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Bank of America Stadium

Coordinates: 35°13′33″N 80°51′10″W / 35.22583°N 80.85278°W / 35.22583; -80.85278
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Bank of America Stadium
The Bank
The BOA
The B of A
The Vault
File:Bank of America Stadium logo.jpg
The stadium before a 2015 game
Map
Former namesPanthers Stadium (planning)
Carolinas Stadium (planning)
Ericsson Stadium (1996–2004)
Location800 South Mint Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Coordinates35°13′33″N 80°51′10″W / 35.22583°N 80.85278°W / 35.22583; -80.85278
Public transitStonewall
OwnerPanthers Stadium LLC
OperatorPanthers Stadium LLC
Executive suites153
Capacity75,412 (2015-present)[5]
74,455 (2014)[6]
73,778 (2008-2013)[7]
73,504 (2007)[8]
73,298 (2005-2006)[9]
73,250 (1998-2004)[10]
73,248 (1997)
72,685 (1996)[11]
Field size132 yds long x 93 yards wide (121 x 80 m)
SurfaceVoyager Bermuda Grass
Construction
Broke groundApril 22, 1994[1]
OpenedSeptember 14, 1996
Renovated2007, 2014-2016
Expanded1997-1998, 2005, 2007-2008, 2014-2015
Construction cost$248 million
($482 million in 2024 dollars[2])
ArchitectPopulous (then HOK Sport)
Structural engineerBliss and Nyitray, Inc.
Services engineerLockwood Greene[3]
General contractorTurner/F.N. Thompson[4]
Tenants
Carolina Panthers (NFL) (1996–present)
Belk Bowl (NCAA) (2002–present)
ACC Championship Game (2010–present)

Bank of America Stadium (formerly known as Carolinas Stadium and Ericsson Stadium) is a 75,412-seat football stadium located on 33 acres (13 ha) of land in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. It is the home facility and headquarters of the Carolina Panthers NFL franchise.[12] It also hosts the annual Belk Bowl, which features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference, and the annual ACC Championship Game through 2019.[13][14][15][16] The largest crowd to ever attend a football game at the stadium was on December 5, 2015 when 74,514 fans watched the Clemson Tigers defeat the North Carolina Tar Heels 45-37 in the 2015 ACC Championship Game.[17] It has been called "[A] classic American stadium," by Panthers president Danny Morrison due to its bowl design and other features.[18] The stadium will celebrate its 20th anniversary in the upcoming 2016-17 NFL season.

Other sites considered for selection

The Panthers organization considered several possible sites for the stadium's location before choosing the Charlotte center city site. Part of the site was occupied by the historic Good Samaritan Hospital. One alternative was near NASCAR's Charlotte Motor Speedway and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in northeast Mecklenburg County. Another was at the intersection of I-85 and US 74 in western Gaston County. A popular option was to locate the facility near Carowinds amusement park, with the 50 yard line being on the state border of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Naming

The stadium, originally known as Carolinas Stadium (a name which remains as an alternative venue name for events which require sponsor neutralization such as FIFA matches), opened in 1996 as Ericsson Stadium after the Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson purchased the naming rights to the stadium in a ten-year, $25 million agreement.[19] In 2004, the stadium received its current name after Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years.[20] Since Bank of America acquired naming rights, many fans now refer to the stadium as "The Bank", "The BOA", "The B of A", or "The Vault".[21]

Stadium Features

Bank of America Stadium has many unique external features. Aspects of the stadium's architecture, such as the three huge main entrances, incorporate the team's colors of black, process blue and silver. Arches that connect column supports on the upper deck resemble the shape of half a football, while several acres of numerous trees and landscaping surround the building. The stadium's architecture and design has been compared to that of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Soldier Field, among others. It's also received mentions for externally resembling "a fortress" instead of a stadium.[22]

Each of the stadium's entrances are flanked on both sides by two larger-than-life bronze panther statues, something unique throughout the entire NFL. These six statues are all named Indomitable Spirit and were installed in 1996.[23] Each one depicts a crouching, snarling panther with green eyes; they are the largest sculptures ever commissioned in the United States.[24][25] The names of the team's original PSL owners are engraved into each statue's base.

