Bank of America Field is home to the Carolina Panthers, an expansion franchise that was unanimously voted into the NFL fold on October 23rd, 1993. This team is one of the few that owns their own stadium, which likely adds to their valuation as a franchise worth more than a billion dollars. In order to finance the construction of the stadium, personal seat licenses were sold to fans, which makes this the first big building project funded mostly through this method. More than half of all NFL teams now have seat licenses of some sort for those who wish to purchase season tickets.

The cost to build this facility was around $248 million, with construction lasting nearly two and a half years before opening on September 14th, 1996. Considered ahead of its time, this field inspired renovations and various new building projects for other NFL teams. After Ericsson ceded naming rights in 2004, Bank of America stepped in to acquire the naming rights for 20 years.

After considering a few different locations, including a spot near the Carolinas border that would allow the fifty-yard mark to match state lines, the stadium was built in downtown Charlotte. Recent renovations have brought gigantic HD screens, additional escalators and a new sound system in an attempt to host a Super Bowl soon.

Carolina Panthers Stadium

Since the beginning of the decade, the Carolina Panthers have struggled to field a competitive team, with 2013 being their only year with a winning record. In that particular year, they were nearly unbeaten at home, earning a 7-1 record. However, over the last five seasons, their home record has been sub-.500, going 19-21 over this span. 

Part of the reason why the team may not have a great home field advantage is due to the great weather and fantastic playing field at Bank of America Stadium. The 2010 NFLPA survey of the quality of playing fields ranked “The Vault” as fourth-best grass playing field in the league. As a result, some visiting teams may end up enjoying their visit to BoA Stadium due to great weather and fine turf.

The design of this stadium is also set up to be fan-friendly, including an excess of restroom facilities and concession stands, not to mention the pleasing design of the stadium, which includes tall arches and large concourse areas that are easy to navigate.

Stadium Vitals

Date Opened: September 14th, 1996

Construction Cost: $248 million

Architect: Populous

Capacity Attendance: 74,455

Playing Surface: Voyager Bermuda Grass

Previous Carolina Panthers Stadiums

Memorial Stadium

Other Major Events 

College Football

The ACC Championship game started taking place at Bank of America Stadium in 2010, recently reaching an agreement to stay until at least the 2019 season. The Belk Bowl has been hosted here since 2002. Belk is also sponsoring the 2015 Belk College Kickoff game between the North Carolina Tar Heels and the South Carolina Gamecocks.

International Soccer

The first international soccer match was a 2010 friendly between Iceland and Mexico. In 2011, games from the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup were played on this field. The 2013 International Champions Cup arrived at Bank of America field on August 2nd, in which Liverpool F.C. defeated A.C. Milan by a score of 2-0. In the following year, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain fought to a 1-1 draw on July 25th.