which gives the Charlotte Observer an excuse to look at the value of the Carolina Panthers and whether the Panthers might relocate. The best quote appears at the end of the story from John Vrooman, a sports economist at Vanderbilt University:
Even with a smaller stadium renovation, Vrooman said he doesn’t see the Panthers as a credible threat to move. That’s because they aren’t part of a group of lower-tier teams – San Diego, Oakland, Jacksonville and St. Louis – that are more likely to relocate.
“The team will not move now or in the future regardless of ownership, because there are no superior economic alternatives to Charlotte,” he said. “Any gains from an upwardly mobile move to a larger market would be taxed away by the rest of the league in the form of a relocation fee.”
Yup. But whether the powers-that-be in this city believe what should be obvious is a much different question.
