Who will own the Panthers after Richardson?

[jtm]

Probably someone in his family will inherit the Panthers. The Panthers have never had issues selling tickets and I never understand this forums constant paranoia about the Panthers leaving.

[Guest fug]

I'm no expert, but probably a rich man.

[bigdog10]

I would think it would go to his Wife.

[Panthers_Lover]

15 men comprised the original owners group. I know that Mark and Jon Richardson retained their ownership rights (whatever percentage that is) when they left the organization. I feel certain some ownership was provided to Danny Morrison in his package, but I don't know that for sure.

Here's the original owners group:

* Jerry Richardson, Spartanburg, S.C., (then) chairman and chief executive officer, Flagstar Companies, Inc.

* John Belk, Charlotte, chairman, Belk Stores Services, Inc., the largest retailer in North Carolina and South Carolina.

* Tom Belk, Charlotte, president, Belk Stores Services, Inc.

* H.C. ``Smoky'' Bissell, Charlotte, chairman and chief executive officer, The Bissell Companies (commercial real estate development).

* Erskine Bowles, Charlotte, president, Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co., investment banking firm; administrator, Small Business Administration.

* Derick Close, Fort Mill, S.C., national sales manager, Wamsutta, a division of Springs Industries.

* `` Elliott Close, Fort Mill, S.C., owner, The Lake Club, real estate development.

* Cameron Harris, Charlotte, president, Cameron M. Harris Insurance Co.

* John W. Harris, Charlotte, president, The Harris Group, commercial real estate services.

* Donald Keough, New York, former president and chief operating officer, The Coca-Cola Company; chairman, Allen & Co., Inc., investment banking company.

* Leon Levine, Charlotte, chairman and chief executive officer and director, Family Dollar Stores, more than 2,000 retail outlets in 33 states.

* Richard Loughlin, Newport Beach, Calif., president and chief executive officer, Century 21 real estate corporation.

* William Simms, Charlotte, president, reinsurance division of Transamerica Life Companies.

* Jerry Wordsworth, Rocky Mount, N.C., chairman and chief executive officer, MBM Distributing Corp., food distribution.

* Steve Wordsworth, Rocky Mount, N.C., executive vice president and treasurer, MBM Distributing Corp., nation's largest privately held food distribution company.

EDIT: I don't know who is still in the group. I also think JJR's daughter owns a portion as well.

[Chaos]

Arthur Blank - the Falcons already own us.

[pnthrs]

15 men comprised the original owners group. I know that Mark and Jon Richardson retained their ownership rights (whatever percentage that is) when they left the organization. I feel certain some ownership was provided to Danny Morrison in his package, but I don't know that for sure.

Here's the original owners group:

* Jerry Richardson, Spartanburg, S.C., (then) chairman and chief executive officer, Flagstar Companies, Inc.

* John Belk, Charlotte, chairman, Belk Stores Services, Inc., the largest retailer in North Carolina and South Carolina.

* Tom Belk, Charlotte, president, Belk Stores Services, Inc.

* H.C. ``Smoky'' Bissell, Charlotte, chairman and chief executive officer, The Bissell Companies (commercial real estate development).

* Erskine Bowles, Charlotte, president, Bowles, Hollowell, Conner & Co., investment banking firm; administrator, Small Business Administration.

* Derick Close, Fort Mill, S.C., national sales manager, Wamsutta, a division of Springs Industries.

* `` Elliott Close, Fort Mill, S.C., owner, The Lake Club, real estate development.

* Cameron Harris, Charlotte, president, Cameron M. Harris Insurance Co.

* John W. Harris, Charlotte, president, The Harris Group, commercial real estate services.

* Donald Keough, New York, former president and chief operating officer, The Coca-Cola Company; chairman, Allen & Co., Inc., investment banking company.

* Leon Levine, Charlotte, chairman and chief executive officer and director, Family Dollar Stores, more than 2,000 retail outlets in 33 states.

* Richard Loughlin, Newport Beach, Calif., president and chief executive officer, Century 21 real estate corporation.

* William Simms, Charlotte, president, reinsurance division of Transamerica Life Companies.

* Jerry Wordsworth, Rocky Mount, N.C., chairman and chief executive officer, MBM Distributing Corp., food distribution.

* Steve Wordsworth, Rocky Mount, N.C., executive vice president and treasurer, MBM Distributing Corp., nation's largest privately held food distribution company.

EDIT: I don't know who is still in the group. I also think JJR's daughter owns a portion as well.

Great post. I am under the impression that this group minus the Richardsons own 49% of the Panthers. I also think that JR owns 51% with his Sports LLC. MY assumption on JRs 51% is that his sons and daughter (and wife perhaps)"own" portions of that but have zero control.

My speculation is that when JR had surgery he gained insight as to the future of his majority ownership group. He then fired his 2 sons (who were competing in an unhealthy manner inside the organization) and basically demoted them to silent owners rather than co owners of the future of JRs 51% (along with his wife and daughters) should something happen to JR.

