The Carolina Panthers announced an increase in ticket prices for the 2024 season this week. It’s a decision unlikely to sit well with fans after the team posted the worst record in the league this year. According to the Associated Press, lower-level seating will have the biggest price change, with a 7% average increase for permanent seat license holders.
However, the upper-level prices will see an increase of less than 1%, with 90% of upper-level seats remaining unchanged. Overall, the price increases will result in a 4% change from 2023 to 2024.
In 2024, the Carolina Panthers will host the Falcons, Saints, and Buccaneers, as usual. They’ll also host the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs, L.A. Chargers, Arizona Cardinals and Cincinnati Bengals.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo went off on Panthers owner David Tepper for the move this week. On ESPN’s First Take, he unleashed a rant in support of the Carolina fans who paid to witness their two-win season.
Mad Dog: Panthers price increase a ‘disgrace’
“I mean—you’re not serious, are you?” Russo said. “With this God-forbidden franchise that stinks, when you’re firing head coaches, when you’re telling everyone who to draft on draft day, including (Bryce) Young instead of C.J. Stroud?
“And I loved Young too, but that was a mistake. In a market that cares more about college basketball than the NFL? In the stadium—that’s a little old—you’re gonna make them ante up four percent more?
“I don’t care what the percentage is. You should give them the games for free! And for exhibition games, you’re gonna make them pay for it when you guys make a fortune? The NFL prints money, and you’re gonna change those poor Panthers fans four percent more?”
Russo also brought up the embarrassing incident from the Panthers-Jaguars game during which Tepper tossed a drink from his box out into the crowd in front of him. The team owner ended up receiving a $300,000 fine from the NFL, and a reminder that said, “all NFL personnel are expected to conduct themselves at all times in ways that respect our fans and favorably reflect on their team and the NFL.”
“Four percent—that is a complete, utter disgrace,” Russo continued. “And for an owner who has absolutely no good PR, that’s the last thing you do to your fanbase off a lousy year, when you’re throwing water in Jacksonville at the fans because you’re upset that you lost to the Jaguars.”
“‘You know what? I got an idea to fix our problem. Let’s charge them more money to see the garage that we put on the field.’ I don’t know who came up with that idea; you give them a discount off that kind of season, not a price increase.”
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