Tag: Bank of America Stadium

Report: Panthers looking at 25% capacity for Bank of America Stadium

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, the team is looking at around 25% capacity for Bank of America Stadium.

NFL teams are starting to roll out their plans for the 2020 season. The Packers, Chiefs and Ravens are among the teams who say they will have significantly reduced capacity at their stadiums this year. At the moment, the Bills would not allow any fans.

What about the Panthers?

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, the team is looking at around 25% capacity for Bank of America Stadium.

The stadium can hold around 75,000 people at full capacity, so if the team goes through with this we may only see up to around 18 or 19,000 fans in the stands on game days. Doing so would allow for better social distancing and theoretically help curb the spread of the virus.

Any event with large crowds represents a potential super-spreader event. However, for what it’s worth the research seems to suggest you’re less likely to catch the virus being outside than indoors.

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Report: NFL considering requiring COVID-19 liability waivers for fans

Report: NFL considering requiring COVID-19 liability waivers for fans this coming season.

The NFL says the 2020 season will go on as planned, despite surging coronavirus case numbers in dozens of states. If there are going to be games this fall, business as usual simply isn’t going to cut it.

One of the biggest unanswered questions regarding this year is what the league plans to do about having fans in the stadiums. Here’s one idea that’s sure to be extremely unpopular.

According to a report by Daniel Kaplan at the Athletic, the league is considering requiring fans who attend games to sign liability waivers in case they catch the virus.

“The NFL is considering requiring fans attending games this season to sign liability waivers shielding the teams from COVID-19 lawsuits, sources said.  The waiver proposal is likely to be forwarded to clubs by the middle of next week as part of a broad range of league recommended best practices for re-opening stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic.”

There will be other moves intended to blunt the impact of the virus and slow the spread. Teams have been instructed to tarp off the first 6-8 rows of every stadium, which will offer both new advertising space and some insulation for those on the sidelines from the crowd.

Mandated social distancing and face masks will also no doubt play some role in the league’s live events, depending on what local authorities allow.

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Watch: Jerry Richardson statue gets lifted off Panthers’ property

The Panthers have removed the statue of former team owner Jerry Richardson from their property.

The Panthers have removed the statue of former team owner Jerry Richardson from their property.

Watch as a crane lifts the statue from its long-time perch in front of Bank of America Stadium onto a truck bed.

Richardson owned the team from its inception in 1995 to 2017, when he was pressured to sell to current owner David Tepper following a workplace misconduct scandal. The two panthers that flanked his statue are also being removed.

In a statement, the Panthers said that the statue is being moved to an undisclosed location in the interest of public safety.

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Panthers taking down statue of former owner Jerry Richardson

According to a report by the Charlotte Post, the team is taking down the statue of former franchise owner Jerry Richardson which stands out front Bank of America Stadium.

It’s truly a new era for the Carolina Panthers.

According to a report by the Charlotte Post, the team is taking down the statue of former franchise owner Jerry Richardson which stands out front Bank of America Stadium.

Richardson brought the NFL to the Carolinas in the mid-90s when he founded the franchise. However, he was forced to sell the team two years ago after allegations of workplace misconduct surfaced, including sexual harrassment and racist remarks.

The statue was to remain in place even after the sale as part of the agreement between Richardson and David Tepper, but clearly things on the ground have changed over the last few weeks.

To their credit, the Panthers have encouraged players to engage in peaceful protests in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by the Minneapolis police. This is another significant step towards making it clear this is not just a PR campaign.

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Report: No fans in stadiums for 2020 could cost Panthers $143 million

Just how much depends on the team and the stadium.

The 2020 NFL schedule is out and the plan is to proceed with the regular season as usual, beginning in early September. That said, there are a thousand questions that need to be answered between now and then. Near the top of the list is if teams will be allowed to have fans in their stadiums or if the pandemic will make that impossible.

Panthers owner David Tepper recently suggested we could possibly see some fans in stadiums this year, but they will not be at full capacity.

If the league has to go forward without fans in the stands, it would obviously cost a great deal of revenue.

Just how much depends on the team and the stadium. According to an estimate by Forbes, Carolina could lose $143 million if there are no fans at Bank of America Stadium this year, which is based on 2018 revenue. The Cowboys would be hit hardest by a fanless-season. Forbes says Dallas could lose $621 million this year.

There’s nothing wrong with hoping that fans get to show up for games like usual, but it’s better to be safe than sorry. Recent reporting in the Wall Street Journal suggests that having stadiums full of people could have a superspreader effect, which is worth avoiding no matter how much money it costs.

The league is preparing for these potential losses by changing the rules for how much debts teams are allowed to hold. Owners voted to increase that limit from $350 million to $500 million, per Sports Business Daily.

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Report: Panthers don’t plan to open team facilities tomorrow

The Panthers are in no rush to get back in the building, though.

The NFL has given the green light for teams to reopen their facilities on Tuesday May 19, depending on what state and local authorities are allowing in response to the pandemic and with certain strings attached.

The Panthers are in no rush to get back in the building, though.

According to a report by Joe Person at the Athletic, the team does not plan to reopen their facilities tomorrow. He speculates that they may return to work at Bank of America Stadium next month.

