OAKLAND PARK, Fla. -- Despite falling short in their season opener, the outpour of love, excitement, and energy remained intact from whistle to whistle for the Florida Panthers.
Those emotions were evident during the team’s first watch party of 2023-24 at the Funky Buddha Taproom as a sea of red, blue, gold and white poured into the brewery for the game.
Nearly four months since the Stanley Cup Final, fans were ready to drop the puck again.
“The enthusiasm is palpable,” said partygoer Joanne, a lifelong Panthers fan who grew up not far from the rink in Broward County. “It’s my home team, my backyard team. I’m homegrown.”
Heading into their fifth season as season ticket holders, Joanne and her husband, Harrison, never miss a home game or an opportunity to cheer along with fellow fans at watch parties.
“We love the atmosphere here at Funky Buddha,” Joanne said. “It’s always fun, and we love seeing Stanley C. Panther and Victor E. Ratt when they come out. Also the dance team, and the voice of the Panthers, Andrew Imber, and Gabby Allen.”
Hoping for a repeat of last season’s incredible success, fans at the watch party claimed to be more excited than ever for a new season to start after having the time of their lives last year.
“We’re season ticket holders, excited for this year, looking forward to great things, and hoping we get back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” said Jeff, a fan of the Panthers for the last 20 years.
Even though the Panthers opened their season in Minnesota, the energy at the watch party helped fans start to prepare their cheers for the Home Opener against Toronto on Oct. 19.
In just a few more days, Amerant Bank Arena will be rocking.
“We definitely wanted to be around other Panthers fans as we started the season, so wanted to come out to Funky Buddha and spend time with other fans and watch a great season opener,” said Todd, another Panthers fan that helped pack the brewery.
With one game down and 81 more to go, fans are ready to settle in for another long season.
For information on future watch parties, stay tuned to FloridaPanthers.com/CatsOnTap.
