When New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner died in July, there was no estate tax -- meaning his heirs saved potentially millions of dollars in taxes on his estate that Forbes valued at $1.15 billion.

While it looked like the timing of Steinbrenner's death might have helped his family out significantly, not so fast. Not only is the estate tax back for 2011 – although at a lower rate -- but Congress has approved making it retroactive for 2010. But families have a choice.

Heirs now have the option to pay estate taxes under the newly-adopted rules – a more favorable 35 percent and $5 million exclusion (compared with 2009’s 45 percent and $3.5 million exclusion) or pay no estate tax, but potentially face a greater tax when they sell the assets they inherited.

CCH explains the new estate tax rules in detail here.

Rick Horrow, veteran of numerous sports financing deals, is behind a new documentary that traces the history of South Florida sports from the Miami Dolphins' 1966 inaugural season to LeBron James’ July 8 “Decision” to change the face of the Miami Heat. And pretty much everything in between, including the Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers.

The “Birth of South Florida Sports” debuts at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on WPEC Channel 12 in West Palm Beach. It includes interviews with legendary Dolphins coach Don Shula, former Dolphin Dick Anderson, Dolphins owner Steve Ross, and golfer Jack Nicklaus, among others.

Horrow, CEO of Horrow Sports Ventures, also interviews former Senator and former Florida Gov. Bob Graham, who spearheaded the movement to create sports authorities and give them the authority to oversee the building of sports venues. Horrow, who served as founding director of the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority, and oversaw the building of Miami Arena, said Graham understood the importance of sports teams to a community.

That’s a lot of ground to cover in half an hour, but Horrow said it’s supplemented with podcasts and the release of an updated version of his book When the Game Is On The Line.

PBS’ Nightly Business Report now includes Horrow’s "Beyond the Scoreboard” series on Monday nights. Horrow also hosts “Beyond the Game” at 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays on WPEC.

The Miami Dolphins and Fan Appz, which develops social media marketing applications, announced a new partnership today aimed at expanding the way the team communicates with its tech-savvy fans.

Fan Appz, of Santa Monica, Calif., helps sports and entertainment companies extend and engage their customers and fans through a variety of programs.

With the Dolphins, the company is rolling out opportunities to involve fans more with the team and its sponsors. For example, the company has developed an engaging Facebook page for Dolphins fans “Finatics” that encourages them to watch videos and participate in polls about the team and its rivals. Polls have included “Which Former Jets Player Did You Enjoy Booing the Most?” with choices that include Joe Namath, Wayne Chrebet and Brett Favre.

Monday’s question advances Sunday’s home game against the Buffalo Bills by asking “Which Of These Games Is Your Favorite Dolphins’ Win Over The Bills?” with choices from 1970 to 2005.

Continue reading "Miami Dolphins enhance social media programs with Fan Appz" »

We’re already well aware of Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade’s fashion sense – he’s been applauded for it repeatedly and was included in Esquire's Style Blog last month.

Now Forbes has included Wade in its list of Best-Dressed Athletes that includes the likes of New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, soccer star David Beckham, tennis stars Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova, and Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones (who makes his own bow ties).

Wade’s teammate forward LeBron James also made the list.

As did Miami Dolphins limited partners and tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams.

Concerned NFL owners are planning to lock players out when their contract expires on March 4, the NFL Players Association sent letters Monday to politicians in every NFL market to warn what the loss of football could mean to their states and local communities.

NFLPA President Kevin Mawae’s letters state that each NFL city could lose more than $160 million in jobs and revenue if football shuts down.

In Florida, NFLPA President Kevin Mawae’s letters were addressed to Gov. Charlie Crist, Governor-Elect Rick Scott and Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez and mentioned the loss of jobs for workers at Sun Life Stadium and in the surrounding community.

Continue reading "NFL Players union reaches out to politicians (UPDATED with response from NFL)" »

Although he wouldn’t talk about his team’s front office or rath of injuries, Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross was pretty chatty about a variety of topics Tuesday, when he was the featured interview speaker at the SportsBusiness Journal’s Sports Media & Technology conference in New York.

He was invited to speak about his ownership of the team and of FanVision, the company that makes the handheld devices fans use at NFL games to watch replays, other games and get stats. Representatives of FanVision including former Kansas City Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson joined Ross at the conference. Ross stressed that Peterson does not have a role with the Dolphins.

He said FanVision will be available on smartphones next season.

He said he still believe his team will make the playoffs and he dismissed concerns about injuries rising if the NFL moves to an 18-game season.

Other topics he addressed:

Labor: On whether the NFL and its players association will be able to reach a new contract, Ross was optimistic.

Continue reading "Dolphins owner talks NFL expansion, labor and the Super Bowl" »

Rapper Birdman, whose non-stage name is Bryan Williams, says he’s close to getting approval from the NFL to become a limited partner in the Miami Dolphins. That’s what he told Angela Yee's Morning After show on Sirius satellite radio.

But that’s news to the NFL and Dolphins majority owner Steve Ross:

"I have NEVER spoken to him or any representative," Ross said in an email Monday evening. "Not considering or looking for any celebrity limited partners."

Birdman is co-founder of Cash Money Records and has collaborated with Lil Wayne. According to reports, in 2007 he was arrested and charged with marijuana possession.

On Yee’s radio show, Birdman says he wants to join the Dolphins’ array of musical and celebrity limited partners.

“We’re waiting. You have to get the clearance from the NFL,” Birdman is heard saying. “We’re waiting on the clearance. Once we get cleared, we’re good.”

But he also says he’s interested potentially in baseball and basketball teams.

Hmmmm.

Tennis star and Miami Dolphins limited partner Venus Williams is now an author, too, and she’ll be signing copies of her new book at Books & Books tonight at the Bal Harbour Shops.

The event for autographs of the book, “Come to Win: Business Leaders, Artists, Doctors, and Other Visionaries on How Sports Can Help You Top Your Profession” takes place at 7 p.m. at Books & Books, 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour.

Williams will only be signing copies of the book and you must buy a copy at the store ($25.99). There is no limit on the number of books she will sign, but she does not have time to personalize the signatures or pose for photos – although photos can be taken from the autograph line.

The release of financial documents showing the Florida Marlins were profitable in 2008 and 2009 couldn’t have come at worse time for … the Miami Dolphins.

That’s right, the Dolphins. As the Dolphins continue their behind-the-scenes planning to ask the public to help pay for renovations to Sun Life Stadium to keep it competitive to host future Super Bowls, the baseball team’s finances can’t have helped the football team’s cause.

The Marlins’ financial records, obtained by Deadspin.com, show the team had net operating income – before factoring in taxes, interest, amortization and other items – of nearly $50 million combined during the two years covered. With much of the fallout from the documents' release focusing on the team's ballpark deal, politicians are wary.

Miami-Dade County Commissioners, who opposed putting $347 million mainly in tourist taxes into the ballpark deal, say the county should have pushed harder to see the team’s financial records during negotiations. Even one of the team’s staunchest supporters, County Commissioner Rebeca Sosa, asked County Mayor Carlos Alvarez to study whether the team could be required to pay more – and the county less – for the ballpark.

Alvarez says the county doesn’t see a need to reopen the ballpark contract – he says county negotiators were aware the team was profitable, which gave them comfort the team could meet its debt obligations to the ballpark’s construction costs. And besides, the team wouldn’t allow it. The county, team and city of Miami would have to agree to reopen talks.

But the raw feelings and distrust of the team are palpable.

The Dolphins, meanwhile, were already going to be fighting an uphill battle to convince politicians to support contributing to stadium renovations that could include a partial roof covering over the stands and seats closer to the field. Now how likely are pols going to be to chip in taxpayer dollars?

It remains to be seen what the Dolphins' pitch looks like. The public already knows Dolphins owner Steve Ross paid $1.1 billion for the franchise and stadium and it now knows he plans to privately finance a water park south of the stadium as a way to generate revenue after the Marlins leave for their new ballpark in 2012.

Dolphins officials say the water park plans are unrelated to stadium plans. Dolphins CEO Mike Dee has said Ross cannot foot the bill for stadium renovations himself. He said under NFL rules, the team can’t take on any more debt, which again raises the question of how stadium renovations will be financed.

“We have challenges with the current structure the NFL provides for franchises,” Dee said last month. “We’re maxed out at our debt capacity. We can’t take on any more debt. We have $235 million on our books from the last expansion. We’ve invested another $50 million in the facility in the last 18 months. We have the maximum amount of team debt allowed by the NFL … Our hands are somewhat tied with respect to the stadium and more investment by the team into the stadium.”