Another striking feature the stadium contains are its six light domes. These are found on top of the main entrances, two per entrance, and sit over a hundred feet in the air. Originally, they simply glowed the Panthers' unique 'process blue' every night. As the seasons wore on, the emitted light became less and less impressive and the domes started showing their age. During the 2014 renovations, the domes were rebuilt with LED systems. They can now be seen again projecting process blue nightly in various ways not possible with the original technology.[26]

Additionally, the two people currently in the Panthers Hall of Honor, former team executive Mike McCormack and former Panthers linebacker and assistant coach Sam Mills, are honored with life-sized bronze statues outside the stadium.[27] Before the 2014 renovations, the names of the hall of honor inductees were placed where the upper ribbon board now resides. These names (at least Mills') were subsequently repainted onto the top rear wall behind the last row of seats. Additionally, three marble copies of a quote about the stadium from team owner Jerry Richardson were placed near the stadium's entrances in 2014.[28]

Carolina Panthers

The stadium in 2006

In addition to hosting every Panthers home game since 1996, Bank of America Stadium has also hosted seven playoff games and Carolina has had over 125 consecutive sellouts at the stadium starting with the 2002 season.[29]

Inaugural season

The Panthers played their inaugural season at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium while the stadium was being constructed. On August 3, 1996, the stadium played host to its first professional football game as the Panthers took on the Chicago Bears during the preseason. The inaugural kickoff was at 7:35 PM and Carolina won 30-12.[30] The stadium's first regular season game took place on September 14, 1996 against Carolina's to-be division rival Atlanta; the Panthers won by a score of 29-6.[31]

Playoff games

In 1996, on their way to their first NFC Championship Game, Carolina defeated the then-defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas Cowboys in the first playoff game the stadium hosted. Again they defeated the Cowboys on their way to Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston in 2004. Carolina was handed their first ever home playoff loss, 33-13, by the Arizona Cardinals on January 10, 2009 in the divisional round. The Panthers suffered a second home playoff loss against the San Francisco 49ers 23-10 on January 12, 2014 in the same round. On January 3, 2015, the Panthers won their first home playoff game in 12 years, defeating the Arizona Cardinals 27-16. En route to their fourth NFC Championship game appearance, the Panthers beat the Seattle Seahawks 31-24 in the divisional round on January 17, 2016. The Panthers defeated the Arizona Cardinals 49-15 in the NFC Championship game for their first NFC championship victory in twelve years and second in franchise history on January 24, 2016. This marked the first NFC Championship played at the stadium.

Weather games

Since it is an open-air stadium, Bank of America Stadium has been subjected to a number of games where weather became a factor.

  • Perhaps the most memorable weather-related game the stadium played host to in 2011 wasn't forecasted in advance. During a week 3 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars, towards the end of the second quarter, a huge rainstorm suddenly blanketed the stadium. This caused a stunning sight: due to the stadium's design access water on the upper deck poured onto the lower deck and subsequently onto the field, every spot resembling miniature waterfalls. The field soon became flooded. CBS cameras captured numerous images, including players, some fans (many were in the concourses) and even cheerleaders braving the elements. This event was made even more unusual by CBS' primary broadcast camera covered with so many raindrops that, at one point, TV viewers could hardly tell which Panthers player picked off a pass. Overall, four-plus inches of rain fell in under an hour.[32] Charlotte Magazine later termed the game as the "[2011] Water Bowl".[33] Carolina managed to win 16-10.[34]
  • In week 16 of the 2013 season, with the Panthers playing the Saints in a game that would give the Panthers a playoff berth, heavy rain and wind hit the stadium during the second quarter. Unlike the Jacksonville game, where wind had been a non-factor, the fans stayed in their seats and the rain moved on minutes later. The Panthers eventually won 17-13.
  • On a Monday night game during the 2015 season, a heavy rain kept up all night, making field conditions miserable. However, the fans again braved the elements. The Panthers held on to win 29-26.
  • In the days leading up to the 2015 NFC Championship game, the field and sections in and around the stadium were covered in snow and an ice/sleet mixture. However, the Panthers grounds crew along with help managed to clear the field before the game. Most of the snow/sleet around and/or inside the stadium was either cleared or had melted before the game began.

Impact on NFL venues

At the time of its construction in the mid-1990s, the stadium was a pioneering project for the use of Personal Seat Licenses. It was the first large-scale project funded in the United States chiefly through securing PSLs, which were a new idea themselves. The strength of PSL pledges impressed NFL owners and helped result in the Carolinas receiving the first NFL expansion team in nearly two decades. The stadium was also credited with being a major cause for new NFL stadium construction. Between 1996 and 2002, eleven new NFL stadiums opened their doors, similar to the impact Camden Yards had for MLB ballparks a few years earlier.The Seattle Seahawks used the stadium, among others, as a reference when designing CenturyLink Field.[35] By 2013, the number of stadiums that had either opened or underwent renovations since Bank of America Stadium opened had risen to 25.[36]

One of the video boards installed in 2014

Stadium Renovations

During its first few seasons the stadium was considered so far ahead of its time that until the 2013-14 offseason, it only underwent minor improvements (aside from seating additions). The most notable of these improvements came in 2007 when the original scoreboards, video boards and displays from 1996 were replaced with 31.5'x77' video boards and four ribbon boards: two spanning the length of the field on either side and two in separate corners.

