CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- The Carolina Panthers agreed to a new deal with Wofford College on Tuesday that will keep training camp in Spartanburg, S.C., for at least another five years.
The Panthers have trained at the alma mater of owner Jerry Richardson since they entered the NFL in 1995. The original 15-year deal expired at the end of the 2009 camp.
The contract, which includes options to extend past five years, was negotiated by new Panthers president Danny Morrison. He was the athletic director at Wofford when the school underwent numerous renovations to woo the Panthers.
The facilities include three full-sized, lighted fields and a new weight room that opened last year. Players and coaches stay at an on-campus dormitory.
"There is a strong bond between the team and the school and we do not think any team has better training camp facilities," Morrison said. "It has been a mutually beneficial relationship and we are pleased that it will extend into the future."
The Panthers have bucked the trend to move training camp to their own facility. Coach John Fox has said he enjoys having the team away from home, but not be too far from Charlotte. Spartanburg is about a 90-minute drive, allowing for quick trips to treat injured players.
The deal means only Pittsburgh (Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.), Green Bay (St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis.) and Minnesota (Minnesota State-Mankato) have longer-running training camp associations in the NFL.
"There could not be a better place for training camp from a football perspective," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said. "The facilities are outstanding and the cooperation from the school is everything you could want."
Richardson has donated millions to the school and the main athletic center is named after him. The upgraded facilities have helped recruiting for the Terriers, who compete in the Football Championship Subdivision.
"We continue to be deeply appreciative to the individuals and organizations who helped entice the Panthers to hold training camp at Wofford 15 years ago," Wofford athletic director Richard Johnson said. "The relationship has been very positive."
