The Miami Herald reported that Loria is selling the Marlins for $1.3 billion. It's an absurd amount of money for a team that he purchased in 2002 for $158.5 million. Sports franchises have skyrocketed in value ever since Steve Ballmer doled out $2 billion for a Los Angeles Clippers team that was believed to be worth a quarter that amount. There are only so many professional sports teams on the market and, yes, the Marlins just barely qualify as a pro sports team — and one that has a nice, shiny taxpayer-funded stadium.