Diddy ends NFL ownership interest: I don't want to oppress black men

Sean "Diddy" Combs was one of the high-profile names who threw their hat in the ring for the sale of the Carolina Panthers before ultimately losing out to David Tepper's $2.2-billion bid for the franchise.

Despite just missing out on becoming the first African-American NFL owner, Diddy said he's no longer interested in becoming involved with the league after the new national anthem policy was announced for the 2018 season.

"I was one of the two last bids for the Panthers," Diddy said on BigBoyTV on Thursday, according to the New York Post's Hannah Withiam. "Man, I really wanted to go in there and be a part of the NFL and try to be a positive change. This last move, though, I don't even want to own an NFL team no more.

"I don't want to be associated with oppressing black men. I don't want to be associated with telling grown-ass men what they can do and cannot do."

Thirty of the NFL's 32 team owners voted to force players and team personnel to stand for the anthem if they come to the sidelines, with the option to stay in the locker room.

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Players such as Malcolm Jenkins and Torrey Smith have spoken out strongly against the new policy, and some players are reportedly considering a different kind of on-field demonstration during the anthem.