Photo Credit
Former Names: Panthers Stadium (planning)
Carolinas Stadium (planning) Ericsson Stadium (1996 – 2004)
Address: 800 South Mint Street
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Owner/Operator: Tepper Sports and Entertainment
Executive Suites: 151
Capacity: 74,867 (2021 – Present)(1)
Former Capacity:
1. 75,523 (2017 – 2020)(2)
2. 74,419 (2015 – 2016)(3)
3. 74,455 (2014)(4)
4. 73,778 (2008 – 2013)(5)
5. 73,504 (2007)(6)
6. 73,298 (2005 – 2006)(7)
7. 73,250 (1998 – 2004)(8)
8. 73,248 (1997)
9. 72,685 (1996)(9)
Broke Ground: April 22nd, 1994(10)
3. 74,455 (2014)(4)
4. 73,778 (2008 – 2013)(5)
5. 73,504 (2007)(6)
6. 73,298 (2005 – 2006)(7)
7. 73,250 (1998 – 2004)(8)
8. 73,248 (1997)
9. 72,685 (1996)(9)
Broke Ground: April 22nd, 1994(10)
Opened: August 3rd, 1996
Renovated: 2007, 2014-2017, 2019, 2020-2021
Expanded: 1997-1998, 2005, 2007-2008, 2014-
Renovated: 2007, 2014-2017, 2019, 2020-2021
Expanded: 1997-1998, 2005, 2007-2008, 2014-
2015, 2017
Services Engineer: Lockwood Greene(11)
General Contractor: Turner F.N. Thompson(12)
Tenants:
Services Engineer: Lockwood Greene(11)
General Contractor: Turner F.N. Thompson(12)
Tenants:
1. Carolina Panthers (NFL) 1996 – Present
2. Charlotte FC (MLS) 2022 – Present
3. Duke’s Mayo Bowl (NCAA) 2002 – Present
4. Duke’s Mayo Classic (NCAA) 2015 – Present
Quick Information
Bank of America Stadium is a 74,867-seat multi-purpose stadium located on 33 acres in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. It is the home and facility and headquarters of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), and Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer (MLS)(13). The stadium opened in 1996 as Ericsson Stadium, with Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson initially holding the naming rights. In 2004, Charlotte-based financial services company Bank of America purchased the naming rights under a 20 – 25 – year agreement at $140 million(14). Former Panthers president Danny Morrison called it a “classic American stadium” due to its bowl design and other features.(15)
In addition to the Panthers and CLTFC, the stadium hosts the annual Duke’s Mayo Bowl, which features teams from the Athletic Coast Conference (ACC) and either the Southeastern Conference (SEC) or the Big Ten Conference. The stadium was planned to host the annual ACC Championship Game through at least 2019; the game was moved in 2016 but reinstated in 2017(16)(17)(18). The ACC announced on May 19th, 2022, that Bank of America Stadium would continue to host the championship through at least the 2030 season(19). The largest crowd ever to attend a football game at the stadium was on September 9th, 2018, when 74,532 fans watched the Panthers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16 – 8.(20)
Naming Rights
The stadium was originally known as Carolinas Stadium, a name which remains in use for certain events such as FIFA matches. It opened on August 3rd, 1996, as Ericsson Stadium(14) after Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson purchased the naming rights in a ten-year, $25 million dollar agreement(22). In 2004, the stadium received its current name after Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years. Since then, many fans now refer to the stadium as “BOA”,(23) “The Bank”, or “PoundTown”.
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. As part of the preparation for the 2019 Equal Justice Initiative Community Remembrance Project, Charlotte historian Michael Moore determine the site was also significant as the location of the city’s first known lynching in 1913.(21)
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.
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 has also received mentions for externally resembling “a fortress” instead of a stadium.(24)
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(25). Each one depicts a crouching, snarling panther with green eyes; they are the largest sculptures ever commissioned in the United States(26)(27). The names of the team’s original PSL owners are engraved into each statue’s base.
The stadium also has 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 which allow them to project process blue in various ways not possible with the original technology.(28)
Additionally, two people 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(29). Before the 2014 renovations, the names of the Hall of Honor inductees were placed where the upper ribbon board now resides. These names were subsequently repainted onto the top rear wall behind the last row of seats, then replaced by signs in 2019. Three marble copies of a quote about the stadium from team founder Jerry Richardson were placed near the stadium’s entrances in 2014(30). Due to renovations, these quotes were later displayed in the lower concourse entrances. They were also engraved on benches outside the stadium.
In 2016, a statue of Richardson was added in front of the stadium’s north gate in celebration of his 80th birthday. The statue stands nearly 13 feet tall and features larger than life sculptures of Richardson flanked on both sides by two panthers. One panther stands on its hind legs, claws bared, while the other crouches. All three sculptures have the same bronze color and both panthers have the green eyes of physically resemble the “Indomitable Spirit” statues(31). In June 2020, the statue was removed, with the team citing potential safety concerns due to protests going on at the time.(32)
Copyrights and Citations
1. "Carolina Panthers".
