CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — November 13, 2025. This fall, Mavendog attended the annual, Carolina Panthers Small Business Partner Event at Bank of America Stadium, hosted by Eleven Sports Media. As our final season in the program comes to a close, the event offered a warm, seasonal moment to reflect on what the partnership has represented and why programs like this matter, especially in a market like Charlotte.
The Carolina Panthers were the first franchise to participate in this Small Business Partner program, launching in 2023. Since then, it has expanded to other NFL teams, such as the New Orleans Saints and the New York Jets. It is also prominent in the NBA and Professional soccer clubs.
The Carolina Panthers are a small-market NFL franchise competing on one of the largest stages in professional sports. That reality creates a certain kinship with the small and mid-sized businesses that make up the Panthers’ small business community. Success is not built on excess or scale alone; it is built on discipline, execution, and the ability to show up consistently in competitive environments. Over the past three years, the Panthers Small Business Partner program has created more than visibility for Mavendog. It has created access. Access to relationships, to shared experiences, and to a peer community of business owners.
At Mavendog, we operate in a similarly demanding space. We are a Charlotte-based project leadership firm serving clients across the Carolinas and beyond, often stepping into complex, high-stakes initiatives where outcomes matter and excuses do not. Our work is about execution, accountability, and helping organizations move forward when the path is not simple. The Small Business Partner program has consistently aligned with that mindset.
Charlotte’s continued growth is frequently attributed to banking and large institutions, but the real engine of the region is its entrepreneurial middle. Small and mid-sized businesses that are willing to invest locally, build relationships patiently, and compete with professionalism form the backbone of the Carolinas economy. Programs like the Panthers Small Business Partner initiative recognize that reality and give it a platform.
Mavendog is grateful for the relationships built through the Panthers Small Business Partner program and for the thoughtful stewardship of Eleven Sports Media in creating a space where serious businesses can connect with intention. As we look ahead, we remain committed to serving as a trusted project leadership partner for organizations across Charlotte and the Carolinas that value execution, clarity, and results.
To the fellow small businesses we met along the way, thank you for showing up, competing well, and continuing to build what makes this region strong.
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[Update January 7, 2026]: Following a season marked by incremental progress and difficult mid-season course corrections, the Carolina Panthers clinched the NFC South and returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, earning a Wild Card matchup against the Los Angeles Rams at Bank of America Stadium this Saturday. As Project Leadership Firm, to Mavendog the Panthers’ 2025 season felt like a typical project. It required diagnosing issues early, adjusting plans without overreacting, and executing fundamentals consistently under pressure. That pattern mirrors successful projects, where outcomes are rarely driven by single moments and more often earned through disciplined planning and steady execution over time.
About Eleven Sports Media
Founded in 2009 in north-west England – the spiritual home of football – Eleven has re-imagined end-to-end brand partnerships in the sporting landscape. From historic English towns to major American cities, we connect teams with what matters most to them: their local communities. For Charlotte and the Carolinas, Eleven offers small to medium-sized businesses the opportunity to align themselves with their local sports team, through a proven combination of branding, experiential and activation services.
About Mavendog, LLC
Mavendog is a project leadership firm of independent program and project leaders who operate as Affiliates under the brand. The firm is a unique conduit to the American independent economy. Since 2017, Mavendog has been committed to helping clients with their project challenges, from complex IT portfolios and programs to tactical project needs. Today, Mavendog is a preferred consulting asset for managing and driving information technology and enterprise change initiatives for Fortune 1000 companies. The company is headquartered in Charlotte, N.C.