Under league rules, NFL teams can borrow up to $150 million.

“To borrow more, the club would need a special waiver approved by the other teams, which generally has only been granted to a team in connection with the construction or renovation of a stadium,” an NFL spokesman said.

Stay tuned…

The value of the Miami Dolphins has remained a steady $1 billion, but the team jumped up to 16th from 18th last year, according to Forbes’ annual list of NFL team values.

The Dallas Cowboys and their grand new football stadium palace top the list with $1.8 billion in value and operating income of $143.3 million. They’re followed by the Washington Redskins ($1.55 billion) and New England Patriots ($1.367 billion). Even the 32nd team -- the Jacksonville Jaguars are valuable at $725 million and operating income of $25.9 million – this for a team that had most of its home games blacked out on local television last season.

What’s of interest in the rankings is the Dolphins are one of just two teams – the other being the Detroit Lions – to record an operating loss. Forbes says the Dolphins operating loss is the most -- $7.7 million; the Lions’ is $2.9 million.

It’s unclear from Forbes’ numbers what the loss is attributable to – I was hoping to ask team owner Steve Ross about the figures last week when he was scheduled to meet with the media, but the team said he had to postpone due to business commitments.

So we’re left to ponder. To be sure, it’s difficult to lose money in the NFL. Of course, owners say costs keep rising and they want to reduce the percentage of revenue shared with players as part of their labor negotiations. But national TV money typically covers team payroll (before benefits), before a ticket or sponsorship is sold.

We do know – as he keeps reminding us – Ross overpaid for the team and Sun Life Stadium when he agreed to buy both from H. Wayne Huizenga for $1.1 billion. (By the way, Forbes identifies a photo of Ross as Huizenga -- and did the reverse in the 2009 rankings). That figure included the debt on the stadium particularly for the $250 million in renovations. Ross has also updated concession areas, added new seating areas and this year’s “The Experience,” modeled on the Fontainbleau’s Club LIV. But that debt shouldn’t be figured into operating numbers.

Perhaps that $7.7 million can be attributed to the millions Ross has spent on signing bonuses and making Karlos Dansby and Brandon Marshall the highest paid players at their positions. Last year, Ross spent more upfront money on re-signing players and attracting free agents than any team in the league and had the second highest payroll. Additionally, the team fell short of its goal of selling at least 50,000 season tickets -- ending with 49,415 last season.

Here’s Forbes’ note on the Dolphins:

The Dolphins took two key steps to improve their finances during the off-season. The team sold the naming rights to their stadium to insurer Sun Life for $4 million a year (an additional $1.5 million a year from the deal is paid to charities), replacing the temporary, soft-dollar deal it had with Jimmy Buffett's Land Shark Lager. More importantly, the Dolphins refinanced $235 million of stadium debt in a deal that includes a $159 million letter of credit that backs taxable municipal bonds sold through a government conduit but for which the stadium corporation is responsible. The deal, arranged by Goldman Sachs, contains a credit reserve that is significantly bigger than it otherwise would have been to account for the possibility of a work stoppage in 2011.

Documents detailing the finances of the Florida Marlins’ and a handful of other Major League Baseball teams (reported by Deadspin.com), of course, reveal details we’ve never seen, but the team’s reaction to them is perhaps most surprising.

Of course, we’ve known the Marlins were making money and have even written as such repeatedly – despite the team’s protestations otherwise. While the release of the documents is, as Marlins President David Samson says, a crime, now that they're out there, here are some key details:

The Marlins brought in more than $75 million in both 2008 and 2009 from Major League Baseball’s revenue sharing program and central fund, before even selling a ticket, sponsorship or factoring in local TV and radio broadcast contracts.

Those figures combined were $79 million in 2008 and $75.4 million in 2009. That’s $47.9 million from revenue sharing and $31.3 million from the central fund in 2008; and $43.9 million in revenue sharing and $31.6 million from the central fund in 2009.

Revenue sharing is the system by which rich teams share revenues with lower revenue ones to even competition. The MLB central fund, which includes sources such as the national TV contract and to which all teams contribute – is distributed evenly. From other national sources, the Marlins got: $7.6 million in royalties and $2.9 million from the team’s investment in MLB Advanced Media – the sport’s Internet arm.

The documents show, the team had nearly $50 million in net operating income combined for 2008 and 2009. That was $37.84 million in 2008, when the team's on-field payroll was a league-low $24.8 million, and a more modest $11.1 million in 2009, when the payroll was up to $35.1 million.

Each time Forbes released its annual team valuations, Samson disputed the figures saying he didn’t know Forbes sources, but he also insisted the team wasn’t making a profit, and if there was one, team owner Jeffrey Loria would put it back into the team.

There are several examples of this, but here’s one from 2007, when Samson was asked about Forbes’ reporting the Marlins had the highest operating income of the leagues’ 30 teams at $43.3 million and with a league low payroll of $24.8 million:

"Very often the mistake that's made is they look at revenue sharing numbers and the team's payroll and take the difference and see profit without looking at our expenses," Samson said.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria "would want any dollar extra going into payroll," Samson said.

"What's happened is he committed to stop losing money, but he has never said he makes his living from the operation of the Florida Marlins. He simply doesn't want to lose all his money."

Jorge Costales, a Miami CPA who blogs about Marlins finances, has done a great job examining the documents compared to Forbes findings. Read his blog at 2thinkgood.com.

Another of Samson’s favorite sayings about payroll is that it will reflect revenues. When reminded of this during Monday’s conference call with reporters, Samson agreed but quickly added “local.” That’s a word that was conveniently absent from Samson’s previous discussions of team finances.

If you’re going to say payroll matches “local” revenues, he’s more accurate. Local revenue in 2009, the documents show, mainly consisted of $21.5 million in ticket sales revenue, $2.5 million from concessions and $16.7 million in local TV and radio broadcasts.

(As an aside, the documents reveal details of the team’s contract with Fox Sports Florida, which was a major part of its negotiations to build the new ballpark. The team needs regular revenue streams, such as TV money, to pledge against its portion of the construction. During 2005, the documents show, the Marlins and Fox Sports Florida struck a 15-year broadcast rights agreement – through 2020 – that pays the team $172 million during the life of the contract. It started with an initial payment of $40 million from Fox and comes out to $13.2 million this year, $13.6 million next year and $14 million in 2012.)

But this still begs the question-- what about all that “national” revenue.

Clearly the Marlins walked a fine line: if you make a profit, how much public money can you ask the public to chip in to your ballpark? If you say you’re saving the dollars for the ballpark – something Samson says the team has been saying all along, but hasn’t been – that’s a more palatable argument than the team isn’t profitable.

After years of saying the team wasn’t making a profit, Samson on Monday told reporters the documents “confirm everything we have said over the years of how we’ve operated the team.” He went on to talk about promising to secure baseball in South Florida and saving the dollars to put the team in a solid enough financial position to be able to fund its portion of the $515 million ballpark.

“We knew our contribution would have to be substantial enough, with team that did not have commensurate revenue,” Samson said. “In order to satisfy our contribution to the ballpark, we had to make sure we would be a team that would have the ability to borrow money.”

You have to wonder why Miami-Dade County officials didn’t push harder to see the Marlins’ books. And why a judge said opening the books wasn’t required, despite auto dealer Norman Braman’s lawsuit pushing for such, given that taxpayer dollars were being spent on the ballpark.

If the money really was going to the ballpark fund -- as a fan, you can still be angry the “profit” wasn’t going into payroll, but at least you’d know it was planned for somewhere other than the owner’s pocket.

Miami Dolphins limited partners Serena and Venus Williams are again No. 1 and 2 in The Harris Poll of favorite female sports stars.

New Miami Heat star LeBron James ranks 6th among male sports stars – down from third last year, but keep in mind the poll was conducted before James announced he was leaving Cleveland and joining the Heat. At the top of the list of male sports stars is a tie -- Tiger Woods – despite his troubles – and Kobe Bryant of the 2010 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

The Harris Poll was conducted online between June 14 and 21 when 2,227 adults were surveyed. According to the poll results, men chose Woods as their favorite, while women chose Bryant. Bryant was also favored by African Americans and Hispanics. Men and women bothered favored Serena Williams, as African Americans. Hispanics favored Venus Williams.

While the Miami Dolphins’ quest for public dollars to upgrade Sun Life Stadium is considered an uphill battle, team owner Steve Ross might be getting a tax break … in New Jersey.

