Charlotte FC
The Carolina Lightnin' won the American Soccer League championship in 1981 before a crowd of 20,163 people at American Legion Memorial Stadium. This victory marked Charlotte's first professional sports title. The team folded after the league collapsed in 1983 and played one final season as the Charlotte Gold in the United Soccer League. Professional soccer did not return to the area until the founding of the Charlotte Eagles in 1991. These Eagles joined the USISL in 1993 and laid groundwork for future interest. Charlotte appeared on lists of cities seeking Major League Soccer franchises in 1994 but received no franchise award. The city was also passed over for expansion teams in both 1996 and 1998 while other locations were chosen instead. A renovation to Bank of America Stadium in 2014 allowed the host city to stage international matches like the CONCACAF Gold Cup. These events drew strong attendance figures and demonstrated local demand. Recreational leagues across the region maintained a large soccer-playing population that fueled efforts to attract a top-tier team.
David Tepper purchased a 5% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009 before acquiring the Carolina Panthers in July 2018. He immediately suggested bringing Major League Soccer to Charlotte following his NFL purchase. Tom Glick served as the Panthers' new team president and previously worked as chief operating officer of Manchester City F.C. Glick organized an MLS expansion bid for New York City FC before leading the effort for Tepper. Several meetings with league officials occurred before the next bidding window opened in April 2019. Tepper presented a formal expansion bid to the league in July 2019 during tours of Bank of America Stadium. Plans announced in September included up to $210 million in contributions from the city government to upgrade the existing stadium. MLS commissioner Don Garber named Charlotte the frontrunner in November after praising Tepper's efforts. The Charlotte City Council approved $110 million in funding using revenue from a hospitality tax in late November. MLS board of governors authorized final negotiations with Tepper in early December. The expansion team was officially awarded at an event held at the Mint Museum on the 17th of December 2019. The reported expansion fee reached near $325 million representing a 62.5 percent increase over previous bids. Seven thousand season ticket deposits sold within the first 24 hours after the announcement.
The club signed its first player Spanish midfielder Sergio Ruiz from Racing Santander on the 8th of July 2020. He was immediately loaned out to UD Las Palmas for 18 months with an expected arrival in January 2022. Miguel Ángel Ramírez became the team's first head coach when hired in July 2021. During the 2021 MLS Expansion Draft Charlotte FC selected five players and traded away two for general allocation money. Three picks kept included veteran defenders Anton Walkes and Joseph Mora along with winger McKinze Gaines. Polish forward Karol Świderski joined as the club's first Designated Player on the 26th of January 2022. Joe LaBue replaced Tom Glick as club president in February 2022 after his departure. A FIFA report indicated Charlotte FC spent the most transfer fees of any club in the CONCACAF region during 2022. Their first MLS regular season match occurred on the 26th of February 2022 resulting in a 3, 0 loss to D.C. United at Audi Field. The home debut against LA Galaxy on March 5 drew a crowd of 74,479 making it the largest single-match crowd in MLS history at that time. Adam Armour scored the club's first goal on March 13 in a 2, 1 loss to Atlanta United FC. The team earned their first win three days later defeating New England Revolution 3, 1 at home.
Tepper Sports submitted trademark filings in December 2019 listing eight potential names including Charlotte Crown FC and Carolina Gliders FC. The name announcement was delayed until the 22nd of July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A livestream event revealed Charlotte Football Club as the chosen winner with the crest designed by Doubleday & Cartwright. The black roundel features a Process Blue center matching the shade used by the Carolina Panthers. References within the design include a coin shape and Minted 2022 text honoring the city's banking industry and historic Charlotte Mint. A four-pointed crown at the center represents the four wards of Uptown Charlotte and the Queen City nickname. Ally Financial signed a multi-year kit sponsorship agreement in July 2019 for the then-unannounced MLS team. Centene Corporation added sleeve sponsorship in October 2021 with undisclosed financial terms. The primary Carolina Kit unveiled in December 2021 is primarily blue with white sleeves and outlines of North and South Carolina. The secondary Newly Minted community kit released in February 2022 featured mint-colored highlights referencing the Charlotte Mint. A new Crown Jewel jersey debuted ahead of the 2023 season showing purple fabric with pink stripes honoring Queen Charlotte.
