Since opening in '96, the NFL Panthers' Bank of America Stadium has "hosted a total of two concerts," as a lack of musical acts that can fill the 75,000-seat venue "limits options," according to Theoden Janes of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The stadium hosted the Rolling Stones in '97 and Tim McGraw in '12. Panthers Exec Dir of Stadium Operations Scott Paul said, "There just aren't very many acts that can fill a stadium." He added, "It's very expensive to do a stadium event versus going to a place that has a stage built in, lighting built in, like [Charlotte's PNC Music Pavilion]." Paul also noted the window of opportunity to host concerts is "very, very small." The Panthers are "given priority" at the stadium in the fall, and the weather from January to March is "too iffy for promoters." The Panthers would "consider something during the football season," like they did when they hosted the Stones between home games in the '97 season. But Paul said, "The likelihood of us doing something in football season is very, very small." Paul added the McGraw concert did "tremendous damage to the field." Paul: "The field's too important to us" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 2/27).
