For the first time since the team's founding, the Carolina Panthers said Wednesday that they won't hold next season's training camp at Wofford College in South Carolina. Instead, the team will hold its training camp on their home turf in Charlotte.
"We're excited to hold training camp at our facility in Charlotte," Kristi Coleman, president of the Carolina Panthers, said in a statement. "We appreciate Wofford and the Spartanburg community for their hospitality over the years. We are dedicated to the fans in South Carolina, and we will continue to bring fan and community events to the state."
The Panthers have held training camp at Wofford annually since the franchise launched in 1995. The only exception was 2020, when they held a smaller training camp in Charlotte during the COVID-19 pandemic. Former owner Jerry Richardson was a graduate of Wofford.
The Panthers haven't said where their next training camp will be. "The team is still working through logistics and how best to accommodate fans during camp. Details will be shared as plans are finalized," the Panthers said in a statement.
The Panthers will upgrade their training site and practice fields next to Bank of America Stadium to include three full fields, the team said.
Joe Person, of The Athletic, reported that the Panthers had been doing training camp at Wofford as part of a series of one-year deals, and the team decided not to continue the arrangement.
Per Wofford sources: College gave Panthers Dec. deadline RE whether they were returning in '24. Was series of 1-year deals the last few years. Wofford officials learned of Panthers' decision just before team's announcement.
— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 6, 2023
End of an era, but part of trend of teams staying home.
