Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Wants to Buy Carolina Panthers Football Team
Update: Sean “Diddy” Combs is serious about purchasing the Carolina Panthers, multiple sources recently told Yahoo! Sports. In the hope of making it a reality, he is already looking to set up meetings with potential investors. Colin Kaepernick, who expressed interest on Monday in being involved, is doing the same by reaching out to “business leaders, venture capitalists and sports icons to discuss an ownership group,” Charles Robinson of Yahoo! Sports reports. Combs and Kaepernick reportedly have a shared vision about creating an ownership group that “more closely represents the racial makeup of the league’s players.”
Sean “Diddy” Combs wants to buy the Carolina Panthers, and he has at least two high-profile athletes who are willing to chip in. Shortly after Diddy posted a video on Instagram detailing his interest in becoming the first African-American majority owner in the NFL, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry and former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick both expressed interest in joining him.
“I want in on the ownership group!” Kaepernick tweeted on Monday. “Let’s make it happen!”
Diddy also said he would sign Kaepernick and give him a chance to compete with Cam Newton for the starting job. “I will immediately address the Colin Kaepernick situation and put him in the running for next year’s starting quarterback,” Combs said via Instagram.
The Panthers announced on Sunday that the team will be sold at the end of the season. It came several days after the team began an investigation into “allegations of workplace misconduct” against Jerry Richardson, who has owned the team since 1993. The Panthers welcomed the involvement of the NFL in the matter at the time, and NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport revealed on Sunday that the the league has indeed taken over the investigation.
This picture was taken back in 2003. This is God’s work. It’s time!!
ATTN all @NFL owners, it’s time for diversity!! It’s time for Black ownership!!
The time is now. Let’s make it happen!! pic.twitter.com/zex7LTZ8mn
— Diddy (@Diddy) December 18, 2017
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Sports Illustrated published a story during that time detailing the allegations against Richardson. At least four unnamed sources said they received “significant settlements from Richardson or from the team in exchange for what amounted to a vow of silence.” He allegedly engaged in “inappropriately intimate behavior” with employees, such as asking if he could personally shave their legs and making comments about their appearance.
“I believe that it is time to turn the franchise over to new ownership,” Richardson said in a statement. “Therefore, I will put the team up for sale at the conclusion of this NFL season. We will not begin the sale process, nor will we entertain any inquiries, until the very last game is played.”
Forbes recently valued the Panthers at $2.3 billion. Richardson and a group of investors reportedly paid $206 million for the team in 1996.