Marc Morial Pushes for African American NFL Ownership

National Urban League’s Marc Morial is urging the NFL to consider an African American ownership group for the Carolina Panthers. He made the request this week in a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “At present, there are no African Americans in that very exclusive club of NFL owners,” Morial wrote. “I write ... to make it abundantly clear that we believe that it is time for a change.” Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who founded the Panthers 25 years ago, said in December that he’d sell the team at season’s end. The statement came after Sports Illustrated reported that the 81-year-old owner had paid settlements to four employees over allegations of sexual and racial workplace misconduct. Among possible buyers is at least one group of Charlotte business leaders. Félix Sabates, a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, is part of one group. Forbes magazine has valued the franchise at $2.3 billion. In his letter, Morial invoked the Rooney Rule: “The NFL’s work in advancing the Rooney Rule has changed the landscape for African American Head and Assistant Coaches,” Morial wrote. “The remaining frontier is simply ownership.” Other names that have surfaced as possibilities include P Diddy, Charlotte native and NBA star Steph Curry, and Colin Kaepernick. More here.