According to a report from Ken Belson of The New York Times, the bidding for ownership of the Carolina Panthers is now down to two people as David Tepper has backed away from the table. Michael Rubin — owner of online sports retailer Fanatics — has also bowed out of the race.
David Tepper, the hedge-fund billionaire whom many [NFL] owners pointed to as the preferred choice to buy the team, has backed out of the auction for the club, according to two people with knowledge of his interest in the team.
Tepper’s departure comes a few weeks after Michael Rubin, the owner of the online retailing giant Fanatics, also bowed out.