For the first time in 24 years, the Carolina Panthers will be charging fans for their annual pre-season Fan Fest.
According to NBC Sports, they will be charging $5 per ticket to what used to be the organization’s largest free event of the year. All proceeds from the ticket sales will be donated to the Panther’s charitable division.
“Due to increased demand and precautions for fan safety, all patrons must have a ticket to attend the event,” Panthers director of communications Steven Drummond said. “Admission will be $5 for a reserved ticket. Proceeds from Fan Fest will benefit Carolina Panthers Charities and will support grant funding awards to non-profit organizations that serve communities in the two-state region.”
Last year the team announced free tickets to the event, but within 1 day, all 60,000 tickets were already claimed. They are now hoping that charging $5 per ticket will allow a more balanced distribution of tickets.
Their team practice at Wofford College in Spartanburg, SC will still be free to the public (July 26-August 13).
You can now buy 2017-18 Panther home game tickets on TicketNetwork.com starting at $24 each.
What do you think of the move to charge for the Fan Fest?