Bank of America Stadium renovations mean hundreds of PSL owners losing seats

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) - The Carolina Panthers are announcing some big changes to Bank of America stadium. They’re making updates to enhance the fan experience and prepare for the future MLS team.

But the changes also mean some of the longest running fans are losing their coveted seats.

“We’ve been going to the Panthers game since they were in playing in Clemson at Death Valley,” PSL holder Tracy Keuhler said.

Kuehler watched her children grow up at games for the last two decades.

“It’s a family tradition that now they’re taking away from us,” she said.

About 900 seats in the west end zone belonging to about 400 PSL holders will be bulldozed. They will be replaced with 14 bunker suites, similar to those at Madison Square Garden and Wrigley Field.

“There’s gonna be seating outdoors, there will be sort of a neighborhood area behind the seats and then suite owners are gonna have their own private space in the back of the suite,” Panthers spokesman Joseph LaBue said.

Scott Baucom wants to know why they weren’t notified sooner because he just sold his first row PSL tickets to his friend.

“If the Panthers knew they were doing these things why did they just not say hey Scott, those seats aren’t gonna be there, you’re actually sending seats that aren’t even there?” Baucom said.

Account holders have three options. They can move to available lower level seats in their current PSL location at no additional cost, move to a more expensive PSL location at no additional PSL cost but at a higher ticket price, or seek reimbursement.

“We sat at the section where Cam would come hand the football to the child two rows in front of us,” Kuehler said. “You’re not gonna recreate that 20 rows up.”

LaBue said they’re doing all they can.

“We were very intentional and thought out about how this was gonna take place,” LaBue said.

For Kuehler, the loyalty is lost.

“We’ve been all in,” she said. “And this is just a slap in the face.”

LaBue says they started calling PSL account holders on Thursday to break the news.

The renovations are scheduled to be complete by kickoff of the 2020 season.

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