As he continues taking on distressed and complicated development projects, Ross could be in a position to benefit from the equivalent of a sales tax rebate from the state of New Jersey, according to the Bergen Record.

Ross’ Related Cos., is working on how to salvage the stalled Xanadu retail and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Related began negotiating to become a partner in the project earlier this year. Related has already changed the complex’s name to Meadowlands.

According to the Record story, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is examining the possibility of granting the project $180 million in taxpayer dollars that would come from allowing the project to keep 75 percent of the sales tax revenue from the project for up to the first 20 years it’s open. The report even speculates Ross might give up on the project without the state tax incentive.

Meanwhile, last month, a panel of the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee recommended the Dolphins pursue public money to help upgrade Sun Life Stadium to keep it competitive to host future Super Bowls. The Dolphins are working on a plan to pay for renovations and expect to unveil it later this year.

In January, the team revealed renderings of possible upgrades, including a partial roof canopy covering the seats and a new seating bowl. The work is estimated to cost $187 million. The team said it cannot make the investment alone, but needs some help from the public.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner was all about revenue streams. Looks like his family could be the beneficiary of his largest one.

With his death at age 80 on Tuesday, Steinbrenner likely saved his family millions in estate taxes. Due to Congressional dallying, the estate tax expired this year.

Were it still in place, it could have cost Steinbrenner’s family 45 percent of the value of his estate, which Forbes values at $1.15 billion. The estate tax is scheduled to return next year at a whopping 55 percent.

“Even though we’ve not been advising people to die in 2010, or commit suicide in 2010, there’s no estate tax,” said Martin Press, a tax lawyer with the Gunster law firm in Fort Lauderdale.

“There has been some talk about bringing back the estate tax this year on a retroactive basis,” Press said, “but if that happens, there’s going to be all sorts of litigation.”

Estate taxes have been a huge burden for heirs. After original Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie died in 1990, his family was forced to sell the team because of a $47 million estate tax bill.

With four players arrested this offseason, the Miami Dolphins have been facing the “character” question a lot lately. After all, it was Executive Vice President of Football Operations Bill Parcells who said during his first press conference when he was hired by the Dolphins in 2007 that “character” was one of three criteria he uses to evaluate players.

So it’s not a surprise that people are wondering about that criteria after two DUI arrests (Will Allen and Ronnie Brown) and two for domestic battery (Tony McDaniel and Phillip Merling).

In March, prior to Merling’s arrest, team owner Steve Ross said: “You certainly don’t want to see it happen. It doesn’t make us happy. It’s a concern. The coaches and Parcells are disappointed, and concerned, and they are addressing it.”

The situation with Merling, who was charged last month with aggravated battery against his pregnant girlfriend, was muddied when he was back on the practice field in mini-camp a day after posting bail.

At the time, Coach Tony Sparano acknowledged frustration over the four arrests, but didn’t address questions about Merling’s return to the field head-on. Instead, he deflected the issue to the NFL.

"We're going to let the process play itself out and see what the league decides down the road," Sparano said at the time.

None of the other members of Dolphins brass has addressed the question of player conduct since Merling’s arrest. Attempts to ask team owner Steve Ross were quashed on two occasions during the Dolphins Foundation’s FinsWeekend of charitable events – one colleague was told he was not allowed to ask about the issue; I got the question out, but before Ross could answer, a team spokesman said, “we’re not dealing with that.”

Attempts to reach Ross’ limited partners, including Gloria Estefan, Venus and Serena Williams and Fergie, either went unanswered or were referred back to the Dolphins. A further request to the Dolphins to speak with the limited partners, was answered by Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, who said he and Ross speak for the team.

Dee said he couldn’t speak to the specific arrests: “It’s a league matter or a legal matter.”

As for the team, he said, Parcells, Sparano and General Manager Jeff Ireland do keep player conduct top of mind.

“We have great guys on this team, They do a lot for the community both on their own and on behalf of the franchise,” Dee said. “Bill, Jeff and Tony put a tremendous emphasis on character and makeup when they put this roster together. We’re proud of the team that we have and I know it’s an important priority as we move forward as well to continue to put the emphasis on the character and makeup of our guys. We’re really happy with the team that we have, and think they represent this franchise well in the community.”

Catching up after vacation:

+ Last week, Florida Panthers’ parent company Sunrise Sports & Entertainment announced Saveology had won the rights to name the team’s practice facility. SSE launched a contest last fall for businesses to get a shot at naming Incredible Ice for a season by buying four lower bowl season tickets for the 2009-10 season. Incredible Ice, which underwent a $10 million renovation that included adding a third NHL-sized sheet of ice, will now be known as the Saveology.com Iceplex. SSE values the name at more than $300,000. Saveology is a comparison shopping service and already a Panthers sponsor. The company already agreed to extend the deal through the 2011-12 season, too. Saveology will get exposure through a variety of advertising platforms and will pay for new signage at the practice venue, where employee uniforms will also bear the new name.

+ Plantation-based Dreams Inc.’s Mounted Memories division has created special limited edition Chicago Blackhawks collectibles to commemorate the team’s first Stanley Cup win in nearly 50 years: a shawdowbox with photos and some of the ice from the Stanley Cup finals. “This is a new product from our innovative line of memorabilia,” Mounted Memories President Mitch Adelstein said in a statement. “As an NHL licensee, we worked closely with the National Hockey League who was supportive and cooperative with our needs, and we captured portions of the ice from the arena. Our designers created an exciting way for hockey fans to recall this victory for which Chicago fans waited almost half a century.”

+ The New York Times’ piece on Dolphins limited partner Marc Anthony, although it mentions nothing about his sports investment.

+ People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called on the Marlins to reconsider their plans to install two-custom designed saltwater aquariums on either side of home plate in the team’s new ballpark.

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross’ habit of investing in distressed and complicated properties continues.

Ross’ Related Cos., is working on how to salvage the massive stalled Xanadu retail and entertainment complex in the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Last month during the annual International Council of Shopping Centers in Las Vegas, Related invited potential tenants to view renderings and videos of and talk about taking up residence in the $2 billion, 2.3 million-square-foot complex.

The Mills Corp. planned the complex to contain 200 retail tenants and attractions, including movie theaters and an indoor snow park, but the project ground to a halt after payments were missed and funding ran out.

Related began negotiating earlier this year to become a partner in the project. Already Related has planned a big move – changing the complex’s name from Xanadu to Meadowlands.

Related developed the Time Warner Center residential and retail complex in Columbus Circle in Manhattan and has the development rights to Hudson Yards on that city's west side.

Ross, CEO of Related, hasn’t said much publicly about his involvement in the Meadowlands project, but confirmed his company is seriously investigating how to make it successful.

“We’re right now working on the feasibility and trying to put it all together to make sure it works,” Ross told me. “But we have a deal to really be the developer of Xanadu and now it’s a question of how we put it together and get it financed.”

If his company can pull it off, the complex could open well before the neighboring New Meadowlands Stadium hosts the Super Bowl in 2014. Ross' Sun Life Stadium was an unsuccessful bidder for that game, but Ross could still benefit from the NFL's first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl. A completed formerly-named Xanadu could see a windfall with so many visitors in the area for the NFL’s championship game.

Two giant puddles covered much of the practice field at Miami Beach Senior High School Saturday morning, underscoring the need for refurbishments that are coming thanks to $164,000 in donations from the Dolphins and team owner Steve Ross.

Ross took the official ground-breaking for the field, which was officially named Ross Field, as an opportunity to put his team on notice that he’s expecting a big year in 2010.

“I think in February we’ll be playing in the Super Bowl,” Ross said.

When it was suggested he might be putting pressure on head coach Tony Sparano, Ross said, “Put it this way, he thinks that, too. So does every player on that team. I don’t think there’s any pressure on it, we’ve just got to go out and do it.”

He also told the crowd at the field ground-breaking that he hopes Chad Henne “goes down as the greatest quarterback in Miami Dolphins history.”

With training camp still ahead before the 2010 season’s start, the Dolphins tried to focus on FinsWeekend – three days of golf, fishing, and awards dinners that benefit the Dolphins Foundation.

Ross, a 1958 graduate of Miami Beach High who played tackle for the school at Flamingo Park, said after he purchased the Dolphins, he received a letter from Miami Beach High Principal Rosann Sidener asking if he’d help with the field. The request perfectly matched Ross’ desire for the Dolphins to be more involved in the community. He donated $82,000, which was matched by the Dolphins.

