Irsay drops $2.4M on Alcoholics Anonymous founding document

Jim Irsay has a new addition to his memorabilia collection: the founding document of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The Indianapolis Colts owner, who has struggled with alcoholism in the past, paid $2.4 million for the manuscript at auction Saturday, according to Anthony McCartney of the Associated Press. Irsay said he considered keeping the purchase private, but wanted to speak publicly about it to help break the stigma surrounding alcoholism and addiction.

He plans to have the 161-page document on display for several months a year at the Alcoholics Anonymous headquarters in New York.

"The only way we stay sober is to give it away," Irsay said. "I think it'll help a lot of people. That's the reason I'm doing it."

Irsay is no stranger to expensive auction purchases. He paid $137,500 for one of Prince's old guitars after the singer passed away in 2016 and $2.25 million for Ringo Starr's 1963 Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl drum kit in 2015.