This season, we’d like to introduce you to Panthers fans not just around the country, but all around the world. It takes a lot to be a Panthers fan outside of the Carolinas – people make fun of you, you’re ostracized at parties, people constantly send you gifs on Twitter of fumbles not being recovered – but The Roaring Riot aims to help alleviate that issue by creating a watch party for your favorite team in every city on the globe.
This year, we’re excited to introduce you to the folks that help make that possible. This week, we’ll be chatting with Andrew Small and Josh “The Shadow Cat” Outland, who began the Aussie Riot earlier this year and are excited to bring Panthers Pride down under!
Who Started Your Chapter and When?
The Shadow Cat: Co-Leader Andrew Small, Mark Driscoll, Jamie Pruitt, and I really got the ball rolling. We had been talking via Facebook throughout December of 2017 about the possibility of there being the Aussie Riot; however nothing was made official until the very end of 2017. Our first official viewing was the Panthers vs. Falcons game which fell (ironically) the day after New Year’s Eve….there weren’t too many people to show up sadly and it didn’t take place at the host venue All Hands Brewing House. Craig Morgan, the venue manager, connected me with a fellow pub owner who said she would show the game for us in his stead. We now have her place as a backup venue just in case something goes wrong at All Hands and Craig isn’t able to show a game for some reason.
Andrew: The chapter was started by Josh Outland, and myself. The idea for a Sydney Roaring Riot first came to my when I visited NC for a home game in 2016. I had the pleasure of meeting some Riot members, and attended the Tailgate at BOA Stadium. A few months later, I was contacted by a friend I made over there, who said whispers were circulating about a Roaring Riot Down Under Chapter, with my name mentioned. Apparently these were just rumors, but once Josh and I heard them, we pushed hard to get the ball rolling, and here we are.
How Hard Was It To Find A Bar To Host You?
The Shadow Cat: A lot of it was trial and error. Looking at pubs on Google, seeing how their rating was, their location and proximity. In the end, Andrew already had a prior connection with All Hands Brewing House; he knew the place, knew the owner, and in the end the choice that just made the most sense was the one we all decided on. We contacted Craig Morgan, turns out he is a huge football fan, and had played semi-professional American style ball, or what Aussies call “Gridiron”… for many years over here in Australia for Sydney. He was all too happy to help us out, we set up a meeting in person, and the rest, as they say, is history. Now the Aussie Riot is a living breathing entity, and it has a HQ.
Andrew: The NFL has a good following in Australia and has gained even more support since Sydney has hosted two College Season Openers. The events manager at All Hands Brewing is a veteran player for a local Gridiron Football team, so he has a passion for showing American sports at his venue, and even has some retired NFL players frequenting the bar. He was happy to help us out.
Where Do You Have Game Watch Parties?
Andrew: It’s a little hard to watch regular season games due to the time difference, but we have had a few playoff and delayed streaming games at All Hands. We also intend on hosting some Penrith Panthers NRL watch parties, with the idea of showing previous Carolina Panthers games afterwards, in an attempt to introduce more NRL fans to NFL.
How Many People Usually Show Up?
The Shadow Cat: We’ve had two watch parties thus far and I’d say on average 15 people have come. We definitely will be bumping the members up, as we really get publicity out to the public so more Panther fans will join us at these watch parties. I really expect the numbers to climb as the Panthers keep gaining respect in the NFL as well as the Aussie Riot gains more publicity. Being featured on the Riot Report will definitely be a big help with that; so many people would never imagine a Roaring Riot chapter outside of America, but they are starting to happen as the Panthers are being recognized world wide.
What Traditions (Audio, Cheers, Drinks, Etc.) Does Your Chapter Have?
The Shadow Cat: Being admittedly pretty young, we don’t have many traditions established as of yet. I do know when we had the playoff game vs the Saints we jokingly had a shot every time the refs made a bad call against Carolina; we also would take a shot and get loud when the Panthers scored a Touchdown. I also plan to start bringing a playlist with Panther pump up music to help get us hyped prior to the games as well as through commercials and bring and wear my “The Shadow Cat” attire to watch parties and public events so the Aussie Riot will have a “mascot” of sorts.
