Ericsson Stadium

Lore & Background

The stadium was originally known as Carolinas Stadium, a name which remains in use for certain events such as FIFA matches. It opened on August 3, 1996, as Ericsson Stadium after Swedish telecom company LM Ericsson purchased the naming rights in a ten-year, $25 million agreement. In 2004, the stadium received its current name after Bank of America purchased the naming rights for 20 years. The Panthers played their inaugural season at Clemson University's Memorial Stadium while the stadium was being constructed. The first regular season game took place on September 1, 1996, against Atlanta; the Panthers won 29–6. The largest crowd to ever attend a football game at the stadium was on September 9, 2018, when 74,532 people watched the Panthers defeat the Dallas Cowboys 16–8.

Reader's Guide

Bank of America Stadium has many unique external features. Aspects of the stadium's architecture incorporate the team's colors of black, process blue and silver. Arches that connect column supports on the upper deck resemble the shape of half a football. Each of the stadium's entrances are flanked by two larger-than-life bronze panther statues, all named 'Indomitable Spirit', installed in 1996. The stadium also has six light domes on top of the main entrances, rebuilt with LED systems during the 2014 renovations. Two people in the Panthers Hall of Honor, Mike McCormack and Sam Mills, are honored with life-sized bronze statues outside the stadium. In 2016, a statue of team founder Jerry Richardson was added in front of the north gate; it was removed in June 2020 due to potential safety concerns from protests.

Did You Know?

• The stadium was planned to host the annual ACC Championship Game through at least 2019; the game was moved in 2016 but reinstated in 2017.
• The stadium hosts the annual Duke's Mayo Bowl, which features teams from the ACC and either the SEC or the Big Ten Conference.
• In 2011, a rainstorm caused severe flooding during a game, with four-plus inches of rain falling in under an hour; the game was later termed the '11 Water Bowl.
• On December 24, 2022, the temperature was 20°F at kickoff, making it the coldest home game in Panthers history.
• On June 28, 2025, a FIFA Club World Cup round of 16 match between Benfica and Chelsea was suspended due to storms and resumed after around 2 hours.