“It was really a no brainer, I had just bought the team, got this letter, knowing we want to participate in the community and be very active,” Ross said. “Coming from your high school, is something I couldn’t say no to as being the first one. I’m sure I’ll get a lot of letters from almost every high school and I’m sure we’ll do our share. We want to keep active in South Florida.”

The field refurbishment is to be completed in September.

“I look at the field now and say 'hey it really does need a little bit of rehabilitation.' But I also remember when I was playing football, down in Flamingo Park, and I couldn’t wait for those days to have the field flooded so we didn’t have to practice,” Ross said with a chuckle.

Ross was joined by Miami Beach Mayor Matti Bower, team executives and players, including Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and his wife Jeanette; quarterback Chad Henne, running back Tristan Davis, safety Nate Ness, fullback Rolly Lumbala, defensive back Ross Weaver and cornerback Nolan Carroll; and Dolphins alumni, Nat Moore and Dick Anderson.

“It’s pretty exciting," said Ross, who was given a red and white Beach High jersey. "It’s something I never would have anticipated in my life."

Ross wore No. 71 at Beach High, when the uniforms were black and gold, not red and white. No matter, his heart is still with his high school, but he cautioned that the field naming had nothing to do with his success at the school.

“They didn’t name the field after me for my athletic feats or my scholastic feats,” he said.

Ross was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame last year. The University of Michigan's Business School was renamed for Ross in 2004, after he made a $100 million donation to the school.

Last year, Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross came in at No. 2 on The New York Observer’s "Power 100" ranking of "The Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate" behind only President Barack Obama.

This year he’s got top billing on the list released today.

That’s because Ross, chairman of the Related Cos., shows no signs of slowing down in real estate despite the economy, the Observer report said. CityPlace Partners, which owns the retail portion of CityPlace in West Palm Beach, may be seeking to restructure a loan on the complex for flexibility, but that hasn’t stopped Related from seeking out other projects. Related is one of several partners in CityPlace Partners.

The Observer notes Ross is not only eyeing distressed and difficult properties, including the Xanadu project in New Jersey, but is also working with Related partners on starting a bank and is constructing a hotel and apartment tower in midtown Manhattan.

The list include developers, politicians, and just-approved principal New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov.

Reminder: follow me on Twitter @sarahtalalay

News that the owners of the retail portion of CityPlace, the shopping and residential complex in West Palm Beach, are seeking to restructure a loan on the project and speculation they could be in danger of defaulting, has some Miami Dolphins fans wondering about the financial health of team owner Steve Ross.

Ross is CEO of Related Cos., which developed the complex, but is just one of several partners in CityPlace Partners, which owns the retail complex. Details of the loan restructuring are far more complex than need to be addressed here, but CityPlace Partners insists the loan payments are current and the restructuring is aimed at providing flexibility at a time when market conditions are difficult.

Ross was unequivocal that his real estate business and his Dolphins ownership are separate.

“The actions taken by CityPlace Partners in regards to the CityPlace retail, of which Related has a membership interest, have absolutely no impact on the Dolphins. My ownership of the Miami Dolphins is as an individual and Related Companies has no interest in that investment,” Ross said in an email. “As evidenced by our off-season acquisitions, my focus as an owner remains on building a first class team both on and off the field.”

It’s been a while since I’ve had a chance to catch up -- March is a busy month, as always -- so here are some current links, as well as some I should have posted a while ago:

The Real Deal details Miami Heat radio broadcaster and former player John Crotty’s success in the real estate business with Colliers Abood Wood-Fay. Check out the story here.

Three locals were among the SportsBusinessJournal’s Forty Under 40 business executives honored in Los Angeles earlier this month: Miami Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt, who calls becoming AD at The U his “greatest achievement”; Florida Marlins vice president and general counsel Derek Jackson, who labored with others to get the team’s ballpark financed; and Max Eisenbud, vice president of IMG Tennis, who is agent for tennis star Maria Sharapova.

UM TV’s Sports Desk held a panel discussion during Communications Week called “Miami – A Sports Media Haven” - and included Emmanuel Munoz, Florida Marlins director of broadcasting; Jason Jenkins, Miami Dolphins director of media relations; Joe Pujala, Miami Heat and Miami Hurricanes Spanish language broadcaster; and me. We covered a number of topics, including the fickle nature of the South Florida fans and Miami’s role in sports. The piece aired March 12. If you want to check it out, It’s here.

From last week’s NFL owners meeting in Orlando, my colleagues who attended told me it looks even more likely the New York region will be awarded the 2014 Super Bowl over South Florida and Tampa. We’ll find out for sure at the owners meeting in Dallas in May.

And a little more on Dolphins owner Steve Ross pitching his “GameDay” Vision handheld TV device to the rest of the league’s owners: The SportsBusiness Journal reported Ross quietly purchased Kangaroo TV in December and not only is he expanding the number of Dolphins fans who will get the devices for games in the upcoming season (one for every two tickets in each season ticket holder account instead of just club and suite holders), but he’s offering devices to the other 31 team owners. In return, the Journal story explains, the teams would need to market the devices to their fans.

It’s been years since the focus of Florida Marlins’ FanFest hasn’t been the prospect of a new ballpark at some point on the horizon. So long that even Marlins President David Samson had to correct some fans who referred to the Marlins’ future home as “prospective.”

“This is the first town hall meeting, in our, this is our ninth season, where we no longer have to have to call it the prospective new ballpark,” Samson referring to Jeffrey Loria beginning in his ninth season as owner. “It’s the actual new ballpark.”

The team’s new home is 22 percent complete, the roof beams for the track for the retractable roof are going up and the bowl is taking shape at the former site of the Orange Bowl in Little Havana. The venue is so “actual” that several fans thanked Samson and his staff for their success in finally getting the ballpark project under way.

Most of the questions at Saturday’s FanFest focused on the field this season. When asked how many wins the team would notch, Samson responded “enough to make the playoffs.”

A few fans had business questions. Among them:

+ Will Palm Beach County residents be able to take Tri-rail to the new ballpark?

“Absolutely,” Samson said. Shuttles, he said, will carry fans to the ballpark from the Jackson Memorial and downtown Miami Tri-rail stations, and the team will devise transportation plans for all fans. “We want our fans north of Miami to follow us south and we want fans in Miami to comes to games to enjoy that beautiful ballpark, which is going to have a roof and air conditioning and everything you could ever want,” Samson said to applause.

Tommy Hutton told fans it took him an extra 15 to 20 minutes from Sun Life Stadium to get to the new ballpark’s location.

+ How soon will the Marlins host an All-Star Game?

“It has not been confirmed, but if you thought to yourself we would host the All-Star Game in 2015, you would probably not be misleading yourself,” Samson said.

+ When will the team have new uniforms as part of becoming the Miami Marlins in the new ballpark and will teal be one of the colors?

Samson said new uniforms are in development, but “no color palette has been decided yet. We’re working on it though.”

He said, “We’re lucky to have an owner who has an incredibly talented eye for art and beauty, and so we’ll be ready to unveil that maybe during the ’11 season, but probably not until after we win the 2011 World Series.”

More applause.

The team said it sold more than 40,000 individual-game tickets during FanFest – the first day individual tickets for 2010 went on sale.

As 2010 Pro Bowl players descended on South Florida for practices, community events and other obligations, debate continued to rage about as much as the rosters changed.

At an NFL Players Association event at Carol City Elementary in Miami Gardens, where players encouraged kids to eat well and keep active and provided a $5,000 check for the school’s budding vegetable garden, union representatives put on their best face, but didn’t hide their frustration.

“It’s great for South Florida, great for the Miami area. It brings more programs, things like this where players can get involved,” NFL PA President Kevin Mawae said Wednesday. “It’s going to be good for the community and the players that are here are happy to be a part of it.”

But Mawae, who plays center for the Tennessee Titans and is a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, also ticked off a number of reasons players are concerned. He says the union should have had more of a role in the decision.

“We really wish we had a bigger say so. I think it’s something we could have given a little more insight to,” Mawae said. “Part of the lure of the Pro Bowl is going to Hawaii as well. So it’s kind of a mixed bag of feelings there.”

Meanwhile, Mawae and union Executive Director DeMaurice Smith aren’t pleased about the requirement that selected players who are in the Super Bowl can’t play in the Pro Bowl, but still must attend the game to get their Pro Bowl pay.

