New Panthers stadium sculpture gets commented — and climbed — on
Mere hours after the unveiling of the new sculpture, “The Tribute,” at Bank of America Stadium, I saw someone climbing on it. Not Whisky-River-mechanical-bull style. But scrambling up onto the four-foot pedestal to get a photo with the freshly sculpted Jerry Richardson flanked by two panthers.
Moments before that, a runner with a man bun stopped in the middle of his jog to snap a shot. Two other guys circled the base, staring up. A group of girls stopped their bicycles to take selfies.
And I overheard reactions in front of it like “Ooooh, artsy,” and “Wow, so fancy, let’s get a picture with it.” And, “It’s fierce.”
Then I returned to my desk to read reactions on Twitter in response to the Panthers account posting the announcement. Such as:
And…
So far, it’s generating a buzz. So I’d say it’s a hit.
Five fast facts about “The Tribute”:
(1) The sculpture was presented to Jerry Richardson on July 18.
Why: It was the Carolina Panthers owner’s 80th birthday. The sculpture was a gift from Carolina Panthers partners, including John M. Belk, Thomas M. Belk, H.C. Bissell, John W. Harris and Erskine B. Bowles.
According to the plaque at the base, “this sculpture is dedicated and commissioned as a loving gift to him and his family by his partners.”
(2) It is comprised of three figures.
Richardson (13 feet tall here) stands in the middle holding a football, while one panther leaps in apparent attack mode and another stalks forward. Together, the statues weigh 4,500 pounds. According to Max Henson, staff writer for the Panthers website, the sculpture “represents offense/defense and North Carolina/South Carolina.”
(3) The sculpture was crafted by Todd Andrews.
Andrews, a California artist, is also responsible for the six panthers that have been outside the stadium’s three gates since 1996 (that project is titled “Indomitable Spirit.”) He used some of the same clay that made those statues while sculpting “The Tribute,” a project that took six months.
(4) Richardson was overwhelmed by the gift.
“I’m actually speechless. Just overwhelmed,” Richardson said when presented with the sculpture, according to Panthers.com. “Thank you very much.”
(5) There is an inscription to contemplate.
It says: “The Indomitable Spirits who guard our stadium were led here by a man who took us beyond where others even imagined. In this place, for this place – his relentless drive inspired a display of unity in the Carolinas worthy of a world’s stage.”
Now Richardson just needs to blow out his birthday candles and make his final wish: A SuperBowl victory.
This story was originally published July 19, 2016 at 12:00 AM.