37 replies to this topic

[Proudiddy]

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.

[LinvilleGorge]

Not sure the Bobcats are a good comparison. A lot of people in and around Charlotte just wrote the NBA off plain and simple when Shinn ran off to N.O. with the Hornets. The fact that the Bobcats have taken futility to unimaginable levels hasn't helped matters. Bob Johnson and his cheapskate ways never reinvigorated the fanbase and MJ's ineptitude has furthered the non-give-a-fugness of the locals.

[Proudiddy]

Not sure the Bobcats are a good comparison. A lot of people in and around Charlotte just wrote the NBA off plain and simple when Shinn ran off to N.O. with the Hornets. The fact that the Bobcats have taken futility to unimaginable levels hasn't helped matters. Bob Johnson and his cheapskate ways never reinvigorated the fanbase and MJ's ineptitude has furthered the non-give-a-fugness of the locals.

That's true to a degree, but doesn't explain why our football fans aren't much better.

And to add to that, there is a strong, dedicated, loyal 'Cats fanbase, but the blunders that haunted the franchise since its inception and the following lack of success has completely drained them of motivation on a nightly basis. We're waiting to have a reason to cheer for a sustained amount of time, but haven't been given one. That being said, there is no excuse to let a team from the other side of the country out cheer you in your home arena... They shouldn't even have that many tickets to begin with. I believe the same to be true of our Panthers fans.

[Brooklyn Bully]

I think Charlotte and Raleigh are just very timid/lax cities. Take Philly for example, very blue collar and it has an "edge". Same for Pittsburgh. NYC has it as well. Take any Panthers game and half or more of the fans are parents, bankers, wear khakis, are elderly, etc. The fans aren't fairweather, IMO, they're just too quiet. I mean, you can kick someone out for being too loud. Other stadiums do this as well but it seems like other places don't enforce it as much as we do. It's almost an atmosphere. Bible Belt, southern hospitality, etc. Same thing with Braves games in ATL.

[Panthers69473]

Just to add on I feel that in order to have a large supporting fanbase you have to of had some kind of success in this league. Whether that be by being regular season warriors like the failcunts and the manning led colts or storied franchises that used to be dominate or still are raiders cowboys bears buccs to a degree and then you have teams with recent success Baltimore (they've been good for a long time though same with patriots) patriots packers etc..I think that if the panthers would have won the sb in 03 our fanbase would be a ton better than what we have now. Yea yea we made it to the sb but no one remembers the losers. I just think that if we had more success during the regular season or had won a championship wed have a stronger fan base and not one on par with the browns. So to answer the ops question I think fairweatherism is true to a degree as well.

[Argus Plexus]

Well all I've ever known, being only 21, is the Panthers. Not a fan of any other team or any other sport. I'll be a fan till I die.

[Frash Brastard]

What came first the winning or the fans?

I think it was the winning

[jtnc]

What came first the winning or the fans?

I think it was the winning

The Browns sure are winning lately.

[Lumps]

Don't know really, but problem a combination os success/growing up with them.

I grew up in Dallas. While I loved to play it, I was not a watching football fan until I moved here in 1999 and became a fan of the Panthers. Didn't care it as my hometown. I watched every game until 2003, which then of course solidifed my loyalty and made me a panther fan for life. So you could say in my instance, a loyal was born from success in 2003. My team went to the super bowl and became my only team for the rest of their/my existence. My fanhood has nothing to do with hometown, I'd rather not live in Charlotte or the South personally but I love my Panthers and I want them to stay here where my memories are.

I'd say success matters more than hometown/growing up with a team but nothing will beat having both.

[The Huddler]

The browns are a historic team and were good back in the days...

A Superbowl or two for the Panthers and youl see lot more fans. Even back in 2008 the Monday Nighter, that stadium was packed and rocking man.

Maybe the Panther fans are the smartest, the best way to have your voice heard is to stop buying the product...
... And now we see change... ( Bye Hurney)

Our fans are fine. Even if we are a small market team, i have pride in that. When we do win the big one, ill be one of the very few actually celebrating his team.

[longtriad]

Want loyal fans? Give them Ws.

[beastson]

Thats why I made the thread I'm depressed. Come to a Ravens home game and Charlotte fans will be like whoa. This city fans and even the whole state of maryland besides those redskins fans powered them to win a SB. They stuck through the tough seasons and all, and that's how it should be. Its only been 4 years since our last playoff appearance but it feels like we've never been there

[longtriad]

You were not around in 2003? Then the bitchin was about the bandwagoners.

[SteveSmithOwns]

I think Charlotte and Raleigh are just very timid/lax cities. Take Philly for example, very blue collar and it has an "edge". Same for Pittsburgh. NYC has it as well. Take any Panthers game and half or more of the fans are parents, bankers, wear khakis, are elderly, etc. The fans aren't fairweather, IMO, they're just too quiet. I mean, you can kick someone out for being too loud. Other stadiums do this as well but it seems like other places don't enforce it as much as we do. It's almost an atmosphere. Bible Belt, southern hospitality, etc. Same thing with Braves games in ATL.

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.

[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.