Bill Polian: ‘Approval should move pretty quickly’ on David Tepper’s purchase of Panthers

Former NFL executive Bill Polian sees the logic in David Tepper being the likely candidate to become the next owner of the Carolina Panthers, for whom Polian formerly served as general manager.

Tepper reportedly is close to a deal to purchase the Panthers from Jerry Richardson.

‘There would be a synergy there, a comfort level there’

Polian, while co-hosting with Bruce Murray on the SiriusXM Blitz, said a significant part of why Tepper will likely end up with the Panthers goes beyond coming up with the right amount of money, estimated in access of $2.5 billion. It also includes the fact Tepper has a five percent share of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Mr. Richardson’s closest friend in the National Football League was the late, great (Steelers owner) Dan Rooney,” Polian said. “There would be a synergy there, a comfort level there. And Mr. Tepper, having become a limited partner in the Pittsburgh Steelers, would have been vetted by the National Football League, so his qualifications have already been established. In that sense, if he is ultimately the choice, then the approval procedure should move pretty quickly.”

‘I think it’s been said by virtually every candidate that’s been identified publicly that they have no intention of moving the team from Charlotte’

On the issue of whether Tepper might move the Panthers from Charlotte, N.C., Polian sees that as unlikely.

“It gets a direct question to the owner by members of the  finance committee, who do the original vetting of the candidates,” Polian said. “And they are owners and they would ask the question. The league office would ask the question. I think it’s been said by virtually every candidate that’s been identified publicly that they have no intention of moving the team from Charlotte or the Charlotte environs.

‘The stadium, itself, while still in great shape, has to be updated from time to time’

“The stadium is another issue and that will have to be addressed by new ownership and the city. I’m a Charlotte resident, and the problem is that the team receives no significant revenue benefit from parking. And that’s an important issue, I would think, going forward given the cost that’s going to be paid for the team, so that’s going to have to be addressed. And the stadium, itself, while still in great shape, has to be updated from time to time. And there’s been talk about building a new stadium somewhere. As far as anything that I have heard ever, there’s little chance that the team would leave Charlotte. Slim and none.”