In the following years the stadium still wasn't considered as up-to-date as other NFL stadiums. One reason was the stadium's speakers were all contained in one scoreboard, resulting in audio that wasn't always spectacular. The video boards were troubling too. Although larger than the original boards, part of the screen on each was split with a graphic that showed the score, game clock, play clock and other statistics, meaning the video portion couldn't use the board's full size. As more stadiums invested in larger scoreboards and technology enhancements, it became apparent Bank of America Stadium needed upgrades in order to keep up with the changing times.

During the 2013 offseason, the team renovated their home locker room, lengthening it which added more lockers (74 compared to 66 before), making the interior look more clean and modern, and adding the team's then-new logo throughout.[37]

Carolina proposed a $250 million stadium renovation project in early 2013, pending a vote by the city of Charlotte to help pay for the renovations. This plan included two sets of new scoreboards, multiple escalators (possibly elevators), infrastructure improvements, and concourse improvements, among others.[38] The subsequent vote by the city failed and efforts to get any money from the State of North Carolina failed as well. However, in April 2013 the Charlotte city council agreed to an $87.5 million deal for the renovations. This deal also keeps the Panthers in Charlotte until at least 2019.[39] Despite the lower cost, the renovations would stay true to the team's original plans.

2014

In January 2014, the Panthers began the most significant renovations to the stadium in its 18-year history as part one of a multi-year renovation plan. The upgrades, completed by the start of the 2014-2015 NFL season, included numerous enhancements. First and perhaps most striking of all, two 200'x56' HD video boards (over twice the size of their predecessors), and two 360° ribbon boards from Daktronics replaced the previous scoreboards/ribbon boards. The new ribbon boards were the tallest in the NFL at the time of their installation[40] and the video boards were among the top ten largest out of all NFL stadiums.[41] Game video is shown fullscreen on the video boards since the upper ribbon board handles the score and statistics. Secondly, escalators were installed for the upper deck, making access easier for fans. These warranted extensions to the building itself, which kept the same external design. A new surround sound system was also included, with speakers placed around the perimeter of the bowl doubling as flagpoles. In addition, four covered open-air sections on the upper deck called "fan plazas" were added. Finally, LED-enhanced glass domes were installed, replacing the original fiberglass domes, along with new external signage above the entrances.[42]

2015

Prior to the start of the 2015 season, the Panthers renovated all 158 existing luxury suites to the stadium and added a new private club suite, dubbed "The 32 Club" due to its position at the 32-yard line. The team later announced another new club, dubbed the "51 Club" in honor of former player and coach Sam Mills, would also be added. These new installations decreased the stadium's number of luxury suites to 153,[43] but increased overall seating capacity. The team also added two small ribbon boards above each tunnel exit for advertising purposes which can be seen on the field.

2016

During the 2015 offseason, part three of the renovations includes upgrading the upper-level concourse and the stadium's notorious wi-fi system, although as of January 2016 exact details were not yet finalized.[44][45]

College football

Kickoff to start the second half of the 2010 ACC Championship Game

Bank of America Stadium does not serve as the primary home stadium for any college football team. However, it has hosted several college football games.

Soccer

Mexico vs Iceland, 2010

With a field large enough to meet the regulatory requirements for soccer, Bank of America Stadium has been host to several soccer matches.

