CHARLOTTE, N.C. – David Tepper got one step closer to officially taking over as the owner of the Carolina Panthers Tuesday, as the NFL’s 32 team owners approved his purchase of the franchise during the league’s spring meetings in Atlanta.
And right out of the gate, he put to bed any doubts that the team’s future resides in Charlotte.
“What’s the name of the team?” Tepper asked a reporter inquiring about the possibility of a relocation. “Carolina Panthers. It’s going to be the Carolina Panthers. There is a logical place for this team and it’s Charlotte, and it’s the Carolina Panthers.
“And that means this team has to have some sort of presence in the Carolinas.”
The billionaire hedge fund manager went on to say the Queen City is the logical place for the Panthers and said it’s too soon to have discussions about a new stadium. Bank of America Stadium opened for the Panthers’ inaugural season in 1995 and is the 10th-oldest stadium in the NFL. In 2014, nearly $300 million in renovations were announced for the Panthers’ home, including two new video boards, escalators, suite upgrades, and ribbon scoreboards.
“The idea was to enhance what we already had with as many modern fan amenities we could and to make it a viable stadium for years to come,” architect Ron Smith told NBC Charlotte in January.
Tepper, who has been a minority owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2009, received unanimous approval from all of the league’s current owners, including outgoing Panthers founder Jerry Richardson.
He said the Panthers organization has been successful and he hopes to keep it that way.
“The first thing I care about is winning. The second thing I care about is winning. And the third thing I care about is,” said Tepper, allowing reporters to answer the question with, of course, “winning.” “You guys are smart.”
And it’s not just about how the Panthers perform on the field. Tepper stressed the importance of charity and improving the local community.
“That includes the charity aspect, the community aspect and how you make the community better,” Tepper explained. “So, you win a lot of ways and I don’t like to lose in any way.”
Tepper’s philanthropy is well known by those familiar with him, as he donated over $1 million to New Jersey residents affected by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. He’s also donated over $125 million to Carnegie Mellon University’s Business School, now known as the Tepper School of Business.
With former NFL Man of the Year Award winner Thomas Davis and two-time finalist Greg Olsen on the roster, as well as Charlotte community cornerstone Cam Newton, Tepper’s stepping into a good situation when it comes to good deeds in the community.
Now comes the waiting period. With the deal not expected to close until July, Tepper is allowed to attend NFL owner meetings but will not be allowed to vote.