In a move that will surely disappoint fans eager to witness pre-season preparations, the Carolina Panthers have announced they will not host spectators at their training camps for the years 2025 and 2026. Citing "ongoing construction" as the reason, the Panthers will temporarily put a halt to what had been a staple summer event for fans. WBTV reported the news on Wednesday.
Since the disruption caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which was the only season without fan attendance at training camp in team history, this comes as another unique situation troubling the team's summer plans. While fans get ready absent from the training camp, the Panthers provided a silver lining: the annual Fan Fest will be held on August 2, back in Uptown Charlotte at the Bank of America Stadium. This detail was shared by Panthers' official website.
Previously, the Panthers had held their training camps at Wofford College every year until 2024, with an exception in 2020 due to the pandemic, and the one-time location change to the team's practice facility in 2024. According to details shared by the Charlotte Observer, this sudden shift away from the traditional site could mark a significant turning point for the Panthers pre-season activities.
Despite the construction disruptions affecting the upcoming training camps, the Panthers are urging fans to hold onto their anticipation for the Fan Fest and follow the team's content throughout the training camp season. The team promises more details about the event, including access to team content, that will be unveiled as we head closer to the date, the team's official website noted. With fans forced to do without the training camp experience, the focus now shifts to the Fan Fest as the marquee event where fan engagement will take center stage.
