renovation.

He said the team is also evaluating the ticket pricing in the 100 and 400 levels.

Expect more announcements of enhancements in the coming weeks. Stay tuned...

Putting his money where his mouth is: Dee says he’s making a contribution to the Dolphins Foundation each time he references the Red Sox.

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With construction bonds sold and grading work started at the former site of the Orange Bowl, the Marlins officially announced their “ceremonial” ground-breaking with a release this afternoon. It’s at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 18 at 1501 NW 3rd St., Miami.

There will be all the usuals you’d expect: team, Miami, Miami-Dade County, state and Major League Baseball officials, Billy the Marlin, the Mermaids, the Manatees. Marlins broadcasters Dave Van Horne and Felo Ramirez will host. New renderings and a video will be shown.

The first 1,000 fans to show up at the free event will get a coupon for a “ballpark-style lunch” and a ground-breaking pin to commemorate the occasion. Original Marlins Charlie Hough and Benito Santiago are to conduct a ceremonial first pitch, in honor of their role as the “first ever ‘battery’ in franchise history.” All fans will be able to shovel dirt where home plate will be in the new ballpark.

But here’s my favorite part of the press release – a sports business sentence like I’ve never seen - ENJOY:

“The Badia Spices Groundbreaking Ceremony, built by the Florida Carpenters Regional Council, is presented by South Florida Ford Dealers, Preferred Care Partners and Baker Concrete Construction.”

Meanwhile, the team is holding a “groundbreaking” essay contest. The prize? Serving as honorary participant in the groundbreaking ceremony and getting a groundbreaking shovel, personalized Marlins jersey and four infield box seats to a 2009 regular season game at Land Shark Stadium.

The contest is open to kids ages 6 to 12, who must describe in 500 words or less – in English or Spanish - what a new Marlins ballpark in Miami means to them and why they want to play a role in the groundbreaking. Submissions will be accepted until 5 p.m. July 13 online at marlins.com or in person at the team’s offices at the stadium, 2267 Dan Marino Blvd., Miami Gardens.

The new business developments keep coming from the Dolphins and Land Shark Stadium. OK, this one isn’t about a celebrity (Jimmy Buffett, Gloria and Emilio Estefan) or added technology (Kangaroo TV handhelds for premium seat holders).

It’s a multi-year marketing partnership with Premiere Global Sports to provide travel packages to Dolphins home and away games and special events. The company is designing packages for Dolphins away games that start at $245 and include two-night hotel stays, game tickets and a game-day souvenir. The packages for fans from out of South Florida for home games start at $345 and include two nights at the Courtyard Fort Lauderdale Beach, game tickets and a souvenir.

For more information and to book packages, visit sportstravel.com/dolphins.

The company has worked with a number of teams, including arranging trips for New York Rangers fans to Prague for the team’s opening series last year and is arranging trips for St. Louis Blues fans wanting to attend the opening series against the Detroit Red Wings in Stockholm in October.

The Grammy-Award winning duo, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, became the first Cuban-American investors in an NFL team this morning, announcing their agreement to partner with Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross.

The Estefans were introduced with a montage video (you can see below) that includes shots of Gloria performing at the Super Bowl (she's performed at three Super Bowls and three Olympic Games). See the other video below that one showing her taping a new version of the Monday Night Football song with Hank Williams Jr. in Nashville on Monday. That version, which includes some lines in Spanish, will be shown before the Dolphins-New York Jets game at Land Shark Stadium on Oct. 12.

Emilio promises to help beef up the game day music: "I would love to play Latin music in the games. That brings a lot of energy to game day."

Asked whether he also might one day install a Bongos Cuban Cafe at the stadium (Estefan Enterprises includes several Bongos and two hotels), he said, that's up to Ross, but he'd be on board.

"Definitely, we’ll bring Bongos here," he said, "we would love that."

Just as news was breaking Monday that she and her husband have agreed to buy a small minority stake in the Dolphins, Gloria Estefan was taping an updated Monday Night Football video for the 2009 season with Hank Williams Jr. in Nashville. (See photo courtesy of ESPN, by Frederick Breedon IV, of Williams with Estefan decked out in Marino jersey).

Estefan is to appear in the opening video with Williams before the Oct. 12 Monday night game featuring the Dolphins versus the New York Jets at Land Shark Stadium. Some of lyrics in the Estefan-Williams version of the MNF song are in Spanish and the video will honor Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Grammy Award-winning singer Gloria Estefan and her Grammy Award-winning producer husband Emilio Estefan are purchasing "a small minority" stake in the Dolphins, a source said Monday.

The Estefans and Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross are to announce the purchase officially on Thursday at Land Shark Stadium.

The team has released no details, other than the couple and Ross are making a "major corporate announcement." Ross has been seeking minority partners and the Estefans fit the bill because they’re well-known locals, who could help spice up the entertainment side of the stadium. The source said Emilio Estefan is already at work on coming up with some original songs to boost entertainment at the stadium.

Last month, Ross partnered with pop singer and South Florida icon Jimmy Buffett to re-name the stadium, Land Shark Stadium after Buffett’s beer. Ross said there will also be a Margaritaville area of the stadium and a Parrot Head section for Buffett fans. Buffett debuted a re-written version of his hit "Fins" in honor of the football team.

