The Carolina Panthers beat the Atlanta Falcons 9-7 on Sunday to raise their record to 2-12 on the season, but we’re wondering if it matters, because this game looked like a preseason scrimmage. Barely anybody showed up on a drizzly day at Bank of America Stadium, which is a refutation of owner David Tepper and everything that’s gone wrong this season.
There’s good news, though — the Panthers are at the forefront of modern technology, allowing their fans to use facial recognition technology to enter the stadium.
From the release:
The Panthers and Verizon are adding facial recognition technology at Bank of America Stadium that “will allow football fans to get into games faster.” Beginning with this weekend’s home game against the Falcons, Silver Club season ticket holders “will be able to opt in at the north and south stadium gates” to get in without showing their tickets “but instead by being recognized at iPad stations using Verizon’s ‘Express Entry’ technology.” Verizon technology is now in all 30 NFL stadiums, but the Panthers are “one of the first in the league to introduce ‘Express Entry’ facial recognition.” Tepper Sports & Entertainment “declined to disclose” how much the entry system cost. Tepper Sports “plans to make available facial recognition entry to all Panthers’ season ticket holders next season”
Well, the Panthers have two of their last three games of the 2023 season at home — against the Green Bay Packers next Sunday, and the season finale against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on January 7. We’ll just have to wait and see if anybody shows up to test it.
