THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 1, 1995 TAG: 9509010638
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
Pick up any road atlas and it will tell you that Charlotte is 310 miles from Norfolk - 32 miles farther than Philadelphia and only 55 miles closer than New York City.
So, logic would dictate that the NFL's Carolina Panthers will have no more of a following here than the Philadelphia Eagles or the New York Giants, right?
Wrong.
Logic may dictate that the Panthers won't make a splash here, but southern pride, shrewd marketing and a gut sense that Charlotte seems closer - maybe not geographically, but definitely culturally - dictate otherwise.
``Let's face it,'' said Greg French of Virginia Beach, a budding Panthers fan: ``When you go 15 miles south of here, you're in Carolina.''
``We definitely do not have an anti-Carolina feeling around here,'' said Ronn Cowan, general manager of WVAB, which will broadcast Panthers' games this season. ``It's not like a rival state, it's more like a sister state.''
The first smart move by the Panthers brass was hanging the generic ``Carolina'' tag on the franchise. That allows everyone from the Outer Banks to the Smoky Mountains to claim ownership. Not to mention the entire state of South Carolina.
And it also gives southern Virginians with a Carolina bent - and perhaps a weariness with the Redskins - a new team to cheer.
``What I see are a lot of Redskins fans converting to the Carolina Panthers,'' said Gilbert Carolino, who listens to fans for a living as a bartender at Winners Sports Club in Virginia Beach. ``No one really likes the Redskins.''
Local retailers report that Carolina merchandise is moving well. Jerseys fly off the racks. Hats, T-shirts and sweatshirts are also popular.
Some of the popularity is undoubtedly fashion-based. Some people have to have the latest thing.
But Lisa Batlle, manager of the Score store at Chesapeake Square Mall, says many of the purchasers are genuine fans.
``It's true that Carolina is very well merchandised, but I'm seeing a lot of very true people who are excited about the team,'' Batlle said. ``It's about half and half.
``The Redskins still do pretty well. A good third of the business that was the Redskins has moved over to the Panthers, however.''
Dan Deir, an employee at Ward's Corner Sporting Goods in Norfolk, said several customers have told him they're buying season tickets.
``I think they're looking for a change, with the Redskins being here so long,'' Deir said.
Evidence of creeping Pantherism is strictly anecdotal, of course, as the legions of Redskins fans in the area would undoubtedly point out. So would fans of the Dallas Cowboys, who also have a stronghold in these parts.
Panthers team officials have not released sales breakdowns of personal seat licenses, which give fans the right to purchase season tickets.
But Charles Waddell, the team's assistant director of business operations, said the club has been surprised by the response from this area.
``We've had interest, a little stronger than anticipated,'' Waddell said. ``The fact of the matter is you can get tickets here, and not for Redskins games.''
Waddell said he expects interest all over Virginia to pick up next season, when the Panthers move from Clemson, S.C., their temporary home, to their new stadium in Charlotte.
John Martin, owner of Great Atlantic Travel in Virginia Beach, expects interest to rise, too. That's a big reason he snatched up 500 season tickets as soon as they became available.
Martin's company runs tours and wholesales tickets to other travel agents around the country. He said ticket demand in Hampton Roads has been low.
``Out of this area we've sold very few,'' Martin said. ``All of the interest is coming out of the Carolinas, and the eastern part of Tennessee.
``Clemson, out of here, is eight hours,'' he said. ``Next year, when that new stadium is built, I believe this area will be a strong supporter of the NFL in Carolina.''
Waddell said the Panthers aren't doing anything special to market the Panthers here, other than including Hampton Roads in their radio network. The network, 90 stations strong, spills out of the Carolinas into southern Virginia, southeastern West Virginia, eastern Tennessee and northern Georgia.
Cowan, of WVAB, an all-news station in Virginia Beach, said his station bid for the local broadcast rights because the Charlotte Hornets are popular here, and he believes the Panthers will be, too.
``The advertising response has been very strong,'' he said. ``We've filled a third of our advertising sponsorships before the season.''
The station is planning to start a fan club, the Tidewater Panthers club, and throw Panthers parties on game days, Cowan said.
``A lot of people are kind of sick of the Redskins,'' he said. ``The Panthers are something new.''
Still, no one expects the Panthers to supplant the Redskins in Hampton Roads, least of all the Panthers.
``Loyalty for the most part is going to be maintained,'' Waddell said. ``We don't want to replace the Redskins, but give people another team to root for.''
It's the casual Redskins fans who will likely defect. Or Redskins tolerators like French, 37, who recently moved here from Alexandria.
French grew up a Colts fan, and although he spent 11 years in Northern Virginia, he never felt as passionate about the Skins.
``I'm just getting tired of watching the Redskins,'' he said. ``I was looking for a new team to adopt.''
French, who is director of operations for a computer company, went to several Redskins games and said he'll go to occasional Panthers games once they move to the new stadium.
Not Carolino, though. Change one letter of his name and you've got `Carolina', but Carolino will never change teams.
``I'm a hardcore Redskins fan,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
PAUL AIKEN/Staff
Chris Umphlett of Gates County, N.C., sports a Panthers jacket at
The Score in Chesapeake.
by CNB