Seems too good to be true, right? But that announcement is on the Panthers' Web site, and it's true.

The problem is, you're probably too late to get the tickets at 5 p.m. today, when Panthers' running back DeAngelo Williams makes an appearance at the Alltel store at the Vicksburg Plaza shopping center in Monroe.

Organizers of the event distributed vouchers Sunday for a place in line. They took that step, they said, because more than 100 people already had gotten in line -- 24 hours early.

Those vouchers guarantee a person's spot in line, as one of the first 100. There's a catch, however. People must remain in the line (or appoint a replacement), because a roll call is being taken every 30 minutes. If they are not on hand, they lose the spot in line.

The tickets are a hot item, as the game sold out within minutes last Thursday.

The ticket giveaway is sponsored by Alltel Wireless, and the phone company did the same thing last week in Arizona, distributing 50 pairs of tickets to people for the Cardinals' home NFL playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons. Alltel also gave away an unspecified number of tickets to others who were in line.

Tonight's promotional event is scheduled from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Alltel store, 2242 West Roosevelt Boulevard in Monroe.

According to notes posted at Carolina Huddle, a Panthers' fan Web site, the first person in line at the Monroe store got there Saturday afternoon -- shortly after a note about the event was sent via email to Panthers' fans, apparently to fans registered at the team's official Web site. By mid-afternoon Sunday, fans estimated that about 100 people were in line.

According to notes on Carolina Huddle, someone from Alltel or the Panthers began distributing vouchers for the playoff tickets late Sunday afternoon.

But fans were still waiting outside the store this morning. Several of them told WBT-Radio they hoped some of those who got the vouchers would not be in line for the half-hour roll calls, thereby opening a place in line for them.

One fan told NewsChannel 36, the Observer's news partner, that we was unhappy with the decision to give out the vouchers Sunday.

"We were told it would happen on the 5th (today)," Alan Watts told the station. "We were among the first 100 people in line (today)."

Regardless of whether or not you've got a voucher, you can meet Williams and get a DeAngelo Williams photo card and 2008 Panthers team photo during the event tonight in Monroe.

NewsChannel 36 and WBT-Radio contributed.

To see more of The Charlotte Observer, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.charlotteobserver.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Charlotte Observer, N.C. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.