Other events

References

  1. ^ Friedlander, Andy (April 25, 1994). "It's up, it's good; Panthers win toss". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
  2. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ^ Friedlander, Andy (August 29, 1994). "Richardson Learning as Stadium Rises". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
  4. ^ Emporis.com - Bank of America Stadium
  5. ^ "Stadium Facts". Carolina Panthers. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  6. ^ "2014 Carolina Panthers Media Guide" (PDF). Carolina Panthers. p. 432. Retrieved August 24, 2014.
  7. ^ Zeise, Paul (December 22, 2009). "Meineke Bowl Notebook: Wannstedt -- Bowl games are 'healthy'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Panther Fixes on Keeping Home Fresh". The Charlotte Observer. August 5, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  9. ^ "Clemson, Temple Agree to Charlotte Site". The Post and Courier. April 5, 2006. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  10. ^ Spanberg, Erik (January 16, 2004). "Panthers sign BofA for stadium naming rights". Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  11. ^ "Stadium Credit Cards Offered to Panthers Fans". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 28, 1996. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
  12. ^ "Stadium (panthers.com)". Carolina Panthers. Archived from the original on 26 December 2007. Retrieved December 25, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ "Conferences". Raycom. Archived from the original on December 3, 2007. Retrieved December 25, 2007.
  14. ^ "ACC Football Title Games to Tampa, Charlotte". WRAL.com. December 12, 2007. Retrieved December 12, 2007.
  15. ^ a b "ACC championship game to remain in Charlotte for 2 more years". WashingtonPost.com. December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link‍]
  16. ^ "ACC to keep title game in Charlotte for two more years". HamptonRoads.com. December 2, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2011.
  17. ^ http://espn.go.com/college-football/game?gameId=400852676
  18. ^ http://www.journalnow.com/sports/carolinapanthers/five-things-to-know-about-panthers-stadium-renovations/article_9ac821b0-8e6d-5170-9054-3063065fb3d8.html
  19. ^ Hardin, Ed (June 27, 1996). "Panthers' New Home Gets Name That Doesn't Quite Ring". Greensboro News Record. pp. C1.
  20. ^ Home of Carolina Panthers to be Called Bank of America Stadium
  21. ^ http://charlotte.about.com/od/CharlotteEventVenues/a/Bank-Of-America-Stadium.htm
  22. ^ http://football.ballparks.com/NFL/CarolinaPanthers/index.htm
  23. ^ http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/50-Things-Casual-Fans-Should-Know-About-The-Panthers/35019491-325d-4f12-a519-692954e6cbd2
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  25. ^ "Best Public Art in Uptown Charlotte". CBS Charlotte. October 1, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2013.
  26. ^ http://www.wbmoore.com/projects/bank-of-america-stadium
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  33. ^ http://www.charlottemagazine.com/Charlotte-Magazine/September-2015/Panthers-Jaguars-2011-Water-Bowl-An-Oral-History/
  34. ^ http://espn.go.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=310925029
  35. ^ http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20001008&slug=4046957
  36. ^ http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000138612/article/carolina-panthers-to-start-stadium-renovations-after-2013-season
  37. ^ http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Panthers-complete-locker-room-renovation-/84a54900-8863-4537-a3f4-0ca1292e2f6e
  38. ^ http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Panthers-detail-stadium-renovation-plans/55b2f431-2d35-4578-8def-b7f7c5ef3a29
  39. ^ http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000162501/article/charlotte-city-council-oks-panthers-stadium-upgrades
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  41. ^ http://www.daktronics.com/en-us/markets/sports/major-league-sports-installation/nfl
  42. ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2014/01/carolina-panthers-thinking-big-with-upcoming.html?page=all
  43. ^ http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2015/05/carolina-panthers-adding-another-private-club-for.html
  44. ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article45362916.html
  45. ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article54877980.html
  46. ^ "East Carolina Announces Football Schedules Through 2013". East Carolina University. June 23, 2005. Archived from the original on January 5, 2008. Retrieved December 25, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ 2006 East Carolina Football Media Guide. East Carolina Athletic Department. 2006. pp. 178–179.
  48. ^ http://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/scott-fowler/article32677794.html
  49. ^ http://www.wralsportsfan.com/unc-ncsu-rivalry-has-delivered-plenty-of-classics/13057204/
  50. ^ http://espn.go.com/college-football/game?gameId=400603840
  51. ^ http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/acc/nc-state/article39602763.html
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  53. ^ "International soccer comes to Charlotte". Carolina Panthers. Archived from the original on February 1, 2010. Retrieved January 30, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  54. ^ "Liverpool fans flex muscle at Bank of America Stadium". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved August 4, 2014.
  55. ^ http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Champions-Cup-Soccer-Returns-to-Charlotte/87bbc916-cf42-4900-8a20-9bfb8540d748
  56. ^ http://prod.static.panthers.clubs.nfl.com/assets/docs/Carolina-Panthers-Media-Guide.pdf
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bank of America Stadium.
Events and tenants
Preceded by Home of the
Carolina Panthers
1996–present 		Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Host of NFC Championship Game
2016 		Succeeded by
current
Preceded by Host of the
ACC Championship Game
2010–present 		Succeeded by
current stadium
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
1999–2000 		Succeeded by
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