Do you think the Panthers will move?

[panthers55]

Of course they won't move. One of the biggest issues is that by selling permanent seat licenses which are granted for life, you couldn't just move with a ton of lawsuits and potentially having to pay everyone back for what they spent.

As for moving to Raleigh, they can't even support what they have. First of all, it is much different filling up the RBC center which seats around 19000 versus BOA which seats well over 70,000. They lost money until the 2003-2004 season and really didn't even sellout many games until they won the Stanley Cup in 2005-2006.

So far this year they are averaging 14,640 or 78% full which ranks them 25th out of 30 teams.

[Peppers90 NC]

Gayman, youve never been right in your life

[Brooklyn Bully]

Charlotte doesnt have a huge metropolitan area but they support an NBA and an NFL franchise and both of them play through the same season too.

Umm...

The Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury Combined Statistical Area (CSA)[4] is a regional population area including parts of North Carolina and South Carolina with a 2008 population of 2,574,787.

and

As of July 1, 2008 the estimated population of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA was 1,690,557,[2].

[Gman was right]

Hockey teams play 42 home games a year including on week nights. None of them are ever full unless its on a saturday night or a playoff game. It would be the same way if the NFL played that many games a year. Canes are the worst team in hockey this year but every time I go the place is rockin! Its louder there still than BOA stadium is at full capacity when the panthers are winning.

Btw, The steelers were 26th in attendence last year. I guess they dont have a very good fan base then

[Squirrel]

And your point? There are only 8 NFL home games a year and by the time hockey season starts there would probably only be about 5 or 6 home games left. How in the world would they interfere with each other especially when the canes rarely play on sundays? The trinangle could very easily support both teams. Charlotte doesnt have a huge metropolitan area but they support an NBA and an NFL franchise and both of them play through the same season too.

Sh! This is Charlotte we are talking about. But you do have a point. Raleigh would draw from the Triad and east and the Panthers would draw from the Triad , SC and west. Like I said NC is the 10th largest state in the US. MSA is a nice thing but combined NC and SC they could support two teams. If Raleigh ever did get one they would be AFC.

[CatMan72]

Wait, we have a hockey team in this "Raleigh" place you speak of?

Something tells me Jerry Richardson considered all his options and decided back in 95 that Charlotte was the best place in NC for the team. Since then, Charlotte has grown exponentially... so it's an ever better place for the team then it was in 95. Raleigh has grown as well, but nothing like Charlotte.

By my count, that's three pro sports teams that chose Charlotte over Raleigh - must be more than coincidence, right? No offense, but the NHL is one step above pro bowling when it comes to popularity. It's clear that when a major pro sports team chooses a city in NC, they choose Charlotte.

[Gman was right]

Umm...

The Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury Combined Statistical Area (CSA)[4] is a regional population area including parts of North Carolina and South Carolina with a 2008 population of 2,574,787.

and

As of July 1, 2008 the estimated population of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA was 1,690,557,[2].

So only 600,000 more than the triangle? Like I said not that big.

[Saint J]

wait, someone seriously thinks the Panthers could move to Raliegh? That's like Falcons fans saying their team will move to Athens or Saints fans saying the team will go to Baton Rouge. lol

[Cheetodude]

Well, if Raleigh did get a NFL team, would you guys Greensboro and further east make the jump? Just a fun little question.

I would have a pretty hard time switching allegience after rooting for the Panthers for so long. Like squirrel said, a lot would depend on the ownership at the time. If the Panthers new owner is another Shinn, I would consider it. If the Panthers go public (a la Green Bay) I'm NEVER switching loyalty...unless I buy my own franchise.

[Guild]

wait, someone seriously thinks the Panthers could move to Raliegh? That's like Falcons fans saying their team will move to Athens or Saints fans saying the team will go to Baton Rouge. lol

No that's not someone. That's G-Man getting a rise out of people.

[Brooklyn Bully]

So only 600,000 more than the triangle? Like I said not that big.

Math is not for you.

And I was just pointing out how stupid you were to say that Charlotte didn't have a large metro area. I wasn't comparing it to the Triangle, which by the way gets to use two full sized cities in their tally. Gastonia and Salisbury are hick towns.

[Gman was right]

Math is not for you.

And I was just pointing out how stupid you were to say that Charlotte didn't have a large metro area. I wasn't comparing it to the Triangle, which by the way gets to use two full sized cities in their tally. Gastonia and Salisbury are hick towns.

Um, he said Raleigh couldnt support both an NFL team and an NHL team because the triangle only has a little over a million people in the metro area. Charlotte only has 600,000 more like you said but yet they support two pro teams anyway. Soooooo obviously raleigh could support two teams too since both areas have a small metropolitan area.

[SCP]

I guess anything is possible when the big cat decides to sell or passes away.

[Squirrel]

Umm...

The Charlotte-Gastonia-Salisbury Combined Statistical Area (CSA)[4] is a regional population area including parts of North Carolina and South Carolina with a 2008 population of 2,574,787.

and

As of July 1, 2008 the estimated population of the Raleigh-Durham-Cary CSA was 1,690,557,[2].

Politics screwed MSA up. The triangle is ranked 29th and the Triad is ranked 31st in CSA .