In the fall, Panthers fans hope that Bryce Young is tossing touchdown passes to the corner of the end zone to rookie Tetairoa McMillan.
But for the next two nights, that portion of Bank of America Stadium will serve as a literal home base for the Savannah Bananas.
On Thursday, the finishing touches on the first-ever baseball diamond at the home of the Carolina Panthers were put down, including a painted infield, protective netting and foul poles.
The dimensions are a bit abnormal — a short porch in right field where the Panthers NFL sideline normally sits is about 260 feet. But it’s all in the name of fun.
Banana Ball, as its now called, comes from the mind of Jesse Cole, the former owner of the Gastonia Grizzlies.
Now, his fun-filled, entertainment and family-friendly brand of our national pasttime will sell out two-straight nights in Uptown. That’s 150,000 spectators in 48 hours.
“When I was a kid my told me when I came up to bat, swing hard in case you hit it,” Cole said. “Since I was a kid and when I started in Gastonia, we’ve been taking big swings. The lesson for anybody is to not be afraid of failure, to dream big and keep coming up to bat in case you hit it.”
It’s a dream Eric Jones Jr. and Reece Hampton, both from Charlotte, couldn’t even imagine.
Now, Jones plays catcher and first base for the Bananas, and will do so in front of his hometown.
“It’s unbelievable. I’ve loved the Panthers my whole life. I’ve loved baseball my whole life,” Cole, a South Meck High School and Davidson College grad said. “I never envisioned playing baseball here at Panthers stadium. But here we are. It’s going to be rocking.”
Hampton, the centerfielder for the Bananas’ edgy rival, Party Animals, played at Charlotte Christian School and for the Charlotte 49ers.
“It’s going to be awesome,” Hampton said. “I can’t say it’s a dream come true because I didn’t know it was an option.”
This is the fourth football stadium the Bananas will visit, having gone to Clemson, Tampa Bay and Nashville.
But Charlotte is the only location that has added a second night due to high demand for tickets.
“We were so excited when we got one night confirmed,” Steve Bagwell, CEO of CRVA said. “The second event happening is amazing. I think it will really bring big results for our community.”
Cole’s innovation behind Banana Ball is a perfect fit for the Ccharlotte Sports Foundation, which helped to usher in the games.
“It’s another great example of the innovation and collaboration that happens in Charlotte all the time,” Will Pitts, the foundation’s CEO said. “To bring baseball to a football stadium is pretty remarkable. The atmosphere is going to be electric. What Jesse and his team have built is unbelievable, and we’re so excited they’ve decided to call Charlotte home for this weekend.”