Coaches and players – with the exception of those undergoing medical treatment – aren’t allowed back in the facilities yet in any case.

Doing so would offer a competitive advantage for teams operating in states that are opening up as opposed to those still on lockdown. According to Judy Battista, right now only 22 of the league’s 32 teams will be able to open back up under current rules in place.

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Panthers eliminating 900 seats to make room for bunker suites

The Panthers are eliminating some 900 seats from the west end zone of Bank of America Stadium to make room for 14 new bunker suites.

The Panthers are eliminating some 900 seats from the west end zone of Bank of America Stadium to make room for 14 new bunker suites, according to WSOC. Roughly 400 PSL owners will be impacted. The team began informing those seat holders of the news yesterday with phone calls.

Here’s a look at the area that will be affected, via the Charlotte Observer.

Some fans will no doubt be upset by this development. While we’re sympathetic to those who will lose long-held seats, it’s tough to feel too bad for them considering most fans can’t afford PSLs in the first place and can only watch on TV every week.

Expect more moves like this from David Tepper, who after all got here because he’s adept at maximizing profits.

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Belk Bowl: Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Tuesday’s Belk Bowl between the Virginia Tech Hokies and Kentucky Wildcats, with NCAA football betting picks, tips and best bets.

The Virginia Tech Hokies (8-4) and Kentucky Wildcats (7-5) do battle in the Belk Bowl Tuesday, played at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET (ESPN). We analyze the Virginia Tech-Kentucky odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky: Three things you need to know

1. The Wildcats will be making their first-ever appearance in the Belk Bowl. They’re looking for a second consecutive bowl victory after upsetting Penn State in the Citrus Bowl last season by a 27-24 count.

2. Kentucky ranks fourth in the country with 274.8 rushing yards per game, while Virginia Tech ranked 27th against the rush defensively, yielding 123.4 yards per outing. That will be where this game is won or lost.

3. The Under is 4-1 in Kentucky’s past five bowl games, while going 6-2 in its past eight neutral-site games. The Over is 6-2-2 in Virginia Tech’s past 10 neutral-site contests.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

Virginia Tech vs. Kentucky: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 9:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Virginia Tech 31, Kentucky 17

Moneyline (ML)

VIRGINIA TECH (-134) was humming along until a loss to Virginia in the regular-season finale. Still, the Hokies are the play here, as Kentucky (+110) is just too one-dimensional. That’s fine against the likes of Vanderbilt or Tennessee-Martin, but it won’t fly against a more seasoned team like the Gobblers.

Against the Spread (ATS)

VIRGINIA TECH (-2.5, -115) is a strong play against Kentucky (+2.5, -106). The Hokies have cashed in five of their past six, and as mentioned, they’re just more balanced. If the Hokies can shut down, or at least limit the likes of Swiss Army Knife Lynn Bowden Jr., who led the team in rushing and receiving yards, they’ll shut down Kentucky and hoist a trophy.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 45.5 (-110) is worth a small-unit play, but don’t get crazy. The Over has dominated for the Hokies in neutral-site games, going 6-2-2 in the past 10, and 7-3-1 in their past 11 as a favorite on a neutral field. The Over is 7-3 in Kentucky’s past 10 against winning teams, and 20-7 in its past 27 non-conference tilts, too.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Saints announce Week 17 uniform combination vs. Panthers

The New Orleans Saints will pair white away jerseys with white pants again in the 2019 season, next in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers

The New Orleans Saints will again pair white jerseys with white pants, the team announced on its official Twitter account. This is the fifth time the Saints have used this uniform combination this season, eschewing the gold pants that were used regularly in past years. Including their “Color Rush” alternate uniforms, the Saints will have worn black or white pants in every regular season game in 2019.

New Orleans recently broke out the all-white uniforms for their Week 16 game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium, and they’ll be carried over for Week 17 with the Carolina Panthers. Like the other road venues the Saints have played at in these white pants, the Panthers’ Bank of America Stadium features a natural grass field (Voyager Bermuda grass, to be exact; it is the only NFL stadium to use that variety), which means nightmarish grass stains for the Saints equipment staff to deal with.

The Saints have held their own this year against a series of opponents including Tifway 419 Bermuda grass (Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium), Kentucky Bluegrass (Chicago Bears at Soldier Field), and TifSport Hybrid Bermudagrass (Titans at Nissan StadiuM), but keep the equipment staff in your thoughts in this difficult time.

Superstitious fans should be happy: though the Saints have only worn this combination four times previously since Sean Payton was hired to coach the team (all in 2019), they have yet to lose a game in white-on-white. We’ve ranked every uniform combination used by the Saints since 2006, ordered by winning percentage (don’t forget the alternate gold jerseys worn during a 2002 loss to the Minnesota Vikings):

  • White jerseys, white pants: 4-0 (1.000)
  • “Color Rush” alternates: 6-2 (.750)
  • Black and gold throwbacks: 2-1 (.667)
  • Black jerseys, gold pants: 23-13 (.639)
  • White jerseys, black pants: 38-25 (.603)
  • Black jerseys, black pants: 41-27 (.603)
  • White jerseys, gold pants: 31-24 (.564)

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