Is Our Fanbase Predisposed to "Fairweather-ism"?

[cbarrier90]

It's a combination of:

A. Not being a consistent winner (and at times, downright mediocre.)

B. Since the team began playing in 1995, the fanbase is still in its first generation of people who grew up in the Carolinas with the Panthers.

Fix A, and you'll give the Redskins and Cowboys fans a reason to start supporting their "hometown" team (which, believe it or not, I think some may actually want to do right now, just haven't become consistent winners.)

Fix B, and you'll begin to see more fans stick around during the bad times because of the "hometown" loyalty.

Considering the market we are in and our recent (lack of) successes on the field, I'd say our fanbase in terms of size and loyalty is probably the NFL average, especially when you consider situations like Jacksonville.

It also doesn't help that BOA Stadium was built about 5-10000 seats too large to begin with, but that's another story.

[SCP]

I just think Charlotte is filled with a bunch of weak kneed bandwagon sell outs. Simple as that.

[Kevin Greene]

I just think Charlotte is filled with a bunch of weak kneed bandwagon sell outs. Simple as that.

It aint easy being a Panther fan the last half decade.

Even the greatest pooping salesman on the planet was talking dropping his PSLs at the end of this season iirc.

[Brooklyn Bully]

While I would agree with you for the most part, if you go to college football/basketball games for Duke, NC State or Carolina, they are not timid/lax. I just don't think the loytalty has been ingrained in the people around the Carolina's yet.

Well yeah, college kids. Sell 70k tickets to that age group and the stadium will be loud as hell.

[SCP]

It aint easy being a Panther fan the last half decade.

Even the greatest pooping salesman on the planet was talking dropping his PSLs at the end of this season iirc.

I can't remember what the thread was about but I was threatening to just walk away. I'd never do it unfortunately. I did opt out of buying two additional PSLs this year because of my disgust.

[Chimera]

Well yeah, college kids. Sell 70k tickets to that age group and the stadium will be loud as hell.

No. That's the age group that shows up in other teams jerseys.

They're worried about their image. Gotta check the standings before they tell you their favorite team.

[iamhubby1]

We are still a first generation fan base. When the 2nd, and eventually the 3rd generation, join in. That will be when HOME field will start being a factor.

[Chimera]

There is a lot of truth to the first generation argument. Most people I know in Charlotte still follow the team they grew up with. The Panthers are their clear #2.

Once enough people haven't grown up with another team...

I grew up with the 49ers. But I was young enough (15) when the Panthers started playing that I didn't have that deep loyalty that I now have with the Panthers.

The first few years, when we were in the NFC West, I didn't care who won between us or the 49ers. I was just amazed at seeing those two teams on the same field twice a year.

[SteveSmithOwns]

Well yeah, college kids. Sell 70k tickets to that age group and the stadium will be loud as hell.

Now that's the type of thinking the marketing people should be in on. Get college age kids there to show people how to be loud...create a culture, then faze them out while still maintaining the culture...easy lol

[PanthersAlv]

There are a lot of factors to the whole fan base being "fair weather" I think.

1st generation fans is one.

Relocation of people to the area is another. (Hell, I moved to Charlotte from Albany NY in 2005. Granted tho, I picked up the Panthers when they came into the league, as I wasn't a fan of any other team)

Winning games. I know when I first moved here and started going to games, I felt the upper level moving under my feet when cheering on the team. that's not happened much since then.

The Economy doesn't help either... being a fan in the stadium or a fan at home to save money is sadly a factor too. (and one of the contributing factors to the "other teams fans" getting seats.)

Yeah, all fan bases have their fair share of "fair weather" fans. But, ya need a solid base to build up... and that base is still being built for the Panthers.

Looking ahead, I think the Panthers will get to the playoffs, the 2nd generation of fans will be established, and with winning, some of the "fair weather" fans will turn into solid fans.

But that's just me. Here's hope'n I guess.

[Nicbsbll2]

Consider this: The Carolina Hurricanes moved to NC in 1997 (two years after the Panthers) and they consistently have one of the better crowds in the NHL. The teams logically should be sharing the fan base so what is the difference between the two?

Is this because of small stadiums? Cheaper beer? Or just different type of fans?

[TheRumGone]

We are still a first generation fan base. When the 2nd, and eventually the 3rd generation, join in. That will be when HOME field will start being a factor.

Very true. My sisters kid was born and we decked him out in all panthers gear. I got him a panthers baby bib and and panthers onsey. My sis and brother in law got him a beanie and a cam newton jersey. Obce this new generation grows up we'll see a change.

Sidenote: i've traveling around this past week to visit friends in atlanta and miami. Done a poo ton of bar hopping. I havent noticed one person rocking anything other than falcons or dolphins poo. It was depressing that these poo cities (especially atl) have more loyal fans than we do.

And btw, i have to say it again, atlanta is a shithole.

[bleys]

It's the offseason, so entertain me.

I've been thinking with all of the embarrassing turnouts to Panthers games this year by our fanbase in which we allow other teams' fans to fill up our stadium and essentially make it an away game, is our fanbase predisposed to suck?

Not just giving up our tickets to other teams' fans, but also all of the numerous instances of our own fans trolling our players on twitter or booing guys at training camp or fanfest...

Then add to that, watching the Bobcats game tonight and the whole fuging arena was chanting "M-V-P" when Kobe stepped to the line in clutch time to put the 'Cats away for good in the 4th quarter. I was so disgusted.

My point is this... Could it be that we're predisposed to have a fairweather fanbase simply because we were among the last expansion franchises in "new" NFL markets? Look at Jacksonville, they're much worse but the point remains. When times are good, they're really good and it's easy for everyone to be a fan.

But, when the poo hits the fan, the fans hit the exits. And quick.

Houston and Cleveland were the two most recent "expansion" teams, but only in name, considering both of those cities had histories with the NFL of 20+ years prior to losing their original teams.

But, teams in new markets seem to lose their fans much quicker, and I question whether it's because they "became" fans after we got a team rather than growing up with the Panthers (or in baketball, the Bobcats) as their team.

Do you think it's the "hometown adoption" scenario, or do you think the home market/fanbase just sucks because of the culture of the area?

Discuss... Or let's talk about how awesome Colin Cole is going to be before he retires during training camp.

not sure what's been said up until this point... but I think it's more logical to ask how 4 winning seasons out of 17 has kept people buying tickets this entire time?

and then we can direct our attention onto why our fanbase continues to fund mediocrity...

[Disinfranchised]

Also the stadium "rat you buddy" system and security take a lot of fan noise and fun out of the "game day experience". Sometimes I think all that noise in BOA bothers JR.