Carolina Panthers vs. the Dallas Cowboys

The hottest ticket in town so far this year was to the NFC semifinal game between the Carolina Panthers and the Dallas Cowboys in Charlotte on January 5th, 1997. Everyone wanted a ticket and Capitol Broadcasting Company was fortunate enough to have a few.



Some of the lucky CBC ticket winners.



A much anticipated drawing was held on Friday for the tickets. The winners, along with a few other CBCers, loaded a bus the morning of the game (destination Charlotte) to support the Panther's in their first post-season football game. Everyone was a little apprehensive about the weather on the onset of the trip. We left Raleigh in the rain, left Greensboro in the rain and arrived in Charlotte to a beautiful Carolina day without a cloud in the sky.



Terry Cantrell and his son Jon enjoyed a different type of "pig skin" (BBQ, that is) in the CN hospitality tent.


Once in Charlotte, the CBC crowd was the guests of Capitol Networks at their hospitality tent. Everyone was treated to a barbecue lunch and a nice Panther's bag filled with goodies, including a playoff t-shirt, a coffee mug, a koozie, and a Panther's hat.


Of the 72,881 tickets distributed for the game, only 73 were unused. Once in the stadium, CBCers and their guests received their Playoff Growl Towels and went to their seats.

The game was exciting. The crowd cheered and waived their towels in support of the home team. And the cheers worked as Carolina won the game with a score of 26 to 17, and the chance to face the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship game in Green Bay.

As we loaded to bus to head back to Raleigh, someone was heard asking, "What time do we leave for Green Bay?"

The return bus trip was all smiles as CBCers reminisced about the game.