Panthers say goodbye to Spartanburg, will host training camp in Charlotte next summer
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers are staying home next summer for training camp.
The Panthers have joined a growing trend of NFL teams who’ve decided to streamline football operations by remaining at the team headquarters where they train year-round. The Panthers were one of just six NFL teams still hosting training camp away from home.
The Panthers have held training camp at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C., every year since their inception in 1995, with the exception of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic when it was held in Charlotte.
Wofford College is the alma mater of late Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, who sold the team to David Tepper in 2018.
“We’re excited to hold training camp at our facility in Charlotte,” Panthers president Kristi Coleman said on the team's website. “We appreciate Wofford and the Spartanburg community for their hospitality over the years.”
The Panthers say they're working through logistics on how best to accommodate fans during camp as they don't have the same room they had at Wofford College. More details will be announced at a later date.
The team also announced it is removing its dome practice field as part of a larger effort to upgrade the team’s practice and training facilities. The dome will be removed after the season and work will begin on the new practice fields.
The changes, which are expected to be completed by next summer, will allow the Panthers to have three full-length practice fields, which is how it was before Tepper built the dome after buying the team.
The layout will provide additional space to practice and the opportunity to rotate fields to minimize wear and tear, per the team.
“Removal of the Dome is the start of an ongoing process to upgrade the team’s facilities,” said Caroline Wright, the senior vice president and chief venues officer at Tepper Sports & Entertainment. “Future changes and enhancements include modifications to the fields with the goal of constructing a field house for football operations and community opportunities. In the interim, the team will be exploring options to hold practices indoors, should the need arise.”
The Panthers had planned to move their team headquarters and practice fields to Rock Hill, South Carolina, but the deal fell through with the state-of-the-art facility half built.
The Panthers will kick off the season with Fan Fest in South Carolina and will hold Back Together Football in Charlotte.
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