[Stoke]

The Kittys have the worst fans in the league.... The "true" fans are all but forced to sit way high in the upper decks. The folks with the good seats are the wine and cheese - in by the 2nd quarter, out by the 4th quarter peeps that only show up in decent weather.

Its been well documented that the lower bowl area is basically a social gathering spot for the city's wealthy and elite that could less about any activity on the field.

The other big drawback is that due to the relatively young age of the team, the fact that for years this was Redskins territory and then mix in the high number of residents transplanted from other cities with much older teams, sometimes the Panthers can seem like the visiting team in their own stadium due to the HUGE number of fans that show up for the opposing team - especially when Green Bay or Pittsburgh come to town.

From an old article on CNNSI.com.....

"Even though it's been a little over a decade [since the Panthers began play], people are still learning to be football fans ... in basketball country." Perhaps that's why Bank of America Stadium is "one of the quietest in the league." "There are people who will ask you to sit down on third-and-goal with the game on the line and the Panthers D on the field." "Panthers fans have a reputation for being a 'wine-and-cheese' crowd," where a "lady can walk into the lower level with a fur coat on," and fans are "often more worried about getting the wave started than a late fourth-quarter drive." "Many fans have a poor knowledge of football" and "have not learned how to cheer enough to create a hostile environment for the other team." In fact, "depending on whom the Panthers play, the other team's fans [often] outnumber Panthers' fans," a situation some attribute to a combination of Carolina "being relatively new in the league," and the city's "many transplants" "from NYC, Philly, Atlanta, etc." Admittedly, "we are not as rowdy as some fans; we are friendly and fun, not angry and hurtful, and we accommodate fans of other teams with good-natured ribbing." That may be admirable, but that's "not much of a home field advantage."