“A whole lot of obligations without a whole lot of input. I also think that’s not lost on our fans,” Smith said. “I talked to a person who was fortunate enough to make it to the Pro Bowl again this year, and he said, ‘you know De, it’s great and it’s still an honor, but there was something about knowing the Pro Bowl was after the Super Bowl, knowing it was a game about the players, knowing it was an honor to be selected to play a game that’s always been traditionally in this spot. And to not have it this year, It feels a little bit less’.”

The NFL says the union was involved in the discussions for years before the decision to move the game’s time and place was announced in December 2008. Smith wasn’t named union executive director until March – after the Pro Bowl decision was announced.

The move before the Super Bowl is also controversial.

“There are fans, once the Super Bowl is over, they lose interest,” Mawae said. “So I understand that aspect of it, but then it cheats guys out of the opportunity to play in the All-Star game, like the 14 guys from the Colts and the Saints. Again, you’ve got to decide which one’s more important, the players’ feelings versus, at the end of the day, the financial aspect of Pro Bowl.”

The Pro Bowl returns to Hawaii in 2011 and 2012. After that, it could rotate.

“We’ll see. We’re testing it out this year,” Mawae said.

Negotiations for a new labor contract continue to get interesting. (More on this in future posts).

+ Meanwhile, as workers continue their Pro Bowl and Super Bowl preparations across South Florida, experts are still debating the merits of a Colts-Saints Super Bowl matchup, compared to what could have been, had the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings advanced.

Tickets on the secondary market are averaging about $2,600, whereas a Jets Super Bowl would have started at $2,500, experts predicted.

“It’s not good for tourism in South Florida. If the Jets and the Vikings had gotten in, you’d have more people flying in and more of a corporate fan base,” Robert Tuchman, executive vice president of Premier Global Sports, told my colleague Doreen Hemlock. “With New Orleans, you’ll have more people driving in, and you don’t have that corporate fan base. Some will drive in on Saturday. They won’t spend as much as New Yorkers would.”

With the Colts just in the Super Bowl in South Florida in 2007, Tuchman, whose company arranges corporate and group travel to sporting events, said, “Some have already paid for that once in a lifetime experience at the Super Bowl.”

Tuchman estimates the losses to businesses at 30 percent to 40 percent. The difference, he said, “is millions and millions of dollars for South Florida. There will be less hotel rooms, restaurant reservations and golf reservations. It’s not a great matchup.”

But that’s not to suggest South Florida won’t be putting on a big show during the next 10 days. The Pro Bowl is officially sold out at 70,500 seats, although a few club and single seats remain for sale.

Tuchman, after all, is a big fan of the region. In his book, The 100 Sporting Events You Must See Live, he ranks Miami as No. 1 in his list of top 10 cities for hosting a major sporting event.

+ Tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams are skipping the Feb. 6-7 Fed Cup because they say they have roles with the Super Bowl as part owners of the Miami Dolphins. A Dolphins spokesman said there is no formal obligation for the Williams sisters to attend any Super Bowl activities. There’s an owners meeting the day before the Super Bowl, but owners with tiny percentages aren’t in the room for those. Venus is, however, hosting a party at the W South Beach on Feb. 5 to launch the new laundry detergent Tide plus Febreze Freshness Sport.

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….

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.

Florida Marlins owner and art dealer Jeffrey Loria has promised his team’s new ballpark will be a work of art and unlike any other baseball stadium. That’s why he’s focused on creating a modernist structure of sleek white stucco, silver metal and glass.

On Tuesday, Miami-Dade County’s Art in Public Places Trust continued Loria’s theme, approving proposals for $5.3 million in public art projects planned for the ballpark, including a playful, dynamic home run celebration feature, budgeted at $2.5 million, by renowned multimedia pop artist Red Grooms. Grooms' work was selected from several entries after a series of meetings.

It’s still conceptual and difficult to describe, but it’s something like an arcade game decorated with pelicans and seagulls, blue sky and clouds with a series of marlins that will actually jump after a Marlins player hits a home run. (See picture at left) Grooms is known for large scale works of urban-scapes and buildings.

Grooms, who was born in Nashville, said he drew on his memories of visiting Daytona as a teenager. He remembered seeing the ocean for the first time, the pelicans and seagulls, he said.

“All that stuck with me,” said Grooms, 72. That’s how he decided “to incorporate the great natural beauty of Florida and wildlife” into his proposal. “I am featuring beautiful clouds and waves.”

Grooms described the home run feature, which he learned of from Loria, as “a pretty unusual project. It’s like making up a kind of new event or game or something.”

Marlins President David Samson said Loria was insistent the home run feature be a work of art.

"It's very important to Jeffrey that our ballpark be the museum of baseball," Samson said. "The home run feature is the perfect opportunity to differentiate Miami from the other ballparks. No one will be able to look at that and say 'is that art or is that baseball?' It's both, it's art in a baseball ballpark."

Initially the project was expected to have a feature rise from a pool of real water, but county officials liked the idea of using Grooms-designed water instead. The key to the work is part of it will be visible even if a game isn’t going on, but it will spring to life once a Marlin hits a home run.

This video gives a sense of the type of celebration Grooms has in mind, though it is likely to change before the final work is completed:

Meanwhile, the trust also approved another $2.7 million in projects for the ballpark:

A series of colorful tiled pathways by Carlos Cruz-Diez that will be located in the ballpark’s west side plaza entrance (see image at left of his work at the airport in Caracas), and two projects by Daniel Arsham and Snarkitecture. One of Arsham’s works is lighting for the ballpark’s roof columns.

The other, called a commemorative marker, will honor the history of the old Orange Bowl. It will be a series of giant concrete letters that spell out “Miami Orange Bowl” just like the old stadium’s original sign. The sculpture will represent the letters as if they fell off the Orange Bowl, and landed on the ballpark’s east plaza in different combinations spelling out other words, including “WON” and “GAME.” The letters will be the size and look of the ones that graced the Orange Bowl, but will be concrete and situated so fans can touch and sit on them.

“They have become one with the site and people can interact with them in whatever way they are comfortable, in terms of spurring memories of their relationship with the Orange Bowl and with events they’ve been to at that site,” Samson said. “They’ll be able to see the letters as part of the landscape, be able to come in actual contact with them … it’s sort of a common psychological thing when you can touch something it can spur a memory or smell something.”

The Florida Panthers are trying to hold their third jersey "hostage," sending the media a note saying it won’t be revealed until Monday night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at BankAtlantic Center. See the letter at left sent to media members with the teaser jersey swatch.

Players will wear the third jersey, which will have an alternate logo and colors, at 11 additional home games after Monday, including at next Friday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Fans can pre-order the jerseys and pick them up starting at 7:45 p.m. Monday. Call Pantherland at the arena 954-835-7025; Incredible Ice at 954-341-9956; or visit the Panthers’ Web site for more information.

Also, on Monday, Panthers fans can meet new majority owners, co-general partners Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel, who are scheduled to greet fans arriving at the game. The pair plan to be on the arena’s main plaza level.

Viner and Siegel, who were introduced as new majority owners this week after taking control from Alan Cohen, have been vowing greater accessibility to fans. They plan to hold regular town hall meetings and meet and greets, write blogs and make radio appearances.

Sun Sentinel columnist Dave Hyde interviewed Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross in his 19th floor office at Time Warner Center in Manhattan on Friday. Time Warner Center is the mixed use residential and retail complex Ross’ Related Companies built that has transformed Columbus Circle. The piece ran today before the Dolphins defeated the New York Jets 30-25 at the Meadowlands – and completed a season sweep of their rivals. Read Hyde’s piece here.

Just a quick thought on today’s game: is there another team in the NFL that has worked so hard to be 3-4? Just asking.

And speaking of being 3-4, the Dolphins hope you’ll want to watch the rest of the team’s home games this season live. They’ve introduced a new four-game pack that features lower bowl tickets to each of the team’s final four home games of 2009 for $348. That’s to see the Dolphins play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers. It offers a savings off the individual ticket price and gives you priority for playoff seats. Check it out here.

Miami Dolphins owner Steve Ross could be adding Fergie as his next limited partner in the team.

NFL owners meeting in Boston this week approved Fergie as a potential owner in the team, but the Dolphins have yet to complete a deal with the Black Eyed Peas' singer.

“The owners did approve Fergie’s application for ownership today but there is nothing more to announce at this time as a formal agreement has not been completed,” Dolphins owner Steve Ross said via e-mail.

Fergie’s on tour in Australia, so don’t expect a formal announcement until she’s returned. Fergie and the Black Eyed Peas already have a marketing partnership with the Dolphins – that’s why you see all those promotional messages from band members on the scoreboard during home games at Land Shark Stadium.

