Bank of America Stadium groundskeeper curates the white lines athletes work between

Inside Bank of America Stadium on a crisp Charlotte morning, there is controlled chaos going on.

Days before the ACC Championship Game between Clemson and North Carolina, a group is gathered in the end zone. They’re steps from The Gallery Suites, the field-level section of the stadium, and they’re ready to embark on one of the most important jobs of the moment.

That is: To carefully and precisely distribute 50 gallons of paint — in the familiar Carolina Blue hue — across more than half of the 53 ⅓ yards where the word “CAROLINA” will be etched.

In preparation for the game Clemson eventually won, supplemental groundskeepers were brought in to help with the transition and painting, including former major and minor league head groundskeepers who work in baseball and golf.

Danny Losito, manager of fields and conversions for Tepper Sports & Entertainment, is responsible for orchestrating it all.

The work done to transform bare turf is both an art and a science.

“The artistic side of it is really important,” said Losito, the head groundskeeper for the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC since April 2022. “The job is labor-intensive. The beauty of it is that it’s both art and science. We work a lot on the (turf) to get it right, and we get to see what we produce on game days.”

But unlike fans watching in seats throughout Bank of America Stadium during football games or soccer matches, Losito, who studied turfgrass science at North Carolina State University, does not care all that much about what happens between the lines.

It’s the lines, themselves, that matter.

Looking for straight lines

When sports TV production crews show replays from what seems like dozens of camera angles to help referees determine whether a running back gained a first down, Losito watches along to identify whether the hash marks are straight.

“It’s hard to watch the actual sport itself,” he said. “Pretty much when I’m watching a Panthers game, I’m unfortunately staring at all the little details. I want to see that line straight. I want to see those edges really crisp. I want to see that paint very tight. Those are things I look for when we watch those games.”

He explained that preparing a single field for games during the season can take up to 60 hours per week. For contests that do not involve the Panthers or Charlotte FC, it can extend to 100 hours per week.

“It’s kind of oddly satisfying to see the clean edges, the crisp work, and just the attention to detail is what always gotten me,” Losito said, adding that he’s always enjoyed being outside and getting his hands a bit dirty.

“There’s a lot of different details that add up to something bigger, and we take the time to really focus on all of those details,” he said. “It shows the symmetry, and the perfection really shows on game day.”

No real offseason

When Losito, 31, is not spending 16 hours a day working on grass or turf, the Raleigh native often finds himself between the blue lines of a hockey rink as a weekend warrior to decompress from a demanding job.

“I like to spend time golfing, playing hockey, and going to live concerts,” said Losito, who grew up a New Jersey Devils fan and now is an ardent Carolina Hurricanes supporter. “It’s anything I can do. I still like to be outside and then just catch up on sleep. We work a lot here. It’s very rewarding, but it’s very demanding as well.”

Since there is no offseason because of the nearly 11-month multi-sport commitment, Losito often misses birthdays, weddings, and family gatherings because of the schedule.

“It’s about getting them (loved ones) to come to you for Christmas or Thanksgiving,” he explained. “But they all understand and try to come here and visit as much as they can.”

The public does not understand much about the job he and others in the industry do. Not the science, art, or even all those long hours that keep him away from family.

The one thing the job does not lack is the challenge of chasing perfection and teaching the craft to others.

“The best part of my job is that every day is different and getting to be outside and keep the artistic side,” he said. “The fun part is bringing some of the guys who don’t get to work here every day and seeing their reactions to being out here.”