Cam Newton and the Panthers coming to Tampa earlier than expected

According to CBS Sports the Carolina Panthers will be coming to the Tampa Bay area a little earlier than expected for the opening weekend of the NFL. In the first week of the NFL’s regular season, the Carolina Panthers will travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers. But they’re going to head south a little earlier than they’d probably like, because of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte.

The Panthers play the Bucs on Sunday, September 9, but the DNC is taking place from September 3-6, with President Barack Obama set to deliver his acceptance speech on the final day of the convention … in Bank of America Stadium.

So, according to Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers plan to head down to Tampa early and “practice in the Tampa area for at least part of the week” prior to the game. The Panthers announced on Thursday that they would practice at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.

Though the Panthers would have three days between the end of the convention and the first game of the year, there’s little question that Charlotte will be a security and traffic nightmare for anyone living there.

The Panthers facilities are concentrated downtown and Person points out that they would “likely be within the security perimeter” set up by Secret Service for the President’s visit.