Fergie also sported a pink Dolphins jersey and recorded a public service message (see video below) for the NFL’s “Crucial Catch” breast cancer screening campaign in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The addition of Fergie would continue to spice up the already crowded orange carpet crowd that makes up Ross’ ownership group.

But Will.i.win?

+ 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.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman attended the Florida Panthers' home opener against the New Jersey Devils Saturday at BankAtlantic Center. He met with reporters before the game and addressed a number of issues including the team's ownership. Read more about the Panthers on Steve Gorten's blog here.

Bettman said the Panthers are not being sold to a public company -- the team had been in talks this spring with public company Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., but an agreement was never reached. However, he expects the precise makeup of majority owner Alan Cohen's ownership group to change. He said that does not mean limited partners will change or be added, but their levels of investment and roles in the group could change. Stay tuned...

Here's how Bettman addressed a number of issues:

On Panthers' ownership:

I think that the group is in discussions to see about making some adjustments among themselves, and I think those discussions are ongoing ... I think the solution here is going to come out of perhaps a rejiggering of the existing ownership group, not necessarily somebody getting in or out, but just kind of a restructuring on the day to day.

On whether he's concerned about the ownership and financial health of the team:

I think the club needs to continue to work to improve its performance ... but they should be OK. Barring something extraordinary that nobody anticipated and I’m not suggesting that’s going to happen, they should be fine.

Performance on the ice?:

Listen it’s no secret the club’s gone eight seasons, nine years with out being in the playoffs. There’s a good fan base here and I don’t think anybody doubts that. I think with improved performance ... By the way, last year was the most points they had since the last time they made the playoffs.

On whether he's confident the team will be successful:

At some point in time, every team’s competitiveness or lack thereof has an impact and teams can go through rebuilding periods, but listen they’re a good core group of players here, good young coach. If they continue to develop the right way... listen there’s a lot of fans of this club that show up, this is a big building and I think with improved performance it will be easier for them to fill it. ... I think this is a franchise that has potential, has an opportunity, I think the issues they’re dealing with can be sorted and out and dealt with going forward ... I think they’re probably closer now to a resolution of the ownership issues than they’ve been.

Since the Panthers opened in Finland, are there other European cities the league is considering for NHL games:

We’ve played in London. We’ve played in Prague. There are a variety of opportunities in Germany, Switzerland, Slovakia and maybe perhaps as we continue this, some more traditional European cities, [but] non-traditional hockey cities, such as Paris, Barcelona. We would like to continue to expand our European presence on a regular basis. By that I don’t mean franchises on the ground, I mean more and more clubs, more and more games to open the season, so maybe we’re in seven or eight cities at the same time, to open the season because if you were there you know there’s tremendous interest in our players and our game.

On other leagues watching what happened in court with ownership of the Phoenix Coyotes:

Everybody was watching what happened in the legal proceedings very closely, because the, and you’ve heard me say this before, two most important issues for any sports league, are who owns the franchises, who’s going to be a partner, and where franchises are located. And the concern those rules could be circumvented, was one all of the sports leagues took seriously, which is why early on in the proceedings the other leagues intervened.

On whether the lockout has improved the financial health of teams:

It has ... We don’t run the 30 franchises, every team has to be accountable for its own on and off ice performance. The system has made it much better. The competitive balance has never been better. There are always going to be situations. Phoenix didn’t belong in bankruptcy ... That was an attempt by two people to circumvent our rules.

On the economy impacting ticket sales:

I think it’s market by market, but our season ticket renewal in this market league-wide was about what it was last year, before the economic downturn. We’re not expecting to be down, based on the preliminary projections we have this year in revenues…We’re flat to up a little bit is my best early guess as to where we’re likely to be. I know over the last few months, there was a lot of speculation the [salary] cap’s going to go down 20 percent. That’s absurd, that’s just made up, it isn’t going to happen. Business is much stronger than that. Our attendance last year, through the recession set another record, our revenue set another record, revenues were up about 5 percent in local dollars, not accounting for the decline in the Canadian dollar ... In real dollars, we think we’ll at least be flat, if not up a little bit. In attendance, including so far this season is at least flat, if not up a drop.Our fans are very connected to the game. I’m not suggesting the recession isn’t having an impact. Like for example, I thought last year I thought we’d be up 7 percent, we were up 5 percent. Listen, I don’t foresee dramatic growth, but a lot of people say the new up is flat. There’s been some erosion ... The speculation of 10, 20 percent decline, I don’t see that at all.

On how the economics have changed since the league locked out players in 2004-05:

We’re not paying out 76 percent of our revenues, on one element of our expenses. Teams by and large, and there are going to be outliers, when you look at competitive balance, everybody can afford to be competitive [with] the combination of the [salary] cap and revenue sharing. Last year it took 1,220 out of 1,230 games to have the first playoff matchup determined, it took 184 out of 186 days of regular season to know who was going to be in the playoffs, and we didn’t know the matchups overall until after the last game was played. When you look at also the range in points between the middle of the pack making the playoffs and who didn’t make the playoffs, I think a handful of points separated whether or not you made it. Virtually, if not all, of every game in the regular season had some impact as to how this is all going to wind up in terms of making the playoffs. You hear players, you hear coaches talking about every game is like a playoff game particularly down the stretch. That’s a function of the way the game’s being played and it’s a function of the fact that teams Feel that they can compete. That there are no easy games any more. While our economic circumstance has changed by about 19 percent what the cost the actually is, which probably equates to about 25 percent, you have the fact, we have a system, where teams are better off and can compete and you’re seeing it.

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.

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.

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.

Palm Beach County resident and longtime sports consultant Rick Horrow will debut a new weekly sports show, focusing on the industry’s multi-million dollar business side, on the Versus network on Aug. 25.

The $ports Take to be hosted by Horrow, who is known as “The Sports Professor,” has already secured interviews with top industry executives, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and NASCAR CEO Brian France.

The first show is scheduled to include interviews with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Bryan Trubey, HKS architect on the Cowboys’ new stadium.

The half-hour show, being produced by Atlanta-based Career Sports & Entertainment, is scheduled to air Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. and re-air on Wednesdays at 4 p.m.

Horrow has consulted on dozens of sports construction projects and is an attorney and president of Miami-based Horrow Sports Ventures. He did a stint as visiting sports law expert at Harvard Law School and serves as a sports business analyst. He previously served as executive director of the Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority, when plans for now-demolished Miami Arena were forged.

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.

Reminder: follow me on Twitter @sarahtalalay

We don't yet know if a public company's proposal to buy the Panthers will result in a deal. But talks between Sports Properties Acquisition Corp. and the team are ongoing. And the clock is ticking.

Sports Properties is what’s known as a "special purpose acquisition company" or SPAC. It raised $215 million from investors last year and has until January to use the money to buy a sports or entertainment asset. If the money isn’t spent it must be returned to investors with interest. The SPAC signed a non-binding letter of intent last month to purchase the team for $230 million, but it still could be some time before an agreement is reached.

What makes this story interesting right now is the role of Sports Properties president and CEO Tony Tavares. Tavares is a long-time sports team executive, who has run the Anaheim Ducks, as well as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Montreal Expos and the Washington Nationals. He also headed venue operating company SMG.

Tavares is also linked to a group that is bidding to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes out of bankruptcy at auction and keep the team in Arizona. That group includes Chicago Bulls and White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf and is completely separate from the SPAC. Reinsdorf’s group is expected to put in a bid on Friday with the auction to be held Aug. 5, assuming the bids are qualified and accepted by the bankruptcy judge.

From what I’m told, Tavares does not plan to do both deals. If Reinsdorf is successful, it’s quite possible Tavares could be installed to run the Coyotes. In that case, he'd most likely resign from the SPAC.

If the Panthers deal occurs first, it’s unclear if Tavares would have a position with the team.

The NHL does allow minority ownership in more than one team: Panthers limited partners, Fort Lauderdale advertising executive Jordan Zimmerman and St. Louis orthopedic surgeon Rick Lehman bought into the Tampa Bay Lightning, too, last year.

It’s unknown how large Tavares’ interest would be in the Panthers or Coyotes, but it’s unlikely the league would allow an executive (and owner) of one team to invest in a second team.

So, we’ll have to keep watching and waiting to see how this all plays out.

The New York Observer’s latest Power 100 ranking of “The Most Powerful People in New York Real Estate,” places Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross No. 2, behind only… President Barack Obama.

