Chris Russo stopped short of using an expletive when talking about Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper. Still, he didn’t stop short of taking up for a fanbase that has quickly soured on the second-wealthiest owner in the National Football League.
Following their 2-15 record and the departure of head coach Frank Reich just 11 games into his tenure, the Carolina Panthers announced an increase in ticket prices for the 2024 season. The Associated Press reported that lower-level seating will experience the most significant change, with a 7% average increase for permanent seat license holders. The upper-level prices will see a blended increase of less than 1%, with 90% of those seats remaining unchanged.
The overall increase in ticket prices, averaging 4%, has drawn criticism from various sports commentators, including the “Mad Dog.” Russo took aim at Tepper during Wednesday’s edition of First Take on ESPN.
Chris Russo is taking up for Carolina Panthers fans everywhere by unloading on David Tepper for raising the team's ticket prices by 4%. pic.twitter.com/xaNZmJPHCM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 28, 2024
“How ’bout Carolina and Tepper charging a four percent ticket increase for next year for the Panthers,” began Russo. “I mean—you’re not serious, are you? With this God-forbidden franchise that stinks, when you’re firing head coaches, when you’re telling everyone who to draft on draft day, including (Bryce) Young instead of C.J. Stroud?
“And I loved Young too, but that was a mistake. In a market that cares more about college basketball than the NFL? In the stadium—that’s a little old—you’re gonna make them ante up four percent more?
“I don’t care what the percentage is. You should give them the games for FREE! And for exhibition games, you’re gonna make them pay for it when you guys make a fortune? The NFL prints money, and you’re gonna change those poor Panthers fans four percent more?
“Four percent—that is a complete, utter disgrace. And for an owner who has absolutely no good PR, that’s the last thing you do to your fanbase off a lousy year, when you’re throwing water in Jacksonville at the fans because you’re upset that you lost to the Jaguars.
“‘You know what? I got an idea to fix our problem. Let’s charge them more money to see the garage that we put on the field.’ I don’t know who came up with that idea; you give them a discount off that kind of season, not a price increase.”
Tepper has gained a reputation for being too involved in the team’s day-to-day operations, which has led to instability and a lack of success. Since acquiring the team in 2018, he has already gone through six head coaches and recently hired his seventh in Dave Canales. In addition to throwing a drink at a Jaguars’ fan, he’s also guilty of turning a once-respected franchise into a laughingstock due to his impatience and excessive interference.
Russo’s critique of the Panthers’ ticket price increase resonates with the concerns expressed by many fans regarding Tepper’s ownership tenure. Tepper has run out of any goodwill, and raising ticket prices isn’t going to do anything to fix that.
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About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.