Report: Bidding for Panthers surpasses $2.5 billion

Bidding for the ownership of the Carolina Panthers has eclipsed $2.5 billion, which would set a record for the sale of a U.S. pro sports team, sources told Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg.

Richardson decided to sell the Panthers after team employees were discovered to have reported instances of workplace misconduct.

According to Soshnick's sources, the bidding has gotten so high that one of the hopeful owners, Michael Rubin of sports-apparel company Fanatics, has dropped out of the running.

The Buffalo Bills were the most recent NFL team to be sold, going for $1.4 billion in 2014, according to the Associated Press, which set an NFL record at the time.