Ross, who is chairman and CEO of the Related Cos. (when he’s not working on the latest fan amenity at Land Shark Stadium), actually rose from No. 3 on the paper’s 2008 list. The publication calls Ross “the city’s unparalleled king of private development” who developed the Time Warner Center and is “the designated developer” of the West Side rail yards.

The list includes state and national politicians, hoteliers and university presidents. Donald Trump ranks No. 16, up from 38 last year. Two other sports team owners made the list: New Jersey Nets owner Bruce Ratner, who is still trying to develop Atlantic Yards with a new Nets arena in Brooklyn, fell from No. 8 last year to No. 23 this year; and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson ranks No. 68, as board president of luxury co-op 834 Fifth Avenue.

Reminder: follow me on Twitter @sarahtalalay

After looking at dozens of sports and entertainment properties to acquire, Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., has zeroed in on the Panthers and is working with Sunrise Sports & Entertainment to try to finalize a deal.

Last month, the two entities signed a non-binding letter of intent to reach agreement on the sale of the team for $230 million, but sources say it could be weeks before a deal is signed. As I explained in a story last month, Sports Properties Acquisition Corp., a public company formed to buy a sports or entertainment asset, has been searching for a property that offers an upside. The company has examined other hockey teams and made an unsuccessful bid for the Chicago Cubs.

What makes Sunrise Sports & Entertainment attractive is not just that it owns the Panthers, who haven’t made the playoffs since 2000, but that it operates publicly-financed BankAtlantic Center and has plans for City of Oz, a massive mixed-use retail and entertainment complex surrounding the Sunrise arena.

So, details are still being worked out, but the NHL is aware of the negotiations and the non-binding letter. It’s possible an agreement could be reached by late June, but unclear if it could be ready in time for the league’s Board of Governors meeting later this month. It could be months before the deal closes, sources said.

Sports Properties Acquisition is what’s known as a "special purpose acquisition company" or SPAC. The SPAC raised more than $200 million from investors last year and has until January to use the money or it must be returned to shareholders with interest. Shareholders would also get their money back if a deal is reached but rejected. Any deal must receive approval of NHL owners and the SPAC’s investors.

SPACs gained notice in the 1990s, but their modern version did not surface until 2003. They are mainly an investment vehicle for hedge funds. While SPACs are formed to purchase all sorts of companies, Sports Properties Vice Chairman Andrew Murstein said last month his SPAC was the first to delve into the sports industry.

Panthers owner Alan Cohen and his partners would receive stock in the company in the deal and the team would be public once again. The Panthers, who were an NHL expansion franchise in 1993, were publicly held from 1996-2001, but became a private entity when H. Wayne Huizenga sold the team to a group led by Cohen for $101 million.

The makeup and operation of the team under the new company, is unclear. Although he could still have a role with the team, don’t be surprised if Cohen isn’t calling the shots in the future.

Sports Properties has plenty of sports experience among its board and advisors.

The company's board of directors includes Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and former New York governor Mario Cuomo. Ex-Buffalo Bills Quarterback Jack Kemp, who died last month, had also served on the board. Murstein had said it was Aaron who suggested the company consider buying a sports team.

Company President and CEO Tony Tavares’ resume includes stints as president of the Anaheim Ducks and the Montreal Expos and head of venue operating company SMG.

And Game Plan LLC, an investment banking firm that handles team sales and acquisitions and is advising Sports Properties, was one of a pair of companies that together made an offer to buy the entire NHL in 2005 during the lockout.

The offer from Game Plan and Bain Capital never advanced, but was for $3.5 billion (roughly $116 million a team) and was presented to the NHL. The idea was to run the industry as a single-entity league in which no team had a particular economic advantage. Traditional television contracts would have been replaced with coverage by regional sports networks.

Anyway, stay tuned…

And just a reminder that I’m now on Twitter. Follow me: @sarahtalalay

OK, not the whole team, but a piece of a team? Boca Raton-based iTeam Sports, which launched last year to provide fans an opportunity to become team owners, recently forged a partnership with HVM Racing, which has two cars competing in Sunday’s Indy 500.

iTeam’s model allows fans to pay typically $150 to $200 to invest in a minor league sports franchise. That investment provides no monetary return, but gives fans the right to be called “owner” as well as merchandise, ticket discounts, and unique access to team officials and players. They also become part of an online social network for each team.

The company launched with three independent baseball teams last year: the Atlantic City Surf in New Jersey and Texas-based Grand Prairie AirHogs and El Paso Diablos. Read the story I wrote about the company’s launch last October here.

But iTeam always planned to expand to other sports, including auto racing. In fact, iTeam President Steven Levenson said, partnering with an IndyCar team works well for attracting fans nationally.

“The stick and ball sports are very regionalized to where the team is,” Levenson said. “The appeal with motorsports is national and international … it’s a different model.”

For $199, fans can own a stake in Indianapolis-based HVM Racing -- read more about the partnership here. Team drivers E.J. Viso (No. 13) and Nelson Philipe (No. 00) are competing in the Indy 500. The partnership is exclusive through 2011.

“Racing fans are very engaged with their favorite teams, and this arrangement lets them get even more involved, probably more than they even thought possible,” HVM Racing Team Principal Keith Wiggins said in a statement.

iTeam has a booth at this weekend’s Indy 500, and representatives are handing out postcards explaining the deal. The company is running ads on other Web sites and pitching the investment as a gift idea, including for Father’s Day.

“You can sit and watch the race and say I’m a fan of so and so. It’s another thing to say I’m a fan of this team because I own this team,” said Bob Margolis, an iTeam spokesman. “It’s an opportunity to be Chip Ganassi or Roger Penske without the headaches.”

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.

Just to re-cap and fill in some of the details from the NFL owners spring meeting at the Ritz-Carlton in Fort Lauderdale:

+ South Florida lost out to New Orleans – which was the favorite – to land the 2013 Super Bowl. South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee officials, who are preparing for the 2010 game and the Pro Bowl, are already planning to bid for the 2014 game. Typically bid packages go out in November and owners vote in the spring.

+ The league and the players association are to begin discussions for a new players’ contract next month, but NFL General Counsel Jeff Pash says he has no time frame for how long negotiations should take. The league opted out of the last two years of the current agreement meaning the deal ends in 2011 and the 2010 season will be played without a salary cap. Some owners believe the agreement, which guarantees roughly 60 percent of football revenues go to player salaries, isn’t working. NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith, who met with owners at their meeting Tuesday, said he isn’t sure why owners feel that way.

“We all know that the players didn't opt out of this deal. We do know that the NFL generated in excess of $8 billion last year. We know that the average team has grown by 400 percent in 10 years. We know that the average team is worth in excess of a billion dollars,” Smith said. “What we don't understand is what is wrong with the current deal when we know those facts exist? And if you want to move or start negotiations it seems to me that we need to understand why they believe that the current deal wasn't good.”

+ Owners didn’t vote on whether to extend the regular season to 17 or 18 games, but they discussed the issue. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell promised the players and partners would be brought in on discussions. Smith said the key to discussions is determining the average each team makes per game and considering why players’ salaries drop for playoff games.

“The players understand the cost to their bodies. The players understand how tough it is to get through a regular season,” Smith said. “They understand the cost. What they don't understand is when their playoff salary drops to $20,000 a game, what's the net profit for the team for that game? And once they understand that, then we can understand or at least be in a process to discuss what the right cost compensation model is for an extra game.”

+ The league reached agreement with Comcast to expand the number of homes that can view the NFL Network from 2 million to 10.8 million by moving the network from a higher pay tier to Comcast’s Digital Classic service. The league also reached agreements with CBS and Fox to extend their rights to broadcast NFL games by two years until at least 2013. Goodell said conversations are also taking place with NBC about an extension.

+ Owners voted Tuesday to allow teams to forge partnerships with their local and state lotteries to generate revenue. Team logos could appear on lottery tickets – as they do in other leagues (see Red Sox example at left) – but only for scratch-off or chance games. “It would not be based on the outcome of games,” Goodell said. “That’s a critical feature for us. We do think it’s responsive to pressures states are feeling right now to help meet some of those shortfalls, what we can do with states and our clubs, to be able to try to create some additional revenue, and I think it has been effective in other sports." The New England Patriots have already jumped aboard with the Massachusetts State Lottery.

+ Owners discussed possibly expanding the Rooney Rule, which requires teams interview at least one minority candidate for coaching positions, to include general managers.

