The bidding price for the Panthers has reached $2.5 billion, which would be a record selling price for a U.S. sports franchise, Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg reports.
The team was put up for sale by owner Jerry Richardson in December after a Sports Illustrated report detailing a history of confidential payouts for Richardson's workplace misconduct—including sexual harassment and the use of a racial slur—launched an NFL investigation into the team's founder.
Bloomberg reports the remaining bidders for the team include Alan Kestenbaum, the chief executive officer of private equity firm Bedrock Industries LP; David Tepper, a minority owner of the Steelers and the founder of Appaloosa Management LP; Ben Navarro, the CEO of the South Carolina-based Sherman Financial Group; and SAS Institute Inc.