Andrew: When I visiting BOA Stadium in 2016, I contacted the team before I came, and asked for special copyright permission to make a Panther Nation Downunder flag. The team said as long as I only produced one for personal use, and didn’t make any to sell, I would be fine. This flag is kept with me, and is taken to events.
What Time Do Panthers Games Usually Start? 3a? Is it hard to get a bar to open at that time?
Andrew: Most Sunday evening games air at around 5a on Monday morning here. So for those of us with 9-5 jobs, it can be hard. However during football season, its not uncommon for people to save up their annual leave, and take a few Mondays off from time to time. Being in the southern hemisphere, we have our Summer holidays in December and January, so its a lot easier to view games during these weeks.
Do You Have To Teach People About American Football Rules?
The Shadow Cat: I honestly haven’t had to explain it as much as you would think. The NFL is starting to catch on over here honestly, especially since more National Rugby League players are starting to join and maybe even get drafted by the NFL. For instance, they are excited one of their great former NRL players, who used to play for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Jordan Mailata, got drafted in spite of being extremely raw by the Philadelphia Eagles. They were also hyped for Jarryd Hayne as a 49er while it lasted. Different sport, but they are really psyched over Ben Simmons being the #1 draft pick to the 76ers and are starting to get into the NBA for the same reason. The more the NFL includes Australians, the more they will get involved.
Do You Prefer NFL or Aussie Football?
The Shadow Cat: I prefer the NFL but I will say this. It could use a few changes inspired by the NRL – those games are quick, fast-paced, and they have typically played an entire game by the time it takes the NFL to get to halftime! They don’t take a five minute commercial break after every kickoff or punt return or time out.
Andrew:I think enjoying them both complements each other. Australian Rugby league and NFL aren’t that different in the fact that you have an offensive line, and defense, trying to get the ball into the end zone, and once the max number of tackles or downs are reached, the opposition takes the ball. The biggest difference is that Rugby doesn’t stop after each play, so it’s a game of speed and improvisation. Whereas NFL is more focused on strategy, and planning.
Are there Other NFL Fans in Sydney and Who Do They Like?
The Shadow Cat: Admittedly Sydney as well as Australia can be very bandwagon from what I’ve seen. They tend to pull for the hot teams; you will see Patriot, Steelers, Packers, Panthers and Eagles gear over here. And the 49ers because of their close proximity to California as well as Jarryd Hayne, the Rugby player turned NFL player turned Rugby player. Panther fans actually get a good bit of respect over here, I can’t count the number of times I’ve been on a train and been asked to drop a dab once they see my Panther jacket or jersey. Funny thing about the dab, it’s still a huge thing over here.
You can turn on Football, Rugby, Basketball, Netball, or Cricket….and see players or fans in the stands dropping the dab!!! Thank you Cam Newton!!
The Shadow Cat in his natural habitat.
Are There Ex-Pats in Your Chapter or Is It Mostly Native Aussies?
The Shadow Cat: There are a few transplants like me but the majority of them are native Aussies. It’s a nice blend of veteran Panthers and youth, which is essential to keeping a team’s fandom growing and healthy.
Why Did You Want To Lead A Chapter?
The Shadow Cat: Who wouldn’t want to lead a Chapter dedicated to their favorite team? It’s a tremendous honor being nominated as a Chapter Leader and I take the role very seriously and want to help grow the Panther fan base as well as expand its influence. Honestly, a lot of what I’ve done has been about increasing the accessibility of the Carolina Panthers. Sadly, not everyone is able to see the Panthers. It was a major fear of mine and damn near prevented the move to Australia. Becoming the Co-Leader for the Aussie Riot helps to make that dream a reality. I know it sounds cliché and I bet you get this response from all the other Chapter Leaders… but it’s honestly a dream come true.
Andrew: The warm welcome I got in Charlotte was probably the driving force behind wanting to start a chapter. That, and the fact that I knew there was quite a few Panthers fans in Sydney, but we had never actually met each other. I thought “why sit at home and watch the games alone, when we can all get together”
What Does Being In The Roaring Riot Mean To You?
