Have you ever wanted to run on the same soil that your favorite Carolina Panthers have? Well, if you’re local to Bank of America Stadium, your chance could be coming soon!
As noted on Thursday by Mecklenburg County, the Panthers are set to donate 300 truckloads’ worth of turf millings and root zone sand to six parks in the nearby area. The initiative, headed by the county and Tepper Sports & Entertainment, will see through that the departing gridiron soil of Bank of America Stadium does not go to waste.
Some @MeckParkRec fields are getting a new look! The home team donated 300 truckloads (‼️) of dirt and millage to the County. Look for it at SIX parks near you » https://t.co/MuUOMdNcv2
📸: Brandon Todd/Tepper Sports & Entertainment https://t.co/uFq5gW0K0r pic.twitter.com/fVpGTOQhdh
— Mecklenburg County (@MeckCounty) May 20, 2021
This news comes in light of the team switching to FieldTurf starting at the beginning of the 2021 season. The announcement, which came on April 28, declares that the increased activity at the stadium, most notably with the addition of the Charlotte Football Club MLS franchise, calls for a the consistent turf playing surface.
Carolina’s move to turf is not particularly favorable to its own players, however, as it’s proven to cause more non-contact injuries than natural grass. Last season, Cleveland Browns center and NFLPA union president JC Tretter called for all teams to move to grass, writing that players have “a 28 percent higher rate of non-contact lower extremity injuries when playing on artificial turf.”
Turf will be cheaper for team owner David Tepper to maintain, though – and that’s ultimately why the switch is being made.