Bank of America Stadium holds 74,867 seats but capacity drops to 38,000 for most matches using only lower bowl sections. Major matches like the 2022 home opener expand the stadium to full capacity by opening the upper bowl. Renovation work began in March 2021 and finished in early 2022 adding dedicated locker rooms and training rooms for soccer. A player tunnel was constructed at midfield while a larger concourse area improved fan movement. The project cost $50 million funded jointly by Tepper Sports and city government. FieldTurf replaced natural grass in 2021 due to expected wear from hosting MLS matches. A dedicated supporters section sits behind the goal on the east side of the stadium. Charlotte FC became the first MLS team to use personal seat licenses for most sections starting in February 2021. Seat license costs reached $550 per seat during the inaugural season and were non-transferable to any future stadium. High ticket prices generated backlash among fans despite the club's efforts to reduce costs through community donations.
Apple TV secured worldwide broadcast rights for all MLS matches in English and Spanish beginning in 2023. Their MLS Season Pass platform includes every league and playoff match featuring Charlotte FC. Local television partnerships with Cox Media Group started in April 2021 covering the Charlotte market. Most English broadcasts aired on WAXN-TV while remaining games appeared on WSOC-TV across eleven other Carolinas markets. Spanish broadcasts remained exclusive to Telemundo Charlotte with Raycom Sports handling local production. Eric Krakauer served as play-by-play announcer alongside color commentator Lloyd Sam formerly an MLS player. Jamie Moreno provided Spanish play-by-play commentary with Antonio Ramos as analyst. Matches streamed locally via the club website for viewers throughout most of the Carolinas. Radio One announced a partnership in January 2022 carrying matches on various local stations. English radio broadcasts air primarily on WFNZ-FM with sister station WBT completing the network. Seven stations across North Carolina South Carolina and Virginia carry the English language coverage. Will Palaszczuk handles play-by-play duties while Anna Witte serves as color analyst. Spanish radio broadcasts utilize WOLS syndicated by Norsan Media to eleven additional stations.
Charlotte Independence served as reserve squad from 2021 through 2022 under an affiliation agreement before termination ended the relationship. Crown Legacy FC replaced them as new reserve team operating directly within MLS Next Pro starting play in 2023. The youth academy established in July 2020 created squads at under-17, under-14, under-13, and under-12 levels. Initial full-time under-17 and under-14 squads sourced players from outside the Carolinas while other groups transferred from existing programs. Under-17 and under-15 teams played their first match at Bank of America Stadium facing Atlanta United FC Academy before 1,800 spectators. Brian Romero and Nimfasha Berchimas became the senior team's first homegrown signings during 2022. The Atrium Health Performance Park opened in August 2023 housing headquarters and training facilities for all club teams. This campus includes 45-seat auditorium space plus eight fields split between grass and turf surfaces. The facility supports Charlotte FC Crown Legacy FC and academy teams simultaneously.
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Common questions
When was Charlotte FC officially awarded as an MLS expansion team?
The Charlotte City Council approved the expansion fee and funding in late November 2019, but the league officially awarded the franchise at an event held at the Mint Museum on the 17th of December 2019. The reported expansion fee reached near $325 million representing a 62.5 percent increase over previous bids.
Who purchased the Carolina Panthers to bring Major League Soccer to Charlotte?
David Tepper purchased a 5% stake in the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2009 before acquiring the Carolina Panthers in July 2018. He immediately suggested bringing Major League Soccer to Charlotte following his NFL purchase and organized an MLS expansion bid with Tom Glick.
What date did Charlotte FC play their first MLS regular season match?
Their first MLS regular season match occurred on the 26th of February 2022 resulting in a 3, 0 loss to D.C. United at Audi Field. The home debut against LA Galaxy on March 5 drew a crowd of 74,479 making it the largest single-match crowd in MLS history at that time.
How much did the renovation of Bank of America Stadium cost for soccer operations?
Renovation work began in March 2021 and finished in early 2022 adding dedicated locker rooms and training rooms for soccer. The project cost $50 million funded jointly by Tepper Sports and city government.
When was the name Charlotte Football Club officially announced after trademark filings?
Tepper Sports submitted trademark filings in December 2019 listing eight potential names including Charlotte Crown FC and Carolina Gliders FC. The name announcement was delayed until the 22nd of July 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic before revealing Charlotte Football Club as the chosen winner.