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Posted on Thu, Jan. 22, 2004

Charlotte basks in Super spotlight

Panthers' success brings tons of free publicity

CHARLES LUNAN
Staff Writer (http://www.realcities.com/mld/charlotte/sports/football/714/7767364.htm)

Interesting article. I wonder how many people actually know that the Carolina Panthers is officially represents both of the Carolinas. I remember a press conference in the early 90's when owner Gary Richardson (from Spartanburg) was debating to call the team the Carolina Panthers or the Carolinas Panthers. They obviously went with Carolina b/c they figured people would figure out it was supposed to be both states team.

Still I wonder how many people actually know this information?

I think it definitly brought positive attention to the city. That can never hurt. Having pro sports teams that win is sometimes attractive to corporations looking to relocate because it gives there employees in that city entertainment and it can be a lucrative endorsment for the company. The superbowl flashed Charlotte's Skyline on TV's across the US which familarized a lot of people with Charlotte that may not have otherwise ever thought about Charlotte. It will definitly increase the amount of games televised out of Charlotte this upcoming season. I think the problem is Charlotte was not a large city for a long time and a lot of people across the US still assume it's smaller than it is. Any time those people can see our skyline is good since it can change a lot of people's image of the city.

I do consider the Panthers a Carolina team but I also see that the Panther's focus is really on the Charlotte metro and that most of the focus on the Panthers comes from the Charlotte metro, which is of course in both states. IMO a "Charlotte" team will always be a duel state team. The Charlotte Bobcats will be just as much a part of Rock Hill as it is Concord despite the state line because both cities are part of Metro Charlotte and are in a way part of "Charlotte". So the "Carolina's team" mentality seems to be stronger in the Charlotte metro and more watered down in places like Raleigh and Charleston.

How many Monday night games are the Panthers playing this year?

It brought some attention, but nothing like actually hosting it, or winning it. It certainly doesn't hurt, that's for sure.

^^ agreed. Though I believe being the two teams in it, and the city where it is is always a large boost to all the cities involved.

Bump

They really should be called the Charlotte Panthers. There's really only one Carolina and that's the Tar Heels!

They really should be called the Charlotte Panthers. There's really only one Carolina and that's the Tar Heels!
I've thought about that but I bet it'd hurt their spectatorship if they did. Then again, I think North Carolinians don't like sharing a NFL team with South Carolina, b/c it's a poor state. So, if they changed the name to Charlotte Panthers maybe spectatorship would go up. :dunno:

Considering that the owners of the team are from SC...do more research next time.

How many Monday night games are the Panthers playing this year?
One, and its at home against the Packers (again). You usually don't get a whole lot of primetime games when you come off of a 7-9 season.

Considering that the owners of the team are from SC...do more research next time.
You must be from SC. I don't have anything against the Palmetto State. One of my favorite cities is there -- Charleston.

They really should be called the Charlotte Panthers. There's really only one Carolina and that's the Tar Heels!

Cocks are the true Carolina.

Then again, I think North Carolinians don't like sharing a NFL team with South Carolina, b/c it's a poor state.

and NC's the emerald city at the end of the yellow brick road? :gunz: :hahaha: even if SC is poorer, at least it's not overrun by corporate tools and carpetbaggers. ;)

-

p.s. oh god, not another carolina vs. carolina argument.

and NC's the emerald city at the end of the yellow brick road?:gunz: :hahaha:
LMAO!!! :lol:
even if SC is poorer, at least it's not overrun by corporate tools and carpetbaggers. ;)
God help us. :)
p.s. oh god, not another carolina vs. carolina argument.
Let's hope not. :ohno:

Cocks are the true Carolina.


And in the other 49 states, Tarheels are Carolina. UNC came first, its a better school, and is more nationally recognized for athletics and research. To say USC is the true carolina is just homerism.

USC, SC, Carolina, Carolina, Carolina, yeah that's what we call it, and yeah were OK with that.

And now lets hear some classic comments about how SC isn't really Carolina b/c it isnt Carolina but it has a south in it or something?

I think Jake's Bojangles ads have done more for Charlotte than the Super Bowl ever could...and it's gotta be the Carolina Panthers because Charlotte has traditionally been the least football oriented place in all of North and South Carolina.

I think Jake's Bojangles ads have done more for Charlotte than the Super Bowl ever could...and it's gotta be the Carolina Panthers because Charlotte has traditionally been the least football oriented place in all of North and South Carolina.

Good point.

And in the other 49 states, Tarheels are Carolina.

SC, being a historically renegade state, doesn't too much give a flying flip about the other 49 states. Who was the first state to secede from the Union? LOL

Just trying to keep it light. Both state have corporations, businesses, etc. that use "Carolina" without the north/south designation, so it ain't a big deal.

Then again, I think North Carolinians don't like sharing a NFL team with South Carolina, b/c it's a poor state.

I really don't think North Carolinians (at least outside of the Charlotte metro) actually put THAT much thought into it. Technically, the team belongs to both Carolinas, but for the most part, it's seen as a Charlotte team. The Panthers actually wanted to play their first regular season in Columbia. Personally, I see the regional designation as a bigger selling point.

Oh yeah, SC may be a "poorer" state than NC, but not necessarily "poor."

I think calling them the Carolina Panthers does little to boost Charlotte's image. It plays into the ideaology that Charlotte is so sub-par that it can't even anchor an NFL franchise.

I think calling them the Carolina Panthers does little to boost Charlotte's image. It plays into the ideaology that Charlotte is so sub-par that it can't even anchor an NFL franchise.
:lol:

I recall from one of Carolina’s Superbowl playoff games, where the announcers were noting that most people in the US don’t know where the Carolina Panthers actually play. I think that’s very true. From a personal perspective, I think that’s true of most things regarding North Carolina. I’ve often had friends in other parts of the country ask me things like, how far is Chapel Hill from Charlotte? How far is Greensboro? What about Duke and Durham. A lot of people I know, and have met, simply assume everything in North Carolina is in one little area. They’re not sure if Charlotte or Greensboro or Raleigh is the largest city in the state. They just assume one or the other is, and all the other places they’ve heard of are simply suburbs of the larger. Wouldn’t that be great if it were true.

I think it tends to be like that with teams that have a regional designation rather than a city/state designation. For instance, I have no idea where the New England Patriots play (as you can tell, I'm not much of a football fan).

Regarding people in other parts of the country, I think you were fortunate to even come across people who knew that Charlotte, Raleigh, or Greensboro were even in North Carolina to begin with. I think it's more typical for non-Southerners to mix up North/South Carolina cities simply because both states are Carolina. When I went to visit a friend in LA, he always introduced me to his friends as "my friend from North Carolina"...LOL. But in fairness, I think he might have gotten it mixed up because I live in SC (Rock Hill) but work in NC (Charlotte).