In uptown Charlotte on Thursday night, at the conclusion of an exciting day for Tepper Sports and Entertainment, David Tepper saw an opening to bring up something that had been on his mind.
So he took it.
The owner of the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC was a panelist sharing a stage with Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan, FOX NFL Sunday host Curt Menefee and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The evening was assembled after a celebratory day for Tepper’s company — a day in which they unveiled what the fully renovated Bank of America Stadium will look like once the $1.3 billion project is finished in 2030.
Just past 7 p.m., while emanating optimism for the Panthers’ 2026 season and excitement for the future of the Queen City’s 75,000-capacity venue, Tepper addressed the audience, yes — but also implicitly spoke to Goodell.
“It would be great to get into the Super Bowl here,” Tepper said. He then shrugged, playfully. “It might be great if we had a Super Bowl here.”
The panel, including Goodell, laughed. The few hundred of people on-hand crescendoed into cheers.
“I heard we’re in the center of the East Coast, with one of the best transportation (systems),” Tepper continued over the applause. “Sixth-busiest airport …”
He went on, speculating that Charlotte has “more million-dollar homes closer to the stadium than any other stadium in the country” and joking that some of those homes could be turned into luxury hotels to accommodate such an event like the Super Bowl. Tepper even offered the Panthers general manager’s lodging as tribute: “I got Dan Morgan’s house for you all ready.”
Eventually, Goodell was given the chance to respond — and offered a different shiny NFL event instead:
“You see the way the downtown is evolving,” Goodell said, “and the first thing that came into my mind, and I said this to David: ‘This is built for a draft.’”
More applause.
And more.
And more.
The event in which this exchange happened was adjacent to a building TSE has coined as “MoMINTum,” a space directly across the street from Bank of America Stadium that showcases what a Permanent Seat License owner (Panthers) or a season-ticket member (Charlotte FC) or other ticket buyers would eventually be getting if they invested in tickets. The sales experience center opens Aug. 24; it’ll stay open for a few years, TSE executives said — likely until the renovation is complete.
Media and approximately 200 VIPs — public officials, business people, Panthers players, Charlotte FC players and many other dignitaries — were able to walk through the sales center Thursday evening to be immersed in what purchasing tickets to Bank of America Stadium can get you.
There were rooms that demonstrated the designs of certain lounges and social clubs; there was an exhibit that placed you into one of the many renderings of certain parts of the stadium, from the social patio in the upper bowl to the South Lawn Pavilion on the bottom floor.
All of that stirred excitement — and impressed Goodell.
And the NFL commissioner since August 2006 didn’t shy away from the Super Bowl question entirely. But he had more to say about the NFL Draft, saying that such an event could be “another step” toward the city’s Super Bowl dreams.
“Look, the draft now, there’s close to a million people attending it,” Goodell said. “And they’re coming from all over, including internationally. And it’s become a global event that I think would be a terrific thing here in this town, and with everything that’s being built.”
Charlotte has become something of a magnet for big events in recent years. It regularly hosts high-profile events, many of which are attracted to Charlotte because of uptown’s massive venue that is Bank of America Stadium. Concerts. College football games. International soccer matches. Next week, Bank of America Stadium will host the MLS All-Star Game.
But the NFL Draft and Super Bowl are two events that have eluded Charlotte, even after the city landed its NFL franchise in the mid-1990s.
Said CEO of Tepper Sports, Kristi Coleman, earlier this week of if the stadium renovation plans could compel an event like the Super Bowl: “Do they guarantee it? No. Do they help? Yes.”
The Super Bowl is naturally a hot-ticket item for cities. Super Bowl sites have been locked in through 2030. The event will take place in SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, California) in 2027, followed by three domed stadiums: Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) in 2028, Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas) in 2029 and the new Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee) in 2030. (Bank of America Stadium will not have a roof or dome once renovations are complete in 2030.)
“There is no question that if the city keeps growing the way it is — the stadium and facility here are wonderful and are certainly Super Bowl quality,” Goodell said. “The real issue with Super Bowls now is number of hotel rooms and other facilities. And every time I come back here, it’s completely different than when I left it the last time.
“So I think if that growth continues, I think that’s probably somewhere down the line.”
The Charlotte Observer
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