Panthers Played Here
How the Carolina Panthers came to play their first season in Death Valley
In the early weeks of the 1993-1994 academic year, the JCUAC reported in its Minutes of the September 13, 1993 meeting, a number of town and gown issues that had been raised back in 1990 when Mayor Abernathy and President Lennon wrote their MOU for the joint body. The first item – History – informed the body of a reorganization of the committee, already agreed upon by the City Council (no mention of the Mayor) and the University to reduce the size to 3 Council members, 4 City staff members and 7 representatives of the University. Of more significance, was discussion of a City/University Transit System set to be “operational by January of 1995.” A Tiger Strip Card had a verbal agreement from the State Treasurer’s Office for use effective January of 1994.
Of greatest importance in these Minutes was Item 12. Press Conference Statement which was announced just prior to Adjournment. To be held in the President’s Box of Clemson Memorial Stadium at 3:30 P. M. that same day, this press event would provide “details under which a Charlotte-based NFL team would play its 1995 season at Clemson.” At the time those minutes were written, all plans were preliminary. By the December 6, 1993 JCUAC meeting, the NFL Update identified an NFL committee composed of the Mayor plus four others from the City and University who would be meeting “once a month to discuss business activities and issues regarding the Charlotte Panthers.” Given the size of this enterprise, additional committees were formed in the University, the City and the Chamber.
Two letters dated March 3, 1994 leave some questions about how well the City and University agreed on hosting the first season of the Charlotte Panthers. One letter from Mayor Abernathy to President Lennon (this one addressed formally to “Dr. Lennon”) expresses gratitude for a lunch meeting the day before in which a City three-some came to agreement with Lennon that Highway 93 “should be a top priority project.” The second letter with the same date located in Box 64 of Special Collections, is from Manning N. (Nick) Lomax to Mayor Abernathy and outlines significant funding from the University to the City of $100,000 (Lomax to Abernathy) “to cover the special requirements placed on the City to provide support” for the Carolina Panther home season in Memorial Stadium to take place in fall 1995. This totals about “$16,000 more than the projected costs itemized by the City staff, . .” The University wanted to avoid piecemeal “incidentals after the season is underway.” Little more happens between this Mayor and this President following these letters. According to his obituary in 2016, Archie Max Lennon resigned from Clemson University on Feb 26, 1994, leaving during July of that year. This means his departure happened prior to the Panthers’ opening game. Did that season actually happen, you might wonder? (Charlotte Observer Sept 19, 2015 – 1995: When NFL came to the Carolinas)
