One day before the NFL Draft, the Carolina Panthers dropped a bomb on their fans when they announced that they will not host fans at the team’s training camp for the next two seasons due to ongoing construction. The statement reads as follows:
Due to ongoing construction at the Carolina Panthers practice fields, the team is unable to host fans on-site throughout the 2025 and 2026 Carolina Panthers Training Camps. The Panthers will host fans during Fan Fest at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, August 2, 2025.
Of course the news was met with intense disappointment as fans pondered why the team couldn’t just return to Wofford College where camp has been held from the inaugural 1995 season until 2023; with the exception of the Covid pandemic in 2020. The Panthers held camp at their own facility in Charlotte and that move was met with quite a bit of disdain from South Carolina residents who felt the “Two States, One Team” mantra was being completely disregarded by owner David Tepper. The taste from the failed Rock Hill project was still fresh on the minds of the Palmetto State fans – and now this.
Many felt the logical solution would have been to just return to Wofford, right? A league source shared that the idea was not considered. The team felt keeping camp at their own facility gave them the best proximity to the resources needed for the duration of camp. The fact that construction is on schedule leads one to wonder if any other arrangements could have been made to ensure the fans don’t miss what has become a staple for many families. There are fans that travel from across the country for the most access they will get to the stars of their favorite football team. The Teppper era has been rocky and steady ticket price increases, along with the latest training camp changes, make the. most loyal fans feel as though the billionaire has a huge disconnect with the Panther faithful.
Fan Fest will take place per usual, but that is not enough. Hopefully, the public disdain and outcry will encourage the organization to come up with something to quell at least a smidge of the disappointment that comes with fans not being able to attend camp until 2027.
