It’s no secret that expansion teams in any sport are supposed to struggle for a few years before they become competitive. The Carolina Panthers didn’t get the memo and achieved success faster than any NFL expansion team in history. Charlotte, North Carolina was awarded an NFL franchise and began competition in the 1995 season. The team name was chosen to represent the entire region instead of the city of Charlotte to better able to tap into the demand for NFL football throughout North and South Carolina. The Panthers’ home field for their first season was Memorial Stadium (aka ‘Death Valley’) at South Carolina’s Clemson University. The following year they moved into the newly completed Bank of American Stadium in Charlotte.
The Panthers became the most successful first-year team in NFL history and finished with a 7-9 record despite playing in a temporary venue. Head coach Dom Capers led Carolina to an even more successful season in 1996 as the team finished 12-4, winning the NFC West title and securing a first round bye in the playoffs. The Panthers won their first playoff game in 1996, beating the Dallas Cowboys to advance to the NFC Championship Game where they lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. The Panthers would finally make it to the Super Bowl in 2003, losing to the New England Patriots 32-29 in what is considered to be one of the most exciting championship games in NFL history.
The Panthers have had their share of success since joining the league almost 20 years ago. They continue to enjoy excellent fan support and attendance, but there are some grumbles about the team’s lack of consistency. While all teams have their ‘ups and downs’ throughout their existence, the Panthers are on another level of inconsistent–they have never had back-to-back winning seasons. Ron Rivera is the current head coach of Carolina having assumed the job after the 2010 season. Despite the almost bizarre inconsistency in performance, the Panthers have sold out every home game since 2002 and have been in the top ten in NFL attendance every season since 2006.
No professional sports league controls their product as tightly as the NFL and for that reason their broadcasting, and streaming availability is identical to every other team. Fans that want to watch Panthers football game live will find them on national TV broadcasts often and particularly in the Southeast region. Outside of the South, the best option is likely the NFL Sunday Ticket cable/satellite package which offers live coverage of every game. The NFL Sunday Ticket is also a source for a Carolina Panthers live stream, but the digital platform isn’t well regarded due to a poor interface and substandard performance. It’s also expensive–the TV only subscription is $230 for the year with the TV/digital combo subscription $320 per season. The NFL official website is almost useless for streaming enthusiasts though you can watch Panthers video highlights. Fans wanting to listen to Carolina Panthers live radio stream will have an easier time of it. Flagship station WBT AM and WBT FM broadcasts the Panthers on radio and offer streaming capability via their website or third party applications like Tune In Radio.
The best course of action is to watch Carolina Panthers online free. There are plenty of live sports streams available online covering every league and team imaginable. Due to the massive worldwide popularity of the NFL there is an abundance of pro football streams. Websites such as Wiziwig.tv, Stream2watch.me, FirstRowSports and others compile directories of live sports streams organized by league. The websites move around from time to time with new ones coming online frequently, so a Google search is usually a good plan.
You’ll have no problem finding a Carolina Panthers live stream, and you’ll have plenty of options to maximize your viewing pleasure. You’ll be able to select from a variety of stream speeds in order to find one that works best with your Internet connection and computer setup. You can watch your game on the computer or a laptop, but there are other options as well. Most streams are compatible with tablets and smartphones running the Android or Apple operating systems. An increasingly popular way to watch Panthers football game live is to stream it to your television set using a set top device such as a Roku Player or Google Chromecast. There’s no better way to enjoy Carolina Panthers football all year, and it’s completely free of charge!