Overall fan interest down?

[Anybodyhome]

The "economy" is a real reason, whether some are affected or don't think they are.

Fact of the matter is this- even if an entire working family still has their jobs, most of them don't feel safe with them and are finding any means necessary to curtail spending. Look at the restaurant industry- down and still declining, hotel/motel services- down, membership gyms- down hard, movie theaters- down. Discretionary income means more to people now than it did a couple years ago.

One simply cannot say, "It doesn't cost anything to drive to training camp." Really? Let's load up the wife and kids and figure out how much this is going to cost. Obviously there's the gas. Then there's Mom, always thinking ahead and knowing it's going to be hot, so she decides to load up a cooler full of drinks, sandwiches and snacks to appease the kids. That either took a trip to the grocery store or it means it'll all have to be replaced in the 'frig on the next trip to the store. And before you say, "It would have gotten eaten anyway," you're almost correct except that on this single day the rate of consumption is significantly higher given the fact the loaf of bread used to make a bunch of sandwiches normally lasts 4-5 days is now gone in one, for example. All the sodas, water and G2 that fills the 'frig usually lasts a week but is now all on ice for a single day.

And once it is mostly consumed, more often than not, the same meal isn't going to cut it later in the day or early evening after the late practice. So on the way home, the family stops by Applebee's for a "real" meal before heading back up the road.

So this little day trip for a family of four, which some claim doesn't cost anything, just cost $30-40 in gas if you live within an hour or so of Spartanburg, another $20-30 in groceries and a $60 check at Applebee's. Do the math- it's over a hundred bucks to make this day trip.

I do this for every home game- been that way for 15 years now. Sure, I paid for my season's tickets months ago and the investment of the PSLs was years ago, but the trip on those Sundays comes with its price. I drive 2 hours one way- usually about $40-50 in gas for the 4-hour round trip. Food and essentials for the tailgate is a Saturday trip to the store after our tailgating partners all figure out the menu and divide up the responsibilities. This normally goes at $60-80 and we carry that much into the stadium for any inside expenses (water, beer, food, Panther gear, etc.). And, unlike the scenario above, we have no kids- just the 2 of us and it still runs us, on average, about $180-200 per home game.

So instead of saying the "economy" is the issue, let's just change the language a little and say that a large number of people are rearranging their priorities. Sure, we can say we've been to all these games and we can brag that we've only missed 3 home games during the entire Panther history, but let's be real- the game is better watched on TV and there are no blackouts in the Charlotte area. I could easily sell the PSLs (okay, in this economy, maybe not so easily) and save the weekly costs of going to the games and this would all save me about 4 mortgage payments a year.

But it's all about our choices and our priorities and very seldom is it about the game itself.

[Panthers_Lover]

Attendance is not down. Actually, through the first 7 practices (don't have numbers from last night yet), it's actually up.

Let me also say that I drive to and from Charlotte 10 times a season to watch the Panthers play, eating in Charlotte at a restaurant, purchasing some concession items and paying for gasoline and parking. Just saying.

[Zod]

How do they come up with those numbers? I don't remember the place being nearly that empty last year.

[Panthers_Lover]

How do they come up with those numbers? I don't remember the place being nearly that empty last year.

The Convention & Visitors Bureau mans the gate and has a counter. It's not an exact science, but it's a pretty good picture of attendance.

Some things tend to give you a skewed view, depending on where the team is practicing, for example. At the 3 p.m. practices, the crowd is spread around on both large hillsides, for example, so it's difficult sometimes to see how many are there.

[Zod]

I have only been to morning practices, maybe the evening ones make up for the thin morning crowds.

[Panthers_Lover]

Friday afternoon was the smallest crowd -- under 500. The rest have been more than 800 each, with Sunday afternoon being 1,750. Saturday night, we had 5,000 people (party and practice).

[Matt Foley]

Face it, a lot of Panthers fans are coming to their senses and switching their allegiances to the Rams.

[Doc Holiday]

I've been to the last 5-6 tranning camps and this was the first one I went to that wasn't the opening day of camp so the crowed was about as big as I expected.

