“Bring back real grass”: Panthers fans make demands as owner David Tepper proposes $800,000,000 upgrades at Bank of America Stadium

David Tepper's Carolina Panthers dug a hole in 2023 in the win column, but the franchise is taking steps to rejuvenate the fandom with a proposed renovation coming to Bank of America Stadium. However, the reaction was mixed.

Some fans wanted more for the players on the field, but others were happy about the upcoming changes. Here's a taste of what was said in response to Monday's announcement:

"Bring back real grass then we talking," one said.

"All that but still no natural grass," another said.

"What about real grass on game days," another asked.

While some fans of David Tepper and Bryce Young's Carolina Panthers wanted more from the announcement, others were excited.

"This is honestly better than building a whole new stadium," one declared.

"I won’t lie. It made me feel something I haven’t felt for awhile," one fan said.

"It’s been time for stadium upgrades. Really excited that it’s not just a new stadium. Can’t wait to see it come to life," one fan expressed.

Of course, until David Tepper's proposed project is completed, one can only imagine whether the changes will present an upgrade across the board, a net upgrade, or perhaps even a net downgrade. One of the biggest problems with the proposed renovation would be its price tag.

According to Front Office Sports, the renovation could cost as much as $800 million. Of the $800 million, $650 million would be supplied by public funding, which can usually be traced back to taxes.

How many NFL stadiums use real grass instead of turf? Exploring fans' request to David Tepper

NFL field at Seattle Seahawks vs. Tennessee Titans

Turf vs natural grass remains a sticking point in David Tepper's NFL zeitgeist. The conversation has run hot since Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on a turf field at the start of the 2023 season, but players have long complained about running on the artificial surface.

David Tepper's team has not been the first to receive calls for change. While some teams have been reluctant to change the surfaces, natural grass is not an extinct species in the NFL.

Currently, according to ESPN, 15 of the 30 stadiums use natural grass (the New York Giants and Jets share a stadium and the Rams and Chargers share one as well).

However, fans and players appear largely united in wanting a return to old-fashioned natural green grass. The data also appears to somewhat back the calls for a change as well.

According to a study mentioned in an article on ESPN on February 2nd, artificial turf resulted in six to eight more injuries over the course of the 2023 17-week season.

As such, there appears to be at least a small statistical benefit to swapping grasses in 15 of the stadiums in the NFL. However, with seemingly no league-wide initiative to replace fields in every stadium, the study appears to have fallen on deaf ears thus far.