My speculation ends at that I do not believe JR has any interest in placing the panthers controlling share outside his current 51% ownership. I could see him naming his wife as the majority owner who has a "trustee" in charge of the 51% group who either inherited or previously owned portions of the Panthers.

The only other option I could see is if JR has already lined up a current owner or business partner who he trusts implicitly to purchase or inherit majority share (Hugh McColl? Levine? etc...) to avoid family fighting.

I am 99% confident every NFL owner is required to have a plan for their ownership in the case of death. The league would simply not allow a franchise owner to leave 1/31th of the league in limbo. JR specifically has shown every indication he has his plans in place.

Regardless of who gets, buys, inherits the Panthers they will stay in Carolina unless the new owner does not want a profitable, turnkey franchise and breaks his pre existing agreement with JRs will. Perhaps 20 years from now if we lose ticket sales and the stadium needs demo, but not now.

[Panthers_Lover]

Great post. I am under the impression that this group minus the Richardsons own 49% of the Panthers. I also think that JR owns 51% with his Sports LLC. MY assumption on JRs 51% is that his sons and daughter (and wife perhaps)"own" portions of that but have zero control.

My speculation is that when JR had surgery he gained insight as to the future of his majority ownership group. He then fired his 2 sons (who were competing in an unhealthy manner inside the organization) and basically demoted them to silent owners rather than co owners of the future of JRs 51% (along with his wife and daughters) should something happen to JR.

My speculation ends at that I do not believe JR has any interest in placing the panthers controlling share outside his current 51% ownership. I could see him naming his wife as the majority owner who has a "trustee" in charge of the 51% group who either inherited or previously owned portions of the Panthers.

The only other option I could see is if JR has already lined up a current owner or business partner who he trusts implicitly to purchase or inherit majority share (Hugh McColl? Levine? etc...) to avoid family fighting.

I am 99% confident every NFL owner is required to have a plan for their ownership in the case of death. The league would simply not allow a franchise owner to leave 1/31th of the league in limbo. JR specifically has shown every indication he has his plans in place.

Regardless of who gets, buys, inherits the Panthers they will stay in Carolina unless the new owner does not want a profitable, turnkey franchise and breaks his pre existing agreement with JRs will. Perhaps 20 years from now if we lose ticket sales and the stadium needs demo, but not now.

I'm sure you're right regarding ownership percentages, and that the family ownership resides within that 51 percent. Not sure where Morrison's piece might be, but I still bet he got some in addition to a hefty pay check. (I didn't mean to imply, by posting the list of names, that they have equal ownership to JJR.)

You're probably right about the NFL requiring an ownership plan in case of death (or disability, perhaps).

[pnthrs]

I heard that when shares were being sold that they were 5 mil a share and I think there were 25 available.

Edit: What you are saying about Morrison is probably true but is also verytelling imo. Morrison did not come with the best resume to take over the stadium after JRs son. (JR gave him a 1 year "free pass" in his 1st year to learn the job!) IMO JR is surrounding this stadium with close friends and people HE trusts for a day he is no longer there. That speaks to him not relenting his control for the future of the team (via his will.)

[CLEARHOT]

Panthers are in the Carolinas for a long, long, long time. I posed this question to someone (let's say, pretty high up the food chain) in the organization that I met in Charlotte in 2004. Theres a plan in place in case of JRs death. And the way it was conveyed to me was JR feels that this team belongs to Carolinas. I would worry about the Falcons defense Sunday, but I'm not worried about the Panthers leaving, even in my son's lifetime and he's a young man.

[Niner National]

That group is made up of huge North Carolina (and Charlotte) boosters.

When JR passes, there is 0 chance the Panthers leave town.

Seriously, where would they go? You have a large and still fast growing city. The team represents 90+ % of the states of NC and SC. Combined, this market is one of the largest in the country.

The only major cities without a great football presence are LA and San Antonio. I guess you can throw Orlando on that list too, but they're not going to move the Panthers out of Charlotte to SA or Orlando. The Jags, Rams, or Raiders will be in LA before the Panthers.

The Panthers will be in Charlotte for the long haul.

[4Corners]

Both of his boys are still in the ownership group.

Mr. Richardson knows he getting old and has a bad ticker. You'd be a fool to not think he has his replacement already hand picked.

My guess? It will go to one of his boys - maybe both.

[Panthers_Lover]

I heard that when shares were being sold that they were 5 mil a share and I think there were 25 available.

Edit: What you are saying about Morrison is probably true but is also verytelling imo. Morrison did not come with the best resume to take over the stadium after JRs son. (JR gave him a 1 year "free pass" in his 1st year to learn the job!) IMO JR is surrounding this stadium with close friends and people HE trusts for a day he is no longer there. That speaks to him not relenting his control for the future of the team (via his will.)

Morrison has a terrific resume. Not an NFL resume, but does he need that?

[The_Mango55]

I wouldn't worry about the team moving. I don't think market size is an issue. Charlotte is not the smallest NFL market by a long shot, and IIRC unless things have changed in the past couple years Charlotte is the 2nd fastest growing market in the US after Las Vegas.

[nobody]

He willl give em to the kool aid guy (the stadium will collapse a few days later)