David Tepper skirts questions on Panthers’ Rock Hill HQ in rare media appearance
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David Tepper only talked football on Wednesday, and he really didn’t want to go into the Rock Hill debacle.
What’s happening: The Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC owner spent around 30 minutes addressing questions from the media ahead of the NFL Draft as the Panthers are set to pick sixth in the first round on Thursday.
- For every query pertaining to Tepper Sports and Entertainment terminating its $800 million contract for a practice facility and new Panthers headquarters, he said some variation of: “We will respect the city of Rock Hill’s request not to have a back and forth in the public about it. They requested it, and we’re going to respect it.”
- Tepper also refused to cover soccer or entertainment beyond saying TSE changed the field at Bank of America Stadium from natural to an artificial surface last year to account for increased use.
Between the lines: If the Panthers won’t be heading to Rock Hill, we’re left to wonder where their new headquarters will be.
- “Everything makes sense if we can find the right situation,” Tepper said of where they’ll look to put the Panthers’ home base.
- Plus, Charlotte FC’s academy trains at Rock Hill at the Manchester Meadows sports complex. Their future home is a portion of the redevelopment of the former Eastland Mall site, which Tepper declined to comment on. However, as of right now, Manchester Meadows remains the academy’s home.
What’s next: Tepper said the most logical place for the Panthers to be is in Charlotte. The team is in the process of a feasibility study on Bank of America Stadium, which is among the oldest in the league. The study should be done in the next few months.
Zoom out: As for the Panthers on-field results, Tepper preached patience. He bought the team in 2018, and two head coaches and four seasons later he’s still waiting for his first winning season.
- Across Uptown, Charlotte Hornets head coach James Borrego was fired on April 22, even after a winning season.
- But as for Matt Rhule (10-23 over two seasons), Tepper said the Panthers head coach has his “full support.”