Bank of America Stadium is a 74,867-seat football stadium located on 33 acres (13 ha) in uptown Charlotte, North Carolina, United States. It is the home facility and headquarters of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League and Charlotte FC of Major League Soccer. 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. Former Panthers president Danny Morrison called it a “classic American stadium” due to its bowl design and other features.
In addition to the Panthers and CLTFC, the stadium hosts the annual Duke’s Mayo Bowl, which features teams from the Atlantic 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. On May 19, 2022, the ACC announced that Bank of America Stadium would continue to host the championship through at least the 2030 season. The largest crowd to ever attend a football game at the stadium was on September 9, 2018, when 74,532 fans watched the Panthers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16–8. A1 Bed Bug Exterminator Charlotte
Features
Bank of America Stadium has many unique external features. Aspects of the stadium’s architecture, such as the three substantial 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 have been compared to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Soldier Field, among others. It’s also received mentions for externally resembling “a fortress” instead of a stadium.
Each 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 named “Indomitable Spirit” and were installed in 1996. Each one depicts a crouching, snarling panther with green eyes; they are the largest sculptures ever commissioned in the United States. In addition, the names of the team’s original PSL owners are engraved into each statue’s base.
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 hosted its first professional football game as the Panthers took on the Chicago Bears during the preseason. The inaugural kickoff was at 7:35 PM. Carolina won 30–12. The stadium’s first regular season game occurred on September 1, 1996, against Carolina’s to-be division rival Atlanta; the Panthers won 29–6.
Address: 800 S Mint St, Charlotte, NC
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