Public funding has never been more of a make-or-break issue for NFL teams and stadium projects. With the exception of the privately financed, $5 billion-plus SoFi Stadium, securing taxpayer money is the major issue to moving forward.

The Carolina Panthers are quickly becoming a prominent example of funding problems stalling new work on facilities.

North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County has said it won’t offer any money to the Panthers in support of team owner David Tepper plans to either build a new stadium or bring major renovations to 27-year-old Bank of America Stadium. Matters are further complicated by the fact that the city of Charlotte could still offer the Panthers funding.