NFL Panthers Relocating To IMG Academy While DNC Comes To Charlotte

The NFL Panthers announced Thursday they will leave town when the Democratic National Convention comes to Charlotte Sept. 3-6 and “plan to practice at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., prior to their regular-season opener at Tampa Bay on Sept. 9,” according to Joseph Person of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. President Barack Obama is scheduled to give his acceptance speech the evening of Sept. 6 at Bank of America Stadium.That means "extra scrutiny of vehicles and people entering the perimeter, and likely delays.” If the Panthers stayed in Charlotte, “players, coaches and team officials would be subjected to an array of security checks any time they entered or left the stadium or the adjacent practice fields, which are likely to be within the security perimeter.” Panthers GM Marty Hurney said that the team “could have stayed in Charlotte, but team officials thought it would be easier to clear out of the facility.” He indicated the Panthers “would be at IMG for most of the week before playing the Bucs” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/1).