The Shadow Cat: It means I get to help, as the slogan says, change the culture. Carolina has sadly not been able to travel very well for away games until maybe 2015 which is probably a big reason we had such a special season. I remember game one at the Jacksonville Jaguars; you could very noticeably hear a contingent of Panthers fans even though they were outnumbered as the away team. The players heard it and Cam Newton started giving the Roaring Riot shout outs after games that year. They definitely had a big influence on the 2015 season as well as the 2017 season and the growth of the Roaring Riot will help get rid of that “cheese and wine, fair-weather fan” or “small market” label the NFL Media has unfortunately tagged us with. It’s great getting to be a part of that awesome Carolina Panther movement. I also love getting the exclusive Roaring Riot membership packages!!! The shirt with Roaring Riot members’ names on it is cool too…. And made even cooler once our Quarterback Cam Newton decided to rock that same shirt!!
Andrew: Family, camaraderie, and knowing that whenever I visit somewhere in the US with a chapter, I’ll have a friendly place to watch a game.
How Excited Are You To Be An Official Roaring Riot Chapter?
The Shadow Cat: Dreams made Reality. I don’t know how to put how excited I am into words but I’ll give it a shot. I will say that when I first was made informed that we had been approved as an Official Roaring Riot Chapter that it was close to midnight in Australia. I did everything I could think of to help get the word out. Advertising on my personal Facebook profile, a group I help run, several other Panther groups, especially the official group of the Aussie Riot. I made a page for the Aussie Riot promoting the different logos as soon as I had access to them. I don’t think I went to bed until 5a that day…and was up by 8a.
I can’t wait to help grow the Panther fan base and extend their prominence…and to be officially affiliated with the Roaring Riot and my hometown Carolina Panthers by extension….oh man. It’s like selling people dreams for cash!! It’s very humbling as well as pride inducing at the same time.
Andrew: There are no words. It’s amazing to be working with such great people to make this happen.
What One Place Would You Recommend Panthers Fans Eat in Sydney? One Activity? One Place To Drink?
The Shadow Cat: Only one place? Oh man that’s impossible!! Sydney is a tourist’s dream!! There’s so much to see and do there!! I will say head to All Hands Brewing House for a Panther Watch Party!!! Cheap plug, but they do have a great selection of food and drinks and it’s a nice atmosphere and you can watch most anything you want there. After you eat, head left and walk down toward the different tourist attractions there are, such as the Wildlife Exhibit, the Aquarium, Madame Tussaud’s, or the different Ferry services!!! The Power House Museum is great for kids and families and you will learn a lot too!! Definitely make sure you head down to Circular Quay and to probably the most well-known tourist attraction in Australia, The Sydney Opera House!! Run up the huge flight of steps ala Rocky!!!
From there, check out the Botanical Gardens, Macquarie’s Chair. Take a stroll down Circular Quay and visit all the different shops and food places there. If there’s one thing the Aussies know, it’s FOOD!!! Check out Taronga Zoo and see the different animals especially several species native to Australia. May is one of the best times of year to visit Sydney also. The “Vivid” Festival lights everything up in rainbow colors and it’s dazzling and breathtaking to see and experience. Also make sure you save up and watch one of the newer releases in a Gold Class movie theatre!!! Leather seats to kick back and relax and watch the movie in style, love seats for couples to cuddle up on, and did I mention they bring a full course meal directly to you?! This is just a fragment of all the great things you can do just in Sydney alone!!! I’ve been over here 2 years now and there’s so much more I want to see and do.
Andrew: All Hands Brewing House. And I’m not just saying that because its our HQ. The food is amazing, the beer is great! All handcrafted local beers. And the location is one of the best in the country. Just a short stroll from the CBD on the shores of our famous Darling Harbour. I’d also recommend a little place called Wayward Brewing. It’s a small independent brewer in the Inner West (trendy part of old Sydney). The pub is an old cellar, and the atmosphere is amazing. The brewery manager is an Eagles fan, but don’t let that deter you, he’s an awesome bloke, who welcomes all NFL fans with open arms. Sunday afternoon is the best time for food (they have rotating food truck style menu).
To join the thousands of other Panthers fans in the Roaring Riot and check out your local chapter, click this picture of Cam Newton Smiling
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