Story time: With the Panthers finally painting their logo at the 50-yard line, it's worth remembering exactly why it's such a big deal to so many and why it took so long to get here.
Former owner Jerry Richardson put the NFL shield logo at the 50 in his shiny new stadium in 1996 as his way of thanking the league for letting him in the club. And at first, that seemed fine.
But after a few years, maybe a decade, fans starting complaining about it, thinking it had been long enough, and that the team had its own identity. But it wasn't just the fans who thought maybe it was time for a change.
Richardson's late son Jon was in charge of the physical plant at the stadium, and he was also a successful businessman in his own right. So he started thinking.
Jon talked to some marketing types, and some artists, and had some plans drawn up for what the field would look like with the team's brand at the 50 (and other places) instead of the NFL logo.
So one morning, Jon Richardson set up a meeting with his dad, to show him these drawings, and how much paint would cost, and what it would look like, and what it would mean, and how excited people might be about a new look.
Then Jerry listened patiently, let his son and the others finish their detailed presentation, put his hands on the table, stood up and said: "Boys, paint the f---ing shield." And left.
That's a story of Jerry Richardson being stubborn about something simply because he could.
That's a story of Jerry Richardson being stubborn about something simply because he could.
