Panthers news: Roger Goodell confident new ownership will stay in Carolina

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces his confidence in the Panthers new ownership group in terms of keeping the organization in Carolina.

When Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson announced he would be selling the team at the end of the 2017 season, fans in Charlotte became worried. The concern was not that the new owner(s) would want to do anything foolish like bring in a new head coach or pull off a Hershel Walker-esque trade involving Cam Newton.

No, it was a little more serious. What if the new ownership wants to move the franchise?

The question was one of the many things NFL commissioner Roger Goodell addressed Wednesday. According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Goodell said the other owners have no interest in the Panthers leaving Charlotte.

Roger Goodell says the owners believe Carolina is a great market, “a market we’d like to stay in.” He says he hopes the new owner shares that view. Goodell believes that’s the hope of the ownership.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 31, 2018

For relocation to happen, the new owner(s) would have to get permission from most of the other owners. But that probably wouldn’t happen. However, if the buyer said the purchase was contingent on moving the team, the owners wouldn’t hesitate to approve a move.

Richardson announced that he would put the Panthers up for sale at the end of the season in mid-December. The decision came after news broke of workplace misconduct allegations involving Richardson. The Panthers began an investigation of their own into the allegations which the league quickly took over.

Goodell did say that Mary Jo White will be heading up the investigation. Fans may remember her name from the league’s investigation into Ezekiel Elliot and the Saints Bounty investigation. She acted as a consultant for both.

There have been reports of six potential buyers, but according to Joseph Person and Katherine Peralta of the Charlotte Observer, those reports are not accurate.

Owners are typically interested in moving a team when local fans don't attend games. The Panthers have an ongoing streak of 157 sellouts. Therefore, there is little reason for them to even think about selling the team.