Anyone ever been to a Panther game @ Tampa?

[ECUPantherFan]

Hey guys - I just moved down to the northern part of Florida, and Tampa is a short 3-hour drive from me.  I'm considering taking my wife to the Panthers @ Bucs game.  Has anyone here ever been to Raymond James Stadium when the Panthers are in town?  Are their fans as trashy as their team?  Just wondering what I'm getting myself into, and if I need to choose liquor or beer.  Ha

[rhyslloyd]

You'll feel right at home after your time in Dowdy Ficklen.


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[X-Clown]

I went a few years ago, and their fans were actually decent, pretty self deprecating, didn't give us a hard time even though we get beat (it was 2010 and Clausen was the QB). I didn't tailgate around the stadium, so that may be part of the reason I didn't have a bad experience. Lots of empty seats, and was able to find tickets pretty cheap right before kickoff.

[ECUPantherFan]

1 minute ago, rhyslloyd said:

You'll feel right at home after your time in Dowdy Ficklen.


Sent from my iPhone using CarolinaHuddle

I see what you did there.  

Dowdy-Ficklen is a great place full of wonderful people.  I have a feeling that RJS is not.

[DaveThePanther2008]

I went to a game in 2008 or 09.  It wasn't bad the fans were pretty cool.  Actually drank some beer with a group.   It was a good game.  We lost but it was ok.  It was about this time of year too.  A little warm but then again Florida is usually warm.

[CosmoGirl]

I go almost every year and always have fun. I prefer to not sit under the canon though because it's annoying one shot for each point that's scored. Otherwise, the fans are nice (I always have lower level good seats, which makes a difference at any away stadium). People sell parking spots in their yards. There are pop-up beer stands in those yards as well. 

[Jimmy]

I think @RoaringRiot has been there a time or two or three or four...

[RoaringRiot]

You don't have to deal with their fans much when you sit in a section that's 100% Panthers fans.

[manu4t]

The fans are generally pretty cool, but might be worse this year if they are in the race for the division title.  When I have been in the past the stadium has been OK, it is certainly easy to get to from the airport.

If you go, you should go with Roaring Riot then you dont have to worry about the fans.  The stadium is what it is.

[ChuckWag78]

I grew up in Clearwater which is just west of Tampa. My parents had season tickets from 1977 through 2014 (the last 15 or so years being club seats).  I went to every Panthers game in Tampa from 1999 on until last year.  Both of my parents are FL transplants from Buffalo and Cleveland. They had their previous allegiances and supported the Bucs as their 2nd teams to support the community. Because of this I never felt I had a team of my own and half heartedly supported Bills/Browns.  I never like the Bucs!!!  Well, 1995 rolls around and I am presented with two options.  Panthers or Jags.  With two AFC teams already in the family, I picked the Panthers and never looked back.  I also hoped I might one day score a free Super Bowl ticket if they ever played the Bill/Browns in a Super Bowl!!

After my 2014 experience, I finally had enough.  Now, I am not a loud/obnoxious fan and I don't typically engage with opposing fans surrounding me. Also, I was typically with 3 friends/family members that were Tampa fans at these games.  I have had beers/drinks thrown at me, been viciously cursed at, and threatened. This has all happened in CLUB seats.  When others in my party report this behavior ( I again try to lay low), I have been asked to vacate my seat to go watch upstairs on the TV's in the club section.  Now this has not occurred at every game, but more often than not. I can't even imagine what happens in the 500 level. 

Now that being said, the stadium is pretty neat. No one has anything like the pirate ship and the overall atmosphere is party. Just remember a large portion of fans are just drunken white trash (not a race thing, just can't think of a better term) who don't understand how to act in public. Too much to drink in 100 degree heat will cause some bad decisions. If you can avoid those pockets of fans you should be fine. 

If you have never been to Ray Jay, it is worth it to go at least once, but I will probably never go back for another Panthers game.

 

[juliosantos]

been to tampa its not bad . worst place i been to was philly those fans are straight trash

[Montsta]

I went a few years ago he. We played them on TNF. My wife and I went to Disney World and then went there on Thursday. I had a great time. 

Dude in front of us was with a girl I thought was his daughter til he started rubbing her back in a sexual way, which became weird. 

[TylerDurden]

Wear a hazmat suit...

 

And a condom.

[RoaringRiot]

It's funny to hear people talk negatively about Bucs fans. They're some of the most harmless fans I've ever encountered.