# Panther's For Sale - Could the state buy them? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 21, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993 "2017-12-21T13:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/1 "2017-12-21T13:20:14Z")
I’ve heard that the Green Bay Packers are actually owned by citizens. Would it be possible for the citizens of North and South Carolina to band together and sell Certificates of ownership like Green Bay and have the team actually owned by the two states? ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/2 "2017-12-21T13:27:30Z")
The current NFL rules wouldn’t allow it. To be approved to own a team, an ownership group must be led by single person who owns 30%. Under current rules, you couldn’t have public ownership. Green Bay is grandfathered in, but no new setup like that would be approved. ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/3 "2017-12-21T14:36:47Z")
So the closest we could get would be someone willing to be that 30% and willing to cede 70% control to the general public. Ah well, it was a nice thought while it lasted 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/4 "2017-12-21T15:00:48Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > So the closest we could get would be someone willing to be that 30% and willing to cede 70% control to the general public. I doubt the league would allow that either, but I don’t know of any specific rule it violates. It may simply be disallowed since they can’t vet the owners. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/5 "2017-12-21T19:54:49Z")
[Sean “Diddy” Combs wants to buy them, change the name to the North Carolina Panthers, and sign Kaepernick.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/sports/football/diddy-carolina-panthers-colin-kaepernick.html) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/6 "2017-12-21T20:26:54Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > [Sean “Diddy” Combs wants to buy them, change the name to the North Carolina Panthers, and sign Kaepernick.](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/sports/football/diddy-carolina-panthers-colin-kaepernick.html) I had some pretty nice dreams last night myself. However, they’re not going to generate clickbait for sports bloggers like mentioning the unemployed quarterback. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/7 "2017-12-21T20:35:57Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I had some pretty nice dreams last night myself. However, they’re not going to generate clickbait for sports bloggers like mentioning the unemployed quarterback. You got something against the New York _Times_? ---
**Author:** ![Zyanthia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Zyanthia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyanthia)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2017, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/8 "2017-12-21T23:07:55Z")
I just hope whoever buys the team leaves it in Carolina :(. Right now, that’s my biggest fear. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/9 "2017-12-22T02:51:24Z")
In other weird news. Vince McMahon might be serious about rebooting the XFL. The stock sale indicates he’s doing more than just blowing smoke. NBC Sports - ProFootballTalk: Vince McMahon sells $100 million of WWE stock as XFL reboot plan continueshttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/21/vince-mcmahon-sells-100-million-of-wwe-stock-as-xfl-reboot-plan-continues/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/10 "2017-12-22T04:22:59Z")
Hey, I just remembered- I’ve sexually harassed women. Where’s my 1.2 billion dollar payoff? Dang it, why can’t I ever get punished like Jerry Richardson or Donald Sterling? Come on, throw the book at me! ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/11 "2017-12-22T16:56:22Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Hey, I just remembered- I’ve sexually harassed women. Where’s my 1.2 billion dollar payoff? > Dang it, why can’t I ever get punished like Jerry Richardson or Donald Sterling? Come on, throw the book at me! Well, first of all, you have to own a sports franchise worth 1.2 billion dollars. That you’ll sell. In that context, there’s no need to humiliate yourself. Just liquidate your extravagantly-priced luxury asset. If you’re going to whinge, you might as well whinge accurately – bitch that you don’t own an overpriced sports franchise. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/12 "2017-12-22T17:10:10Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > In other weird news. Vince McMahon might be serious about rebooting the XFL. The stock sale indicates he’s doing more than just blowing smoke. > > NBC Sports - ProFootballTalk: Vince McMahon sells $100 million of WWE stock as XFL reboot plan continueshttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/12/21/vince-mcmahon-sells-100-million-of-wwe-stock-as-xfl-reboot-plan-continues/ If at first you don’t succeed, blow an assload of money on failing again. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/13 "2017-12-22T19:23:16Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > If at first you don’t succeed, blow an assload of money on failing again. He could even get the Con-Man-In-Chief himself as a “business” partner. Then they can blow an assload of _Russian_ money, too. (Or perhaps do blow off a Russian Hooker’s ass) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/14 "2017-12-22T19:40:01Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Well, first of all, you have to own a sports franchise worth 1.2 billion dollars. That you’ll sell. > > In that context, there’s no need to humiliate yourself. Just liquidate your extravagantly-priced luxury asset. > > If you’re going to whinge, you might as well whinge accurately – bitch that you don’t own an overpriced sports franchise. Yeah, yeah, I know- just noting that it doesn’t seem like much of a “punishment”! I can only DREAM of being punished like that! ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/15 "2017-12-22T19:48:02Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > Well, first of all, you have to own a sports franchise worth 1.2 billion dollars. That you’ll sell. > > In that context, there’s no need to humiliate yourself. Just liquidate your extravagantly-priced luxury asset. > > If you’re going to whinge, you might as well whinge accurately – bitch that you don’t own an overpriced sports franchise. Okay I’m gonna start to do that. My wife will love it I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/16 "2017-12-23T02:31:41Z")
So far, no state or city government has ever tried to invoke Eminent Domain with regard to a sports franchise, but I could almost welcome it. Either have free enterprise or have socialism. No more of this godawful mixture we have now! Either let owners build their own facilities at their own expense and enjoy the profits… or let government build the facilities AND operate the teams. I can’t stomach governments subsidizing privately owned teams. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2017, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/panthers-for-sale-could-the-state-buy-them/804993/17 "2017-12-23T02:59:24Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > So far, no state or city government has ever tried to invoke Eminent Domain with regard to a sports franchise, but I could almost welcome it. Au contraire, Maryland attempted this with the Colts but the franchise managed to flee the state before the bill could be signed. [Wiki link.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimore_Colts_relocation_to_Indianapolis#March_29,_1984)