Include minorities in new Panthers ownership, SC political pundit says
Bakari Sellers is known for his opinions.
The Columbia attorney is paid to share them on CNN, where Sellers is a political commentator.
The former South Carolina State Representative usually discusses what’s happening in Washington or President Donald Trump. Sellers recently took to another format to discuss another issue near and dear to him – football.
“I grew up in Denmark, South Carolina. And like any good Southerner, my first three loves were God, family and football,” Sellers wrote an article for The Undefeated, which the website owned by ESPN published Thursday.
The article is focused on the sale of the Carolina Panthers, Sellers’ favorite team. Specifically, what the NFL and the city of Charlotte should do when it comes to the next owners.
“Any ownership group seeking the city’s support (should) include a substantial ownership stake by people of color,” Sellers wrote, saying that minorities should be involved with every level of the team’s new look. “As a condition of any city support for anything in connection with the Panthers moving forward, any ownership group should submit a plan for workforce and supplier diversity to ensure that its organization and its supply chain reflect the diversity of Charlotte and the Carolinas.”
Sellers argues that the same team with Cam Newton at quarterback and Ron Rivera as head coach shouldn’t have a problem embracing diversity.
But that doesn’t mean anything when it comes to determining the next owner or ownership group. Sellers points out that 70 percent of NFL players are black, but there are no black general partners in the league.
Offers to buy the Panthers soon start flowing in from potential ownership groups, The Charlotte Observer reported. The potentially $2 billion-plus sale could be approved before training camp begins in July, if past team sales are any indication of a timeline.
Speculation has already started over who could buy the Panthers. Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was one of the first to express interest, garnering support from NBA star Steph Curry and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
All three are black.
Charlotte businessman Felix Sabates, who was born in Cuba, and some of the team’s current minority owners are part of a group putting together a bid. Sabates has said a new stadium is necessary to make a bid worthwhile.
That last part is what Sellers says is the key that can allow Charlotte to determine who it wants to be the next owner of the Panthers.
“The city controls millions of dollars in tourism taxes that the Panthers have previously tapped into for Bank of America Stadium upgrades,” Sellers wrote. “The city should be clear that any future public support will require that the Panthers organization commit to embracing the diversity of the city in which it sits and the two-state fan base it represents.”
Keeping the Panthers in Charlotte is a touchy subject. Many in North and South Carolina are concerned a new owner will look to move the team, even if a new stadium is proposed. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will certainly be involved in the process in addition to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles.
Playing hardball could backfire. But according to Sellers, it’s worth it to make amends for past transgressions and to move forward with minority ownership in the NFL.
“The stars have aligned for the Panthers, the Carolinas and Charlotte to send a clear statement to the country and to the NFL that the Carolinas and the Panthers have turned the page on a sordid racial past and are ready to serve as a model for every other major sports city and organization,” Sellers wrote.
This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 8:44 PM with the headline "Include minorities in new Panthers ownership, SC political pundit says."