Panthers will not return to Wofford for 2020 training camp, but don’t blame the team
The Carolina Panthers will not be holding training camp at Wofford this year.
The team will instead hold camp in Charlotte after the NFL informed teams Tuesday that they will be unable to hold training camp away from their home facilities due to COVID-19. The Panthers and the eight other teams that were scheduled to do so this year (Bills, Colts, Cowboys, Chiefs, Rams, Raiders, Steelers and Washington) will all stay at their usual practice facilities to restrict travel.
Moving training camp to Charlotte means that it is increasing unlikely fans will be in attendance.
The Panthers have held camp at the Spartanburg, S.C., college every year since the team’s first season in 1995 and recently extended that contract for two years. They are scheduled to return to Wofford in 2021.
“We are aware of the league’s decision regarding training camp and support its goal of ensuring the safety of fans, players, coaches and staff,” said Steven Drummond, Panthers vice president of communications and external affairs in a statement. “We value our longstanding relationship with Wofford College and the Spartanburg area and look forward to returning in 2021.”
Wofford president Nayef Samhat also released a statement stating, “We value our longstanding relationship with the Carolina Panthers and will miss the team’s presence on campus and in Spartanburg this summer. But we understand the need for the team, the league and all of us to make decisions in the best interest of public health at this time. We are looking forward to resuming one of the longest training camp arrangements for an NFL team in the summer of 2021.”
The team is now figuring out how to best conduct camp at Bank of America Stadium. Head coach Matt Rhule spoke on the future at Wofford in his press conference this week.
“Obviously our relationship with Wofford is really important to us,” Rhule said. “That relationship with having a chance to go down to South Carolina and go to the fans was really important to us, but obviously there’s some bigger issues here so look forward to getting back to that hopefully next year.”
Prior to the team agreeing to stay at Wofford, there was speculation that the team was more likely to hold camp this year at its facility in Charlotte after owner David Tepper constructed a $1 million bubble prior to the 2019 season for Carolina to practice in. It will now allow the team to conduct training camp at Bank of America Stadium.
Once the Panthers’ new facility in Rock Hill is opened (expected for Summer 2022), training camp will move there on a permanent basis. The facility is partly being built to give the Panthers a leg up when it comes to advances in technology and other resources.
Tepper has discussed the importance of retaining a presence in South Carolina outside of the in-development facility in Rock Hill. Training camp was attended by more than 100,000 fans in 2017 alone, and a 2018 study by a study by Clemson’s parks, recreation and tourism department showed the Panthers in Spartanburg had an economic impact of $13 million for the city in 2016 and ‘17.
This story was originally published June 2, 2020 at 4:23 PM.
