The Carolina Panthers: Stuck in a Place They Do Not Want to Be

Day 13 without sports, everybody. Each person reading this has made it through 13 days without sports. Pat yourselves on the back. You've earned it.

However, the NFL, as mentioned in my "Predicting Every NFL Team's Week One Starting QB in 2020" article, is still active. Part of that article was correct, as it will be a time of great change in the league in 2020. Yet, as I imagined would be the case, I got some of those team's predictions for quarterbacks wrong. One of which was the Carolina Panthers. Not only has Teddy Bridgewater signed a 3 year 60 million dollar deal with the Panthers, but Cam Newton, my pick for the Week One starter, has been cut. Not traded. Cut.

Now, it has come to fruition that in a Sports Illustrated article by John Pentol that the Panthers could be on their way to Rock Hill, South Carolina in the coming years. I will make sure to put the article by Pentol at the bottom of this one, as it is a fantastic piece and a must read.

So you can see the issue. The Panthers lost their quarterback, their tight end in Greg Olsen, their Pro Bowl guard in Trai Turner, and lost their star linebacker, Luke Kuechly, to a shocking retirement at the age of 28. Now, they potentially may lose their home. Did I mention this team went 5-11 in 2019 after starting 5-3? Things are not looking upwards in Carolina.

Before we get to the issues of the stadium and potential move to the Palmetto State, let's discuss the roster first. I like the hiring of Matt Rhule as head coach, but his staff hirings are a little questionable. The positive of this whole thing is that Rhule has a seven year contract, so he can go through the entire rebuild. Christian McCaffery is one of the premier running backs in the NFL, so the team has that going for them. DJ Moore is a breakout candidate in 2020, and the team just signed Robby Anderson to a 2 year 20 million dollar contract. This move puts Curtis Samuel on the trade block, and with a lack of wide receivers left on the market, he may net the Panthers a decent return. However, that is virtually all Carolina has on offense. Teddy Bridgewater may thrive for them, but that is by no means a guarantee. He only played 5 games since he suffered a torn ACL during the 2016 offseason. Add on top of that one of the oldest defenses in the league with very few playmakers, and Carolina is looking more like a contender for the #1 pick then a contender for the playoffs.

Sure, the Panthers may have Christian McCaffery, but are there any other game changers on offense?

(Photo credit to ABC News Raleigh)

Now the tricky part. It is rumored that the Panthers may be moving to Rock Hill, South Carolina when they feel the need to move on from Bank of America Stadium. Team owner David Tepper purchased 377 acres of land in the city, and it has been floated about that the team could move there when all is said and done. In the Pentol article, Tepper believes that a move to Rock Hill could bring in 3.7 billion dollars in revenue, and bring in more than 5,000 jobs to the South Carolina region. It makes sense as to why Tepper could be interested in bringing the Panthers there. 

Here's the issue with that. According to a Charlotte Agenda article from 2019, Mecklenburg County has been leasing the land that Bank of America Stadium sits on at $1 per year for 99 years, dating back to 1996. So, it could get really complicated for the Panthers to get out of that lease to move. Also in that same piece, it discusses the renovations that B.O.A. Stadium received as part of a six year plan. This included, but was not limited to, new escalators and a brand new video scoreboard, one of the largest in the league at the time. Well, guess what. Those six years are now up, and it may be time for the Panthers to bolt. 

I'm going to be honest with you, Bank of America Stadium is not one of the top tier stadiums in the league. It's nice, yes, but it is in a really cramped area of Charlotte. Plus, "The Bank" was built in 1996, and is entering its 25th year of operation. By NFL stadium standards, that puts it among the 10 oldest stadiums in the league. It is worthy of some sort of change, for sure, but what change could that be?

Bank of America Stadium. Notice the lack of public parking and the new scoreboards

(Photo credit to the Library of Congress)

In my opinion, I do not think the Panthers should move to Rock Hill. Tepper has been committed to keeping the team in Charlotte, whether it is by means of a new stadium entirely or putting a roof above Bank of America Stadium. Plus, Charlotte has one of the most supportive fan bases in the league. I also would not advise building a new stadium for the team if that team will not sell. The Panthers, right now, will not sell. Personally, I prefer the idea of a roof over B.O.A., as seen below. It looks kind of snazzy. Get some public parking in there, and you're golden.

(Photo credit to Explore Charlotte)

I also believe that it is of best interest for the Panthers to open a training facility in Rock Hill. Imagine a state of the art training facility in South Carolina that could host the team with hotels, a shopping mall, an amusement park, and other entertainment endeavors. That would bring revenue and jobs to the Rock Hill region while keeping the Panthers in Charlotte.

We could talk about how the Panthers may be in trouble with the product on the field, but their stadium situation is something worth noticing as well. It's not something for immediate concern, but with all of the NFL teams out west shuffling their locations, it very well could happen in Charlotte.

Let the Panthers hear you, Carolina. The team needs you more than ever in a competitive NFC South. 

John Pentol Sports Illustrated article: https://www.si.com/nfl/panthers/gm-report/could-the-panthers-move-to-south-carolina