Lin Bin, the co-founder of Chinese consumer electronics heavyweight Xiaomi, has reportedly acquired a minority stake in the holding company of the Miami Dolphins National Football League (NFL) franchise in a deal that hands the team a record valuation.
According to the Sportico news outlet, Bin, who remains Xiaomi vice-chair (having served as president from its 2010 foundation up until 2019), acquired a 1% stake in the Dolphins at an overall valuation of $12.5 billion (an NFL record), placing his investment in the $125 million range.
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While the league has yet to formally approve the transaction, something that will take place at the next NFL owners meeting on March 29, the league’s finance committee has already authorized the transaction.
The holding company that controls the Dolphins has, in recent years, become a diversified sports enterprise that also controls the team’s Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Formula One Grand Prix, and the Miami Open of tennis, all of which have contributed to the high valuation.
The previous record valuation, $10 billion, was set in 2025 when the New York Giants sold a minority stake to the Koch family.
This deal is the latest minority stake sale from Dolphins principal owner Stephen M. Ross.
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By GlobalDataIn late 2024, Ross sold a 10% stake to the Ares Capital Management firm, alongside the sale of a 3% stake to a coalition of Joe Tsai and Oliver Weisberg, joint owners of the Brooklyn Nets basketball franchise.
At that time, Ross said of the stake sale: “Together, with the resources from this transaction, we will prioritize continued investment into the Dolphins, additional sports assets, and South Florida real estate to fuel dynamic growth and innovation in the region for years to come."
While private equity funds such as Ares are limited to a 10% stake in any given franchise, individual investors such as Tsai, Weisberg, and, in this case, Bin, are not limited, and with the surge in franchise valuations, they are becoming an increasingly attractive prospect for the super-rich.
