CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Thousands of basketball fans packed into the Spectrum Center for Friday’s Hornets game just a day after a report that said the venue was the worst for game day food.
The report conducted by ESPN said there was beer leaking through the ceiling and employees not washing hands and handling food with their bare hands.
All but two of the concession stands at the Spectrum Center received a high-level violation in the past few years.
"We were planning on eating at the game tonight, but it just made sense to eat somewhere else,” fan Shelby Weatherman said.
Eyewitness News Reporter Briana Harper asked fans if alarming food safety inspection reports will change their decision to eat in the arena.
"It's mostly beer and a hot dog type of eating, but when we saw the score, it kind of shied us away from eating here,” fan Stephen Ammons said.
[FOOD SAFETY: Panthers, Hornets facilities rank among worst in US]
Friday’s basketball game was the chance fans checked out the concession stand since those shocking low sanitation scores.
"The viewer experience will not change. We're here to watch basketball,” fan Matt Mapus said.
Out of more than 100 sports facilities nationwide, the Spectrum Center had the highest violation rates for food safety.
Bank of America Stadium, home of the Panthers, wasn’t far behind.
"Charlotte needs to pick it up a little bit,” fan Michael Wrench said.
The reports also detailed expired deli meats and cheeses.
"I was disappointed,” Wrench said.
Some fans say they have never had any issues firsthand.
"I have never found nothing nasty. Nothing at all,” fan Tammy Sue Decker.
The inspections were reported in 2016 and 2017, and Channel 9 was told those violations have been corrected.
"Nobody is perfect, so I think they do a great job,” fan Steve Decker said.
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