LSU locker room upgrades put Carolina Panthers facilities in spotlight

A recent collegiate facilities update puts Carolina Panthers locker room in the spotlight.

Carolina Panthers safety Eric Reid has never been afraid to voice his opinion. The former Louisiana State University (LSU) standout and first-round pick landed in Carolina after being unemployed for six months following his departure from the San Francisco 49ers.

Largely believed to be associated with him being the first to kneel alongside former quarterback Colin Kaepernick in protest of social injustice, the Panthers offered Reid an opportunity and then re-signed him to an extended three-year deal following last season.

However, his latest comments stem from the recent $28 million locker room upgrades at his alma mater. Not that Reid is upset the current players will get to enjoy a lavish setting but he questions the inability to compensate collegiate athletes when this type of money is seemingly available at many Division I schools, especially across the Southeastern Conference.

Reid tweeted, “the locker room when I was at LSU [seven] years ago was better than the current one in Carolina, but there’s no money to compensate these young men for the revenue they bring to the school.” A fair point that has sparked a heated debate, not just on the campus of LSU but across the country.

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He later clarified the sentiment on Panthers facilities, indicating they were “perfectly fine” but it does beg to question why players enjoy better accommodations at the collegiate level than in the pros.

One potential reason for this gap revolves specifically around the recruiting process for collegiate athletics. After college, these players virtually have no influence on where they play professionally but out of high school the choice is all theirs. In an effort to lure players to their respective programs, colleges have to continually upgrade and impress with everything from their play on the field to all of the athletic training and workout facilities.

The current locker rooms in Carolina are likely similar to their original set up when the stadium was constructed, 23 years ago, and although new owner David Tepper has plans in place for a brand new, state-of-the-art team facility in South Carolina – the game day accommodations are probably in need of enhancement as well.

Reid may not have intended to target the Panthers current facilities, but seeing these improvements for collegiate players has raised more than just the compensation dialogue.