Communication studies professor to explore the rise of the Panthers

While the Carolina Panthers are preparing to compete in Super Bowl 50; Daniel Grano, associate professor in the Department of Communication Studies, will lead a discussion about the team’s near-perfect season and its place in the National Football League (NFL). This talk is set for noon, Friday, Feb. 5, at the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art.

As a researcher, Grano focuses on the intersection between politics and sports. To date, he has published several articles and book chapters on the National Football League, and he has a forthcoming book on sports, religion and politics from Temple University Press.

The 2015 Panthers football season has featured just about everything that makes the NFL a sports empire and a source of controversy. For fans in the Carolinas, the Panthers had an almost perfect regular-season record, secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and, led by quarterback Cam Newton, will compete in the Super Bowl.

Increased national media attention put the Panthers and their opponents at the center of discussions around hip-hop, race, domestic violence, homophobia, player safety and the struggles for recognition faced by expansion teams.

Grano’s talk is free and open to the public. Attendees are invited to bring their lunches or to purchase lunch from the museum café. No reservation is needed, but seating is limited. The Bechtler Museum is located at 420 South Tryon St.