Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson is selling the franchise amid alleged misconduct, and, well, two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry wants in on the purchase.
So long as P. Diddy’s the one leading the charge.
Diddy tweeted the following on Sunday night:
He spent the rest of the evening campaigning for this to happen and rapidly gained the support of high-profile celebrities—including an unofficial financial commitment from Curry himself:
I? want in! https://t.co/XvvC1vo7xI
— Stephen Curry (@StephenCurry30) December 18, 2017
Colin Kaepernick, it should be noted, joined in on the fun as well:
I want in on the ownership group! Let’s make it happen! https://t.co/sDR4ciciY8
— Colin Kaepernick (@Kaepernick7) December 18, 2017
Are they all being facetious? Would the NFL immediately turn away any ownership group that included Kap? Does Diddy have the financial clout to get the ball rolling?
The third question is easier to answer, because it’s not rooted in inference: No, Diddy cannot afford to buy the Panthers. He is worth around $820 million, according to Forbes. The Panthers’, meanwhile, have been evaluated at over $2 billion. Diddy would need to put quite the extensive and deep-pocketed ownership group together for this to become a reality.
And maybe he can. Every little bit would count, including whatever Curry is qualified to give. His net worth, according to multiple sites, checks in at under $100 million, but recognizable minority owners are brought on all the time (sup Justin Timberlake?). I do wonder, however, if Curry is allowed to be part of a professional sports team’s ownership group if he’s an active NBA player. His involvement doesn’t seem like it would have any direct impact on his NBA career, and rumors of his interest in playing for the Charlotte Hornets, in his home state of Charlotte, wouldn’t run rampant while the Golden State Warriors remain dynastic. But it still seems like he’d run into some red tape.
Still, it’d be pretty cool if a group including Kap, Curry and Diddy made a legitimate push to buy the Panthers—if only so we could gauge the NFL’s reaction to such an endeavor.
