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Did the USFL Help Create the Carolina...

The Carolina Panthers, while established later, connect to early football history through figures like...

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FOOTBALL TEAM | Carolina Panthers

"Did the USFL Help Create the Carolina Panthers NFL Franchise?"

Last updated 📅 2025-06-03

  • HASHTAGS: #KyleSmith #USFL #CarolinaPanthers
  • AUTHOR: Kyle Smith
  • FOOTBALL LEAGUE: USFL
  • FOOTBALL TEAM: Carolina Panthers
football team

"Carolina Panthers NFL Franchise History"

In the sprawling landscape of American football, where giants like the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers had long held sway, there emerged a new predator in the 1990s – the Carolina Panthers. Their birth, however, wasn't a tale of overnight success, but rather a testament to the unwavering passion and determination of a region hungry for NFL glory.
The seeds of the Panthers were sown in the early 1980s, when Carolinas residents began clamoring for their own professional football team. A wave of grassroots movements, like "Charlotte Needs Football" and "Carolina Panthers Fan Club," gained momentum, capturing the imagination of fans across North and South Carolina. Their efforts resonated with NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who recognized the untapped potential of the Carolinas market. In 1993, amidst much jubilation, the league awarded the Carolinas an expansion franchise, the 15th team in the NFL. The name "Panthers" was chosen through a public contest, reflecting the region's fierce spirit and natural beauty. Bank of America Stadium, a state-of-the-art venue, was constructed in Charlotte, becoming the Panthers' home and a symbol of the franchise's ambition...
FOOTBALL TEAM | Carolina Panthers

"NFL Expansion Narrowly Passes"

May 22, 1991 - The NFL agrees to expand by two teams by the start of the 1994 season. The May 23, 1991 edition of the Charlotte Observer stated that the resolution barely received the 21 votes of the then 28 franchises it needed to carry. The Buffalo Bills, Washington Redskins, Detroit Lions and Phoenix Cardinals voted against the expansion while the Los Angeles Raiders and Indianapolis Colts abstained from voting.
The NFL bylaws require a ¾ majority to pass on such a change. There were multiple reasons that teams did not like the arrangement of expansion and they ranged from splitting TV revenues, lack of a collective bargaining agreement at the time and a slowing U.S...