NFL insider: David Tepper told to butt out of business dealings as stadium deal looms over the Panthers
One NFL insider was told David Tepper should leave the stadium business deals up to others within the franchise.
David Tepper owns the Carolina Panthers, and naturally, when the team has underperformed, he has shouldered much of the public blame.
As the franchise is working on a deal with the city of Charlotte to obtain public funds to help pay for renovations to Bank of America Stadium, Tepper was told to stay out of the limelight as the deal is pushed through, Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer reported Saturday.
"It has been wise for Tepper to stay in the background and let the executive team directly under him be the faces of this proposal," Fowler wrote. "Tepper has gotten a lot of advice — including in this corner — to stay out of the fray more often because he's hurt himself and his reputation in Charlotte several times when he wades in. Let the coaches coach and the GMs draft. Let the team execs do the stadium deal. He's doing all that now, for the moment, and the proposal likely has a better chance to pass because of it."
For the Panthers, the renovations to the aging infrastructure around and in the stadium couldn't come at a better time.
According to The Associated Press, the renovations would include a fixed $650 million investment from the city and another $150 million from Tepper.
Tepper has already invested more than $117 million in the stadium before June and would also pay another $421 million in potential overages for capital improvements over the term of the deal.
In the annual NFL Player's Association report card, the Panthers didn't earn extremely high marks from players around the team for items like locker room and training room conditions.
Improvements to the stadium could help Carolina recruit higher-end talent. It also would mean the team stays in Charlotte for the next two decades, which is central to the deal.
To make it happen, however, at least one NFL insider believes Tepper has to stay above the fray and let others push the deal through.
David Tepper and Panthers take massive steps to keep team in Charlotte for decades to come
The Carolina Panthers want to add $800 million in renovations to Bank of America Stadium.
Panthers have a streak going that is quite embarrassing for owner David Tepper
Not the stat you want to have.