[Fan4life]

Let's see , I wonder why ! We cut most Vet players, Trim alot of fat, sign some players for 1 year base pay. Sign zero free Agents worth a damn. ticket prices are still high as hell. I live in Clayton and for me and my son to attend one Panthers game this year , It will cost me around 250.00. That is tickets, food, and gas. nose bleed ticks. And we are facing a lock out.

[panthers55]

The "economy" is a real reason, whether some are affected or don't think they are.

Fact of the matter is this- even if an entire working family still has their jobs, most of them don't feel safe with them and are finding any means necessary to curtail spending. Look at the restaurant industry- down and still declining, hotel/motel services- down, membership gyms- down hard, movie theaters- down. Discretionary income means more to people now than it did a couple years ago.

One simply cannot say, "It doesn't cost anything to drive to training camp." Really? Let's load up the wife and kids and figure out how much this is going to cost. Obviously there's the gas. Then there's Mom, always thinking ahead and knowing it's going to be hot, so she decides to load up a cooler full of drinks, sandwiches and snacks to appease the kids. That either took a trip to the grocery store or it means it'll all have to be replaced in the 'frig on the next trip to the store. And before you say, "It would have gotten eaten anyway," you're almost correct except that on this single day the rate of consumption is significantly higher given the fact the loaf of bread used to make a bunch of sandwiches normally lasts 4-5 days is now gone in one, for example. All the sodas, water and G2 that fills the 'frig usually lasts a week but is now all on ice for a single day.

And once it is mostly consumed, more often than not, the same meal isn't going to cut it later in the day or early evening after the late practice. So on the way home, the family stops by Applebee's for a "real" meal before heading back up the road.

So this little day trip for a family of four, which some claim doesn't cost anything, just cost $30-40 in gas if you live within an hour or so of Spartanburg, another $20-30 in groceries and a $60 check at Applebee's. Do the math- it's over a hundred bucks to make this day trip.

I do this for every home game- been that way for 15 years now. Sure, I paid for my season's tickets months ago and the investment of the PSLs was years ago, but the trip on those Sundays comes with its price. I drive 2 hours one way- usually about $40-50 in gas for the 4-hour round trip. Food and essentials for the tailgate is a Saturday trip to the store after our tailgating partners all figure out the menu and divide up the responsibilities. This normally goes at $60-80 and we carry that much into the stadium for any inside expenses (water, beer, food, Panther gear, etc.). And, unlike the scenario above, we have no kids- just the 2 of us and it still runs us, on average, about $180-200 per home game.

So instead of saying the "economy" is the issue, let's just change the language a little and say that a large number of people are rearranging their priorities. Sure, we can say we've been to all these games and we can brag that we've only missed 3 home games during the entire Panther history, but let's be real- the game is better watched on TV and there are no blackouts in the Charlotte area. I could easily sell the PSLs (okay, in this economy, maybe not so easily) and save the weekly costs of going to the games and this would all save me about 4 mortgage payments a year.

But it's all about our choices and our priorities and very seldom is it about the game itself.

Totally agree that it is priorities, you just said it more eloquently. But your numbers are way off.

I live an hour from Spartanburg and it costs me around 7 gallons in gas for the complete trip. At $2.65 that comes out to around $20 bucks. Admission 1s free, bottled water you bring from home is around 20 cents a bottle so 10 bottles is 2 dollars. If you eat at home before you come and visit the dollar menu on the way back you might spend another $15 bucks at a fast food restaurant. So your total is closer to 40 bucks not $100. Funny how you talk about cutting back and based your costs on driving a hummer and eating out at a more expensive restaurant than necessary.

My point was exactly what you said. If it usually costs almost 200 for 2 people to watch a game at the stadium, it makes no sense not to come to Spartanburg for a fifth of the price and get close to the guys and perhaps get some cherished autographs.

The economy would make it more compelling not less unless you have shifted your priorities away from football and then this whole discussion is moot.

[Matt Foley]

You can actually hear Smitty cuss from the sidelines.

[Panthers_Lover]

He was funny yesterday ... wore a disguise of sorts.

[Matt Foley]

He was funny yesterday ... wore a disguise of sorts.

A human being?

[NJPanthers12]

to be fair it is shark week