Carolina Panthers and Bank of America Launch 3rd & Goal
Flagship community platform to reach 10,000 students across the Carolinas in first year through programs focused on literacy, physical wellness and personal well-being
More than 400 students from Title I schools celebrated the launch with a special field day at Bank of America Stadium
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Sept. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Carolina Panthers today announced the launch of 3rd & Goal, a new flagship platform developed in collaboration with Bank of America that invests in the critical years of childhood development through literacy (Read 20), physical wellness (Play 60) and personal well-being (Feel 100). The program will launch this year and is expected to reach 10,000 students across North and South Carolina.
In football terms, 3rd & Goal represents a pivotal moment when preparation, execution and opportunity converge to determine the outcome of the drive. The platform applies that same urgency and focus to education, recognizing third grade as a defining moment in a child's academic success.
"For years, the Carolina Panthers and Bank of America have worked together to create meaningful impact across the Carolinas, and 3rd & Goal gives us an opportunity to bring that work together under a single, unified platform," said Kristi Coleman, CEO, Tepper Sports & Entertainment and Carolina Panthers President. "Our vision is for 3rd & Goal to become the signature community initiative for our organization, creating opportunities for thousands of young people each year and serving as a national model for how sports partnerships can drive meaningful impact."
The platform was officially introduced during a special field day at Bank of America Stadium that brought together Panthers players and staff, Bank of America executives, local elected officials, and more than 400 third-grade students and school administrators from Title I schools across the Carolinas.
"Our longstanding partnership with the Panthers reflects a shared belief that investing in young people strengthens our communities," said Kieth Cockrell, President, Bank of America Charlotte. "By bringing literacy, physical activity and mental well-being together through 3rd & Goal, we can help more children across the Carolinas build a strong foundation for lifelong success."
Research consistently shows that early elementary years are critical for establishing emotional regulation skills that influence academic performance, peer relationships, and mental health outcomes later in life. The organizations will work closely with partner schools to set and utilize key benchmarks to help measure the success of the program over a three-year span. The UNC Charlotte Center for Educational Measurement and Evaluation (CEME) will provide ongoing evaluation throughout the school year, working closely with each school to track program implementation and student engagement.
About 3RD & GOAL presented by Bank of America
The 3rd and Goal platform includes the following three pillars:
READ 20
Research shows that children who are not reading proficiently by the end of third grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school, making early literacy a critical predictor of long-term success. A Read Charlotte-commissioned study conducted by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that students with below-average reading ability in third and fourth grade face significantly worse outcomes later in life, including lower household income, reduced likelihood of attending college, high unemployment and increased mental health challenges.
Together, these findings underscore the importance of early intervention and provide the foundation for Read 20, an initiative aimed at improving literacy during the most pivotal years of a child's development through Panthers-themed, incentive-based activities designed to motivate young people to read twenty minutes a day and reinforce positive reading habits.
PLAY 60 presented by Atrium Health
Play 60, an NFL-wide initiative long-supported by the Carolina Panthers, promotes at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity for children. The effort is especially critical in the Carolinas, where many young people fall short of recommended activity levels, with North Carolina and South Carolina ranking 33rd and 23rd, respectively, among states. Through school based, Panthers-themed programming, including flag football equipment support, educator resources, student engagement experiences and recognition opportunities, the initiative encourages healthy habits, sustained movement and positive outcomes for young people.
FEEL 100 presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield North Carolina
The addition of Feel 100 reflects the growing need to support the personal well-being of young people and reinforces Blue Cross NC's broader youth mental health strategy by advancing a prevention-first approach to mental health that supports students during critical developmental windows. Feel 100 rounds out 3rd & Goal by supporting students' personal well-being through literacy, discussion, and experiential learning in classroom settings to help students understand emotions, practice self-regulation, and build healthy social connections.
Annual 3rd & Goal Field Day at Bank of America Stadium
Each participating 3rd & Goal school will have the opportunity to select 15 third grade students to attend a one-of-a-kind 3rd & Goal Field Day at Bank of America Stadium each year at the end of the school year. The experience is designed to serve as a powerful incentive, with schools recognizing five students for achievements in Read 20 literacy efforts, five students for excellence in Play 60 physical education, and five students for being good classmates who exhibit positive wellness and being through Feel 100.
Editor's Note: Event photos and b-roll will be available here following the event.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers became the 29th National Football League franchise on October 26, 1993. The Panthers began play in the 1995 season, winning an expansion-team-record seven games. In 31 seasons, Carolina has won seven division titles, including three consecutive NFC South division titles from 2013-15. The Panthers have played in 18 playoff games, winning two NFC Championships and appearing in Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl 50. David A. Tepper, the founder and president of global hedge fund Appaloosa Management, L.P. and a well-known philanthropist, is the owner of the Carolina Panthers. Truly representing both Carolinas, the Panthers play their home games at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C., just miles from the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Serving the two-state region is a priority for the team. The Panthers work with over 3,800 community partners, non-profit agencies and schools in the Carolinas each year and are committed to positively impacting the region by providing philanthropic funding, resources and opportunities throughout the Carolinas.
Tepper Sports & Entertainment
Tepper Sports & Entertainment (TSE) owns and operates the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL), Major League Soccer's (MLS) Charlotte Football Club, and Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. TSE is committed to making the greater Charlotte metro area the premier year-round destination for sports and entertainment in the Carolinas and beyond. Bank of America Stadium hosts nearly 50 annual ticketed events. The diverse array of events attracts audiences spanning NFL, NCAA, high school football, MLS, international soccer, and blockbuster concerts. Beyond sports and entertainment, the venue accommodates hundreds of corporate and community events throughout the year and has served as a mass vaccination site in 2020, as well as an early voting site in the 2020, 2022 and 2024 elections.
About Bank of America Charlotte
From its origins in 1874, Bank of America has helped shape Charlotte's identity and growth. The bank has played a central role in the city's emergence as a global financial hub, influencing everything from its business infrastructure and early industrial expansion to its current skyline and stadiums. With more than 19,500 employees in the Charlotte area, the company remains one of the region's largest private-sector employers and an important contributor to the local economy. Today, Bank of America continues to play a critical leadership role in Charlotte's progress by supporting local businesses, investing in community development, and driving regional growth through sustained philanthropic giving, financing, and employment.
Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving more than 69 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 60 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries and/or jurisdictions. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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Reporters may contact
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Phone: 1.980.387.4899
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SOURCE Bank of America Corporation
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