German-born Panthers fans explain why Carolina takeover in Munich is so special to them
Tobias Dorf stood in the middle of a crowd in Wittelsbacherplatz city square in the heart of Munich, Germany, as highlights of the Carolina Panthers’ 2024 season flashed on a big screen in front of him.
Sporting a Roaring Riot Germany fan club jacket that barely hid his black Julius Peppers throwback jersey’s No. 90 digits, it was hard to ignore his smile as he watched his fellow Panthers fans — both from around Europe and from the Carolinas — basking in the glow of the team’s Fan Fest event on Saturday. The Cologne, Germany, resident is the leader of the Roaring Riot’s Germany chapter, and in the city square — built in the 1820s — stood dozens and dozens of the group’s fans as they took in the sights that would typically be reserved for a Sunday on Mint Street.
On Sunday, the Panthers — Dorf’s longtime team — will host the New York Giants at Allianz Arena. Like many of his fellow European fans, this is a dream come true for someone who rarely gets to wear Process Blue to games in the United States.
“Panthers fans are very special because we are very bound together,” Dorf said. “And I think it is so good to have them all here together, from all over Europe, and have a big party.”
The event on Saturday featured a quarterback challenge with targets surrounded by life-sized cut-outs of safety Xavier Woods, cornerback Jaycee Horn and pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney in coverage. There was a field-goal challenge, too, which probably was a hit with the local soccer fans. Food and merchandise trucks flanked face-painting and VIP tents.
And, oh by the way, there were some Panthers legends in attendance, too.
Julius Peppers, the man who inspired Dorf’s jersey of choice, was greeted with a strong ovation.
Jim Szoke, the team’s longtime radio host, sat on stage with Peppers and brought up the idea of Peppers — a newly minted Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee — possibly getting a statue down the road. Peppers, ever humble, smiled as the crowd cheered with approval of Szoke’s suggestion.
“The fans are going to be there,” Peppers said when asked about the traveling fan base. “The players, like myself, the coaches — the personnel on the field — is going to come and go out there, but the thing that’s going to remain is going to be the fans and how they support the team. So, it’s important that they stick together and they always stick behind the team — good and bad — because the league is cyclical.”
Also in attendance was Yannick Roob, another German-based fan, who was elated to have his home country host his favorite team. Roob had followed the Panthers since the early 2010s, and he said social media was a driving force in his long-term fandom.
“The social media is a big factor here in Germany,” Roob said. “And there are multiple German Instagram pages like the Roaring Riot, for example. Or Panthers Deutschland, and it’s huge, it really is.”
Marcel Taravaci, a fellow Roaring Riot Germany member, said he was inspired to become a Panthers fan because of the play of former MVP QB Cam Newton. Tavaraci is one of the many European fans that clung to Carolina amid their impressive run to Super Bowl 50 in 2015.
“I saw (Newton) on the TV, and the complete season was absolutely amazing,” Taravaci said. “He was such a cool guy and he throws amazing passes and the rushing attacks, and yeah, Cam Newton was actually the (player) that made me become a Panthers fan.”
Roob expressed enthusiasm for both the new front office and last year’s first overall pick, QB Bryce Young. He also couldn’t wait to see some of his “heroes,” as the likes of Steve Smith and Luke Kuechly were set to trot onto the stage.
But Dorf said there is a new universal fan favorite Panther among German fans and he just got to Charlotte.
“Germans are such big fans of Xavier Legette because of his accent, his style — so he’s very unique,” Dorf said. “Germans definitely like unique people (on) the teams.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2024 at 9:17 AM.