Catching up from a couple of days away:

+ As you no doubt know, items from old Yankee Stadium are now up for auction through July 24. The auction includes 1,500 distinct pieces, ranging from stadium signs to the dugout bat holder to the actual seat Jeffrey Maier occupied during the 1996 playoffs. New pieces will be added each week. Visit auctions.steinersports.com to register and check for updates.

Other items for sale include 1 square foot pieces of live sod for $120; pairs of stadium seats from $1,499 to $1,999; and bricks from Monument Park in a glass case for $150.

+ And SI.com says South Florida is lucky enough to have two of its four pro team owners included among the worst five owners in the four major sports.

The Web site placed Panthers owner Alan Cohen as second worst among NHL team owners ahead of only MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Web site says Cohen hasn’t connected with fans and made the “wrong hire” with Jacques Martin.

Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria was ranked fourth worst among MLB owners. Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos was worst, followed by Texas Rangers owner Tom Hicks, and Kansas City Royals owner David Glass. The Web site says Loria may have overseen a shocking 2003 World Series championship over the New York Yankees, but blames him for letting go of his young talent when it gets too expensive.

Do you agree with SI.com’s assessments?

H. Wayne Huizenga bid farewell Tuesday to nearly two decades of sports team ownership, including 19 years with his favorite team, the Dolphins.

When he completed the sale of the Dolphins to New York real estate developer Stephen Ross last month, Huizenga’s remarkable tenure owning three professional sports franchises - including two expansion teams that took the field and ice within six months of each other - came to an end.

His biggest regret: that his Dolphins didn’t win a Super Bowl. He also said in hindsight perhaps he should have waited a year to dismantle the Marlins after they won the 1997 World Series.

He oversaw a tumultuous period, bringing South Florida into the major leagues: owning three teams and taking two of them to their sport’s championship, investing in a regional sports network, selling naming rights to a stadium, and overseeing the construction of a 20,000-seat arena. It was a period the likes of which will never been seen again. If you’re interested in reading a longer view of Huizenga’s tenure in sports, click here.

Citigroup’s $400 million naming rights deal for the new New York Mets ballpark has gotten the attention of members of Congress. After all, the banking giant is receiving $45 billion in federal bailout money through the government’s Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). It agreed in 2006 to spend about $20 million a year for 20 years to name the new stadium.

Last week, U.S. Reps. Dennis Kucinich, Democrat of Ohio, and Ted Poe, Republican of Texas, asked Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to push Citi to drop the deal. “Citigroup is now dependent on the support of the federal government for its survival as an institution,” the representatives’ letter said. “As such, we do not believe Citigroup ought to spend $400 million to name a stadium at the same time that they accept over $350 billion in taxpayer support and guarantees.”

When word surfaced the company might be looking for a way out of the giant stadium name deal, it reiterated Tuesday that it is committed to the legally binding deal and that no TARP money would be used on the Citi Field agreement.

But the question remains: should companies that receive federal bailouts be putting big money into these types of naming rights deals?

The question arose after Sept. 11, 2001, when the airline industry was laying off workers and seeking federal help, and yet several stadiums and arenas, including AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, bore the names of air carriers.

The conventional wisdom from the business community tends to be that in difficult times, companies should be spending a portion of their budgets on advertising, since that’s when they need it most.

Do you agree?

New Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross completed a deal valued at $1.1 billion to buy the team and Dolphin Stadium last week, even as he has joined a group of real estate developers asking for federal assistance in the struggling economy.

According to Richard Sandomir’s column in today’s New York Times, several financial institutions with their names atop sports venues are receiving TARP dollars. Among them: Bank of America, which pays $7 million annually for its name on the Carolina Panthers football stadium is receiving $45 billion; JP Morgan Chase, which pays $2.2 million a year to name the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Chase Field is receiving $25 billion; PNC Financial, which pays $1.5 million a year for the Pittsburgh Pirates PNC Park name is getting $7.6 billion.

Sandomir’s column quotes a Treasury official saying the department did not have the authority to command a bank to discontinue a naming rights deal. But Kucinich told Sandomir that TARP allows “broad changes.”

What do you think?

Stephen Ross says Dolphins Managing General Partner H. Wayne Huizenga “has nothing to worry about” when it comes to the eventual transfer of another 45 percent of the Dolphins.

Ross said he’s able to complete the purchase, which would give him 95 percent of the team, but he and Huizenga are still discussing when it will occur.

Before Tuesday’s presidential election, Huizenga made it clear he’d like to sell soon to avoid increased capital gains taxes in a Barack Obama administration. A sale before the end of the calendar year could ensure that, but Ross is thinking about the postseason.

“I’m not sure, because we could make the playoffs,” Ross said with a hopeful chuckle before Sunday’s Dolphins-Seattle Seahawks game at Dolphin Stadium. “At some point I will be taking it. Wayne and I are discussing exactly when that is. I assume it will be sometime before next season.”

Earlier this year, Ross bought 50 percent of the team, stadium and surrounding land for $550 million, with the intention he’d eventually become majority owner. Last month, NFL owners approved the eventual transfer, meaning it can take place any time.

Ross says he can complete the purchase without financial help, but does plan to bring in investors at some point.

“We’re talking to some and I want to make sure I have the right mix,” Ross said. “I will own well in excess of 50 percent but always intended to bring in some investors. The question in when they come in.”

Any investors would need league approval.

Ross praised his partnership with Huizenga, who will maintain 5 percent of the team.

“We have an agreement, we get along great. We have a great partnership and all Wayne’s needs will be accommodated as well as mine,” he said.

He also says he’s pleased to have joined the NFL ownership ranks, even sharing a sports cliché: “You’re always antsy before the game, a little bit on edge. These games are important now, we’ve got a certain momentum. You want to continue on. You’ve got to take each game one game at a time.”

In a strictly procedural move, the NFL owners gave formal approval Tuesday to allowing H. Wayne Huizenga eventually to transfer up to 45 percent more of the Dolphins to Stephen Ross.

This is not news in the sense that it was always understood -- and anticipated -- that Ross would eventually become majority owner of the Dolphins. He and Huizenga said as much when they announced in February that Ross would be buying 50 percent of the team, Dolphin Stadium and the surrounding land for $550 million. They reiterated the same when the NFL owners approved Ross’ 50 percent purchase on March 31.

And Tuesday’s vote at the owners meeting in St. Petersburg didn’t set a date of transfer, it merely makes the transfer possible. It is not expected to have any bearing on the operation of the team this season.

“This is just another step toward the eventual transfer of up to 95 percent ownership interest in the team and the stadium from Mr. Huizenga to Mr. Ross,” Dolphins spokesman Harvey Greene said.

There’s been plenty of speculation about when Huizenga, who remains managing general partner, will cede control to Ross. The owners don’t have another formal meeting scheduled until March. Could the transfer happen before then? There’s nothing set in stone, but that’s certainly a possibility.

Regardless of when the transfer occurs, Huizenga has vowed to maintain at least 5 percent interest in the team.

So, billionaires aren’t doing any better in these difficult financial times than we are, according to Forbes, which released its list of 400 richest Americans today.

According to the Forbes report, “The rich haven’t gotten richer – or poorer – this year.” The report goes on to explain that it still takes $1.3 billion – just as it did last year - to be included in the list and the total net worth of the list members grew $30 billion or just 2 percent since last year.

Checking in on our local sports team owners:

Heat owner Micky Arison’s net worth dropped from $5.8 billion in 2007 to $5 billion this year and from 55th to 68th on the list.

Dolphins Managing General Partner H. Wayne Huizenga also saw his worth drop from $2.5 billion and 165th place to $2.2 billion and 205th on the list.

The fortune of new Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who bought 50 percent of the Dolphins, of Dolphin Stadium and of the land surrounding it from Huizenga for $550 million earlier this year, remained steady at $4.5 billion. But Ross’ spot on the list dropped from 68th in 2007 to 78th this year.

New to the list this year? Norman Braman, the former Philadelphia Eagles owner and Miami auto dealer who has been a thorn in the Marlins’ effort to build a new ballpark since he challenged in court the financing of $3 billion in Miami projects, including the stadium. Forbes says the “swelling contemporary art market” pushed Braman onto the list this year. His net worth is listed at $1.7 billion and he ranks 281 on the list.

Braman didn’t sound too pleased with his inclusion on the list.

“It’s something I would prefer not to see,” he said Thursday afternoon. “I knew about it before. I wasn’t happy, it is what it is.”

Bill Gates still tops the list with a net worth of $57 billion, but even that’s down from $59 billion last year.