3. Duke’s Mayo Bowl (NCAA) 2002 – Present
4. Duke’s Mayo Classic (NCAA) 2015 – Present
Quick Information
Bank of America Stadium is a 74,867-seat multi-purpose stadium located on 33 acres in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. It is the home and facility and headquarters of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), and Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer (MLS)(13). The stadium opened in 1996 as Ericsson Stadium, with Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson initially holding the naming rights. In 2004, Charlotte-based financial services company Bank of America purchased the naming rights under a 20 – 25 – year agreement at $140 million(14). Former Panthers president Danny Morrison called it a “classic American stadium” due to its bowl design and other features.(15)
In addition to the Panthers and CLTFC, the stadium hosts the annual Duke’s Mayo Bowl, which features teams from the Athletic Coast Conference (ACC) and either the Southeastern Conference (SEC) or the Big Ten Conference. The stadium was planned to host the annual ACC Championship Game through at least 2019; the game was moved in 2016 but reinstated in 2017(16)(17)(18). The ACC announced on May 19th, 2022, that Bank of America Stadium would continue to host the championship through at least the 2030 season(19). The largest crowd ever to attend a football game at the stadium was on September 9th, 2018, when 74,532 fans watched the Panthers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16 – 8.(20)
Naming Rights
The stadium was originally known as Carolinas Stadium, a name which remains in use for certain events such as FIFA matches. It opened on August 3rd, 1996, as Ericsson Stadium(14) after Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson purchased the naming rights in a ten-year, $25 million dollar agreement(22). In 2004, the stadium received its current name after Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years. Since then, many fans now refer to the stadium as “BOA”,(23) “The Bank”, or “PoundTown”.
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. As part of the preparation for the 2019 Equal Justice Initiative Community Remembrance Project, Charlotte historian Michael Moore determine the site was also significant as the location of the city’s first known lynching in 1913.(21)
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.
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 has also received mentions for externally resembling “a fortress” instead of a stadium.(24)
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(25). Each one depicts a crouching, snarling panther with green eyes; they are the largest sculptures ever commissioned in the United States(26)(27). The names of the team’s original PSL owners are engraved into each statue’s base.
The stadium also has 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 which allow them to project process blue in various ways not possible with the original technology.(28)
Additionally, two people 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(29). Before the 2014 renovations, the names of the Hall of Honor inductees were placed where the upper ribbon board now resides. These names were subsequently repainted onto the top rear wall behind the last row of seats, then replaced by signs in 2019. Three marble copies of a quote about the stadium from team founder Jerry Richardson were placed near the stadium’s entrances in 2014(30). Due to renovations, these quotes were later displayed in the lower concourse entrances. They were also engraved on benches outside the stadium.
In 2016, a statue of Richardson was added in front of the stadium’s north gate in celebration of his 80th birthday. The statue stands nearly 13 feet tall and features larger than life sculptures of Richardson flanked on both sides by two panthers. One panther stands on its hind legs, claws bared, while the other crouches. All three sculptures have the same bronze color and both panthers have the green eyes of physically resemble the “Indomitable Spirit” statues(31). In June 2020, the statue was removed, with the team citing potential safety concerns due to protests going on at the time.(32)
Copyrights and Citations
1. "Carolina Panthers".
2. "2017 Carolina Panthers Media Guide" (PDF).
Carolina Panthers. p. 506. Archived from the
original (PDF) on January 19, 2018. Retrieved
June 8, 2018.
3. "Stadium Facts". Carolina Panthers. Retrieved
December 4, 2015.
4. "2014 Carolina Panthers Media Guide" (PDF).
Carolina Panthers. p. 432. Archived from the
original (PDF) on January 19, 2018. Retrieved
August 24, 2014.
5. Zeise, Paul (December 22, 2009). "Meineke
healthy'". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved
October 23, 2011.
The Charlotte Observer. August 5, 2007.
Retrieved October 23, 2011.
The Post and Courier. April 5, 2006.
Retrieved October 23, 2011.[permanent
8. Spanberg, Erik (January 16, 2004).
Fans". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. June 28,
1996. Retrieved October 23, 2011.
10. Friedlander, Andy (April 25, 1994). "It's
Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved
September 23, 2011.
11. Friedlander, Andy (August 29, 1994).
Spartanburg Herald-Journal. Retrieved
March 10, 2012.
207767 | EMPORIS". emporis.com.
Archived from the original on
January 7, 2016.
13. "Stadium (panthers.com)". Carolina Panthers.
Archived from the original on July 4, 2008.
Retrieved December 25, 2007.
Charlotte Observer.
15. Person, Joseph Person (July 15, 2015).
stadium renovations". Winston-Salem
Journal.
WashingtonPost.com. December 2, 2011.
HB2 law". CBSSports.com.
September 14, 2016.
Charlotte | Charlotte Observer". Archived
from the original on April 29, 2017.
Retrieved April 29, 2017.
and Sites for 2022-23". theacc.com.
May 19, 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
21. Funk, Tim (October 5, 2018). "Carolina
Charlotte observer. Retrieved October 20, 2018.
22. Hardin, Ed (June 27, 1996). "Panthers'
New Home Gets Name That Doesn't Quite
23. Beaty, Artie. "BB&T Ballpark in Uptown
Charlotte - Charlotte Knights". Charlotte.
about.com. Archived from the original on
February 6, 2016. Retrieved
October 14, 2019.
About the Panthers". Archived from
the original on February 22, 2016. Retrieved
February 25, 2016.
26. "Chronology". Team History. Carolina
Panthers. Archived from the original on
September 27, 2015. Retrieved January
19, 2013.
CBS Charlotte. October 1, 2012. Archived
from the original on August 28, 2013.
Retrieved August 28, 2013.
28. "Bank of America Stadium". Archived
from the original on March 5, 2016.
Retrieved February 23, 2016.
29. "Hall of Honor". Carolina Panthers.
Archived from the original on July 19,
2012. Retrieved January 19, 2013.
Jerry Richardson Letter". Archived from
the original on July 1, 2015. Retrieved
February 7, 2016.
31. ET, 2016 at 3:44p (July 18, 2016).
FOX Sports.
32. Staff, WBTV Web (June 11, 2020).
America Stadium". www.wbtv.com.
