You asked for it – and new owner David Tepper has delivered.
Yes, the clamoring of the fans and the hints and teases and the #PanthersLogoChallenge have all culminated in the removal of the NFL shield from midfield at Bank of America Stadium and replaced it with the Panthers logo – when captains Cam Newton, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen, Colin Jones, Ryan Kalil and Colin Jones step to the center of the field for the coin toss against Week 1 opponent, the Dallas Cowboys, they’ll be standing on black and blue as opposed to the red, white and blue of the NFL Shield that decorated the 50-yard line for the first quarter-century of the team.
The Panthers have been teasing this for weeks with the #PanthersLogoChallenge – which was less of a challenge and more of a fun way to build engagement – between videos of Cam Newton “imploring” Tepper and the new owner perusing his computer for the best use of the logo, it was clear the team was having fun leading up to the announcement, which actually leaked from a fan’s photo from the Duke Energy building that overlooks the stadium.
David Tepper has endeared himself to fans in a multitude of ways, but this particular decision was regarded as an easy win – the NFL shield, stumped for by former owner and team founder Jerry Richardson, was one of the immediate topics of discussion among fans as a new owner came into the picture.
Tepper has made multiple slight changes, besides the obvious change in demeanor from the reserved Richardson – Tepper tailgated with the Roaring Riot ahead of the preseason opener and has been seen dancing on the sidelines multiple times in addition to the “regular guy” manner he displays on a regular basis – the Panthers have employed new uniform combinations in the preseason already and between those aesthetic changes and this one, which is something fans have been clamoring for for years, David Tepper is certainly putting his best foot forward in his first year as the second owner of the Panthers.
Check out the logo for yourself as the Panthers kick off the season against the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:25p.