Phin Phanatic
FanSided

Dolphins Stephen Ross “Rise”ing to the top

By Brian Miller

NEW YORK, NY - JULY 21: New York Times reporter Charles V. Bagli (L) and Chairman and Founder of Related Companies Stephen Ross speak onstage during NY Times Cities For Tomorrow Conference on July 21, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for New York Times)
NEW YORK, NY - JULY 21: New York Times reporter Charles V. Bagli (L) and Chairman and Founder of Related Companies Stephen Ross speak onstage during NY Times Cities For Tomorrow Conference on July 21, 2015 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for New York Times) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross accepted the ESPN Humanitarian Award last night for his RISE foundation. The award “ENSPIRE” is named after former ESPN anchor and host Stuart Scott.

It wasn’t long ago that many in the Miami Dolphins fan base wanted Stephen Ross to sell the team. Fans can be rather hateful when they are tunnel visioned and focused simply on winning. When that doesn’t happen, fingers get pointed.

Many of those same fans today are grateful that Ross is our favorite teams owner. Stephen Ross is rising to the upper echelon of the NFL owners.

Last year Ross was the only owner to vote down a move for the Oakland Raiders citing that teams have a committment to their fans. After being denied state funding for his stadium renovations he made a deal with the city of Miami to pay the team for major events hosted at Hard Rock Stadium.

He then landed the city of Miami another Super Bowl.

Ross has from the start been all about the Miami Dolphins since buying the team out from previous owner Wayne Huizenga. His misstep was his approach to running the franchise. Instead of taking a sports business approach, he took his typical business model and applied it. Those two don’t work in the same arena and as Ross became more acclimated to life as an NFL owner, his business model changed and the team is now reaping the benefits.

In 2015 Ross started RISE, the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality. The 501(C) non-profit is dedicated to using the power of sports to improve race relations and drive social progress.

RISE has an advisory board made up of athletes and professionals in the sporting community in the hopes of bringing together fans and athletes in the hopes of eradicating racism. In 2016 Ross was clear that he would not admonish his players from taking a knee during the National Anthem citing their right to do so.

Congratulations to Stephen Ross and RISE for their accomplishments in the community and across the nation. And of course for the Stuart Scott ENSPIRE award.

Home/Dolphins News