Panthers president talks team’s success, renovations and security

As the Carolina Panthers continue their unbeaten streak, the NFL franchise is also scoring big off the field.

The Panthers’ 14-0 season has meant sky-high TV ratings, more sales in the team store, an increase in social media connections and interactions and sell-out crowds at Bank of America Stadium, team president Danny Morrison said. The franchise will also likely see benefits when the team renew its corporate sponsorships next year, he said.

“There is no question that the business side has been lifted by the performance of the team,” said Morrison, who was the athletic director at Texas Christian University when he was tapped for his current post in 2009.

The Panthers do not release financial results, although Forbes magazine estimates the team has annual revenue of $325 million and operating income of $77.8 million. The magazine estimates the team is worth $1.56 billion, around the middle of the pack for NFL franchises.

As Panthers president, Morrison is overseeing a five-year renovation of Bank of America Stadium. The project is partly paid for by Charlotte taxpayers. Under a pact reached in 2013, the city agreed to contribute $75 million to the project, while the Panthers committed to pay $37.5 million.

In the first two years however, the Panthers have already spent $101 million on the renovations, with the city paying $28 million and the team spending $73 million, more than is required under the agreement. The city will dole out $23.5 million in both 2016 and 2018 to complete its payments.

In a wide-ranging interview with the Observer, Morrison, 62, discussed the renovations, a recent security breach at the stadium, team owner Jerry Richardson, Panthers fans, and the possibility of Charlotte hosting a Super Bowl. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: How is the Panthers’ strong performance affecting the business side of the team?

A: The metrics that we’ve seen this year have been outstanding. TV ratings have been at an all-time high in all four of the TV markets in the Carolinas. We have also been blessed by a national presence with some of the games we had on Sunday night and Monday night and then Thanksgiving Day. On the social media side, we are one of the leaders in engagement and growth. Sports Illustrated had us rated as the number one Twitter account for the NFL. On the web, traffic is up. In jersey sales, Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly are in the top 10. And we have had 134 straight sell-outs.

Q: What is the latest on the renovations at the stadium?

A: In the first year we did the two video boards, the two ribbon boards, the distributed sound system, the escalators and exterior lighting. The whole theme was to impact 74,000 fans. Then this past year we completely redid our Distributed Antenna System (to improve cellular capacity), and we also redid all the suites.

All of this is fluid, but for right now what we’re planning for the 2016 season is to redo the upper-level (500) concourse and to completely redo our Wi-Fi. The result of that is we believe we will be one of the best-connected stadiums in the NFL with the completely new DAS system and completely new Wi-Fi in 2016.

Q: What changes will fans notice in the concourses?

A: We’ll be creating more points of sale, and we’re cleaning up the whole concourse area to make that look even more pristine. We’ll have new way-finding signage, digital signage, more TVs. We’re trying to improve our speed of service by increasing the number of points of sale and a more efficient concession design.

Q: Under the agreement with the city, the team is “tethered” to Charlotte for at least six years, starting with the 2013 season. (It also would face penalties if it moved in years seven through 10 of the agreement.) Do you expect to be talking anytime soon with the city about extending that tether or reaching another agreement?

A: We haven’t had any conversations with the city about that. We’re pleased with the plan we have in place, and we just finished the second year of a five-year renovation plan, so we have three more years to go there.

Q: Do you think you’ll go back to the city for more money if you do talk to them down the road?

A: We are pleased where we are right now. We feel like we are making great progress. The bones of the stadium were so well done we’re able to elevate the stadium with these renovations with our goal of having the best outdoor stadium in America.

Q: What steps have you taken since protesters rappelled inside the stadium during the Nov. 2 Monday Night Football game?

A: The safety of our fans is our No. 1 priority. We are following the guidelines and procedures as set forth by the NFL. We are continuing to monitor all of our security. We’ve had more presence in the last few games. The key element there is to make sure we are having our multiple layers of screening following the process as outlined by the NFL.

Q: Some NFL teams may be changing cities soon. There was concern about that here when the team was in talks with the city over stadium renovations. Should fans be worried that the team could some day leave Charlotte?

A: Mr. Richardson said it well. The best tether is Mr. Richardson. He loves the Carolinas. He spent six and a half years bringing a team to the Carolinas and all that came to fruition on Oct. 26, 1993. We’re thrilled with the Carolinas, and we’ve got the best fans in the NFL.

Q: At some point there will be a change in the owner. Is a move possible then?

A: Mr. Richardson has publicly stated that at the time of his passing the team will be sold in a two-year period. There is no need to get into hypotheticals.

Q: What are the chances of Bank of America Stadium hosting a Super Bowl?

A: All of the improvements we’re making to the stadium have not only improved the fan experience, but they have also served as a major attraction for events. The stadium is well positioned to attract the very best events. In order to host major events, one priority is the number of hotel rooms. The great news about that is there are a number of new hotels coming on the horizon.

Q: So do you think a Super Bowl is a possibility?

A: It would be premature to talk about that, but the stadium can certainly be a plus.

Q: How has the new banner policy worked? (The team limited the size of banners this season after an incident in which quarterback Cam Newton pulled down a Green Bay Packers fan’s banner before a game.)

A: It has been well received. We’ve had a number of banners come in that fit the policy, and it’s working well.

Q: Do you interact with Mr. Richardson a lot?

A: Sure. There is nobody more laser-focused than Mr. Richardson on winning, doing things the right way, being involved in NFL matters and making sure our fans have the very best experience.

Q: There is a new movie coming out about the danger of concussions in the NFL. How does that issue affect you on the business side of things?

A: Just in the limited number of years that I have been in the NFL and gone to the owners meetings, there has been no higher priority than the health and safety of the players. There have been a tremendous amount of rule changes that have gone into effect to emphasize the players’ health and safety. I believe there are something like 40 rule changes that have come into place and a lot of dollars have been invested in research and education. So there is a tremendous emphasis in the NFL on player safety.

Q: The last two seasons the team increased ticket prices. What do you plan for next year?

A: All of our attention now is on this season, so we haven’t addressed next season.

Q: Have you noticed more enthusiasm from fans during this 14-0 season?

A: We’ve always had great fans. Our fans have been underrated on the national stage, but they haven’t been underrated here within our organization. We’ve always felt like we’ve got the best fans in the NFL. It can be done where your fans are the very loudest fans – and I think Bank of America Stadium is a very loud venue – but also where people are thrilled to bring their children and their families and their friends knowing that it’s going to be a fun environment.

This story was originally published December 24, 2015 at 12:02 PM with the headline "Panthers president talks team’s success, renovations and security."