Panthers Playoff Game A Chance To Showcase Charlotte

Saturday night's Panthers playoff game will be a powerful product placement opportunity that'll be seen nationwide.

The product in this case isn't just team -- it's the city of Charlotte.

City leaders know the nation will be watching the primetime match-up. Michael Smith of Center City Partners said the game will be the perfect opportunity to show off the positives of the city. He said after months of bad news about the struggling banking industry and its ties to Charlotte, there's no better time than now.

Smith said he'll work with TV crews to make sure viewers see the best of Charlotte, even if the weather is not sunny.

Thousands of people are expected to flock to the Queen City this weekend. Uptown hotels are booked solid, and Smith said for businesses it's a great deal that the game is Saturday night. This way fans can come into town Saturday, get dinner, spend the night and not have to rush home to get to work the next day.

Smith said the skyline will be lit and some of the tops of the buildings will be Panther blue.

He said there will also be events on Saturday in uptown Charlotte, but details about those events will not be released until later this week.