While it is not expected to be announced on Thursday, perhaps an off-shoot of Estefan Enterprises' successful Bongos Cuban Cafe restaurant chain could be installed at the stadium. There are several Bongos locations, including one adjacent to AmericanAirlines Arena, as well as in Miami Beach, Orlando, and Mexico City. The couple also owns hotels in Miami Beach and Vero Beach.

Well, sort of. The Dolphins have put together a creative interactive marketing campaign for which the tagline is: “This offseason, the Dolphns’ most important signing … is you.”

OK, so it’s a little cute, but it’s done well and even includes snippets of interviews with players and Coach Tony Sparano talking about … well, you. It’s not really you, but the team has done a nice job embedding your name into the online video. You’re recruited on the news, on the Land Shark Stadium scoreboard, on fans’ signs. You even get your own jersey hanging in the team locker room – next to Chad Pennington. And you can share the video with your friends.

“We wanted fans to be able to experience the game through this viral video, putting them in the forefront of it all,” Dolphins Enterprises spokesman George Torres said. “They are the main performer at the stadium, what it feels like to come through the orange carpet, into the locker room, to hear the rest of the fans cheer for them.”

Even Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross sits across from you and hands you a contract to sign. Then he invites you to tell the region’s fans. Kudos to Ross for embracing the idea. It’s in keeping with his plans to boost the fan experience.

Fans and ticket buyers have been receiving emails from the team with the video message. Access the video at at the team’s Web site or at mydolphinslive.com. (You have to wait a few seconds for the video to load.)

The idea is to encourage fans to buy season tickets. Torres said the feedback has been good and ticket sales are ahead of schedule.

In the nearly six months since real estate developer Stephen M. Ross took over as majority owner of the Dolphins, he says he's been spending as much as 90 percent of his time on the team.

Don’t worry, he told reporters at the kickoff of the Dolphins Foundation Celebrity Weekend Friday. He reiterated he’s leaving football decisions to the football operations side. “They don’t want to hear from me,” he said.

Ross is continuing to work on improving the fan experience at newly-renamed Land Shark Stadium. Already, Ross has partnered with Jimmy Buffett to rename the stadium after the singer's Land Shark Lager and has promised a Margaritaville area and Parrot Head section in the stadium. He's also worked with Kangaroo TV to create Dolphins Mobile Vision -- a Dolphins-branded handheld device from which suite and club seat holders will be able to watch the game from different camera angles, access all other NFL games being played at the same time, get fantasy football statistics and order food.

Ross promised there's more: “We have a lot in store to really create a great experience,” he said.

Here he is chatting with reporters, including Sun Sentinel Dolphins beat writers Omar Kelly and Mike Berardino:

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Law enforcement officials gave tickets to students at North Miami Beach Senior High on Friday. But they were tickets – well, vouchers for tickets – to future Marlins games.

As part of the Marlins’ “Click It or Ticket” Days this weekend, representatives of the Florida Department of Transportation, North Miami Beach and Miami-Dade Schools police along with Billy the Marlin and the Marlins Mermaids rewarded students leaving campus with their seatbelts fastened with ticket vouchers. (See photos by the Marlins’ Robert Vigon).

On Saturday, Mr. Marlin Jeff Conine, crash test dummies Vince and Larry, FDOT and local law enforcement officials will be at Land Shark Stadium for the Marlins-Tampa Bay Rays game to continue promoting seatbelt safety. FDOT officials will hand out promotional items. Conine and Vince and Larry will meet with fans at the Gate H Strikezone before the 7:10 p.m. game.

The Click It or Ticket program promotes seatbelt safety. A new state law takes effect June 30 that allows law enforcement officers to stop and cite motorists who don’t buckle up as a primary offense. Currently, motorists can only be cited for not wearing their seatbelts if they are stopped for a different offense.

The 2010 Super Bowl will be played at Dolphin Stadium (the venue currently known as Land Shark Stadium). Unless, of course, the Dolphins are lucky enough to land another corporate sponsor in the coming months, which is not something Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross expects to happen in this economy.

For now, the Dolphin Stadium signs are slowly being replaced with Land Shark signs. The NFL’s Super Bowl bid specifications prohibit the host venue of the Super Bowl to be named for a short-term deal, which is what the Land Shark deal is. It’s been described as a marketing or branding opportunity, since a source says Land Shark isn’t contributing money to the deal.

The deal elicited some unusual responses from some NFL team owners at the spring meeting in Fort Lauderdale this week.

“I think Steve Ross is a great entrepreneur. He knows what he’s doing,” New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft said.

“I certainly have no objection to it,” Houston Texans owner Bob McNair said. “We look at all types of businesses and we sell beer along with food. You know, it could be Wiener Stadium or something. So I don’t view that as a problem. They might think, though, that Greg Norman might have an interest in it, too.”

With the New York Giants and Jets seeking a naming rights partner for the new stadium they will share, Giants co-owner John Mara told my colleague Ethan J. Skolnick, the Land Shark deal wouldn’t be his choice for a corporate sponsorship.

“It's such a unique deal. I just don't know,” Mara said. “Certainly, it's not the deal we're looking for. But there are a lot of circumstances that went into that, and I don't pretend to understand them all. I don't think we'll see too many more of those.”

Meanwhile, Land Shark Lager wasn’t in the Anheuser-Busch section at our neighborhood Publix last week. It wasn’t in the premium domestics either, but there was one 12-pack nestled between the Mexican and Dutch beers. (It’s brewed in Jacksonville). It was on sale for $12.99 – a savings of $1.70.