‘Where it all began’: Carolina Panthers returning to Clemson for fan event

The Carolina Panthers are coming back to Clemson.

For one night, that is.

The Panthers, who played their inaugural 1995 season in Clemson’s Memorial Stadium, announced on Thursday morning they’d be holding their annual fan fest event at the same venue on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, starting at 6:30 p.m.

The event coincides with the Panthers’ 30th NFL season. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. ahead of a 6:30 p.m. open team practice, and there will be a postgame fireworks show. The practice will be Carolina’s sixth of a 15-practice training camp schedule.

“We are honored to play a part in the Panthers celebration of their 30th season by hosting Fan Fest in Memorial Stadium, site of the franchise’s inaugural season,” Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said in a statement. “Clemson University and the Panthers’ organization share many connections, and we’re excited to collaborate on this unique opportunity.”

The move to host fan fest in Clemson in 2024 comes as the Panthers also move their training camp from Wofford College in Spartanburg (where it had been held every year but 2020) to their team facilities in Charlotte, next to Bank of America Stadium.

As part of that move, which was met with a fair share of disappointment in Upstate South Carolina, the Panthers said last December they would still hold their fan fest in South Carolina but didn’t specify a city or venue.

Now, those plans have been revealed. The Panthers will return to their old stomping grounds, where they played their inaugural 1995 season while waiting for their new Charlotte venue (then known as Ericsson Stadium) to be constructed.

The Panthers went 7-9 in their first ever season, with Dom Capers (who’s back with the team as a special assistant) serving as head coach. Current Clemson cornerbacks coach Mike Reed was also on Panthers during the 1995 season as an NFL rookie.

Panthers team president Kristi Coleman said in a release: “As we head into our 30th season, we’re looking forward to bringing football to our fans across the Carolinas this summer, including going to Clemson where it all began. From bringing Training Camp to Charlotte to honoring our South Carolina ties by hosting Fan Fest at Clemson, we are excited to celebrate our fans across both states.”

Tickets for the Aug. 1 fan fest at Clemson will be available for purchase for $5 starting Friday June 21 via Ticketmaster. Per the team, all proceeds from the event will benefit Carolina Panthers Charities “and its ongoing mission to serve communities across the Carolinas.”

The Panthers had the NFL’s worst record last year at 2-15 and enter 2024 with a new head coach (Dave Canales), a new general manager (Dan Morgan) and hopes that second-year quarterback Bryce Young, the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Alabama, can take a step forward after a subpar rookie season.

The Panthers’ fan fest will start roughly around the same time coach Dabo Swinney and the Clemson football team start 2024 fall camp, but there shouldn’t be many interruptions. The Tigers hold the majority of fall camp at their adjacent football practice facility and only use Memorial Stadium for scrimmages.