OT: Carolina RailHawks to Rebrand, Push for MLS Bid
- Thread starter garnetpalmetto
- Start date
GindyDraws
I will not disable my Adblock, HF
If the NASL goes belly up this season (they are down to 8 teams, & Puerto Rico doesn't look so healthy), NCFC & my squad, the Indy Eleven, can hunker in USL for a while.
the halleJOKEL
strong as brickwall
i thought for sure they were going to go to USL this year, but i guess with the cosmos ownership getting straightened out they figured they could go another year in NASL
I wish they would have bailed to be honest. There's no discernable difference in the quality of NASL and USL play, and I'd rather play Charlotte/Richmond/Charleston/etc. than Jacksonville/Indianapolis/etc. I have season tickets now, and I personally don't really care if they get an MLS team. I get why they're going for it though, because MLS isn't going to keep expanding forever so this is pretty much the last chance to get in if that's the end goal. I will probably drop my ticket package back if they go MLS honestly, I'm not going to pay 2x or 3x just because it's a "big league".
the halleJOKEL
strong as brickwall
i've been considering getting season tickets since they are so absurdly cheap. it's such a good value...
also wish we would get pro/rel and an actual pyramid. that almost completely gets rid of the possibility for relocation since the club is actually a local club and not a franchise.
also wish we would get pro/rel and an actual pyramid. that almost completely gets rid of the possibility for relocation since the club is actually a local club and not a franchise.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
https://www.google.com/amp/s/charlo...overnment/article129570719.html?client=safari
Charlotte has applied for MLS expansion and are building a 20,000 seat stadium.
Charlotte has applied for MLS expansion and are building a 20,000 seat stadium.
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
The whole second half of the article makes it sound like the bid is a poorly-planned rush job destined for disaster.
Navin R Slavin
Fifth line center
The Triangle has a history of decent support for soccer.
Does Charlotte? I legitimately don't know.
Does Charlotte? I legitimately don't know.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
FC Barcelona has a school here, the Guinness ICC was impressed with the games at BOA and the crowd response.
Eagles and Independence are the pro teams.
Bruton and Marcus have the money to pull off the stadium and back the team.
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
Probably not at a Triangle-like level, but there's a modest soccer fanbase in Charlotte. They had the USL Eagles for a very long time and recently switched over to a new team, the Independence. That being said, apparently the average attendance at those games is under 2K as compared to nearly 5K for the Railhawks. They also hosted a pretty big exhibition match (Bayern Munich and I forget who) last year so that could be considered a litmus test of sorts. On the other hand, Raleigh has the D-I college programs, the big soccer complex in Cary, hosts the high school championships, and generally is a focal point for soccer recruitment in the state.
I think the difference is enough to justify saying the two cities occupy different tiers in the American soccer dynamic.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
Other cities that could be bidding include Raleigh; Sacramento and San Diego, Calif.; Detroit; Nashville, Tenn.; Austin, Tex.; St. Louis, Mo.; Phoenix; and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.
Of the cities:
Raleigh or Charlotte will get one, they will want the Carolinas market.
Austin Texas, untapped city with no professional sports teams.
Cali: Easy revival for Galaxy.
Nashville or Florida will probably be the other.
There's a lot of competition, but the combination of private stadium funding and the recent purchase of the women's team might get the Raleigh bid over the hump. Malik has supposedly impressed Garber and Gulati with what he's done here so far, but honestly he's only been around a short time too. The Raleigh bid might be a little more put together than the Charlotte one, but it's honestly a rush job too. I personally think the new NCFC is in over their heads trying to do all this stuff (rebrand, women's team, MLS push) simultaneously.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
Charlotte Independence stadium only holds 4500, that's like making fun of the Jets for being 23rd in the league in attendance with selling 112% of its capacity.
Charlotte has hosted AC Milan v Liverpool, Chelsea v PSG...
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlott...e-not-kicking-soccer-habit-any-time-soon.html
61,000 + at the Chelsea game.
Their stadium in Ramblewood is around nothing, the Memorial Stadium would be right in "uptown".
Last edited:
Navin R Slavin
Fifth line center
Uh, unless I'm missing something, 2000 is not 112% of 4500.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
I had thought it was originally only 2500 seats. Didn't update that 2nd part on the edit. But still can't draw 5000 fans when the stadium can't hold 5000 fans is the point.
If they played at Grady Cole, they would be able to sell out easily. Which is where the proposed stadium for MLS would go. It's right beside a bus station and right outside of the inner circle of Charlotte, but right in the thick of businesses
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
Where Independence plays:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/R...x88569bf71ddbec0d:0x2788fa84c65fba8d?hl=en-us
Vs Grady Cole:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/G...x8856a01e358ec389:0x155395d098258257?hl=en-us
Location is not friendly to people traveling.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/R...x88569bf71ddbec0d:0x2788fa84c65fba8d?hl=en-us
Vs Grady Cole:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/G...x8856a01e358ec389:0x155395d098258257?hl=en-us
Location is not friendly to people traveling.
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
OK, but they didn't even draw 2000 fans to any game in 2016 as far as I can tell.
Likewise, the Eagles drew crowds in the hundreds or low 1000s.
I get what you're saying about facilities. Both the Independence and Eagles play(ed) in glorified local fields. Neither had a proper professional stadium. The Railhawks do have a proper stadium, and so they draw crowds multiples larger than the Charlotte teams.
The question is, which of these scenarios sounds like it justifies an MLS-level commitment from the city? And which of these sounds like it is laying the groundwork for an MLS-level fanbase?
I think it's possible for Charlotte to eventually become a sensible MLS location, but reading that article it truly sounds like the idea was slapped together at the last possible minute without any sort of feasibility work up front. I would be shocked if all the necessary government bodies are willing to go in on something that sloppily arranged, without any real precedent for successful professional soccer in the city.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
When it came to bringing in big time teams, BOA drew 60k+
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bi...score-first-sellout-in.amp.html?client=safari
Their first sellout came last year, I think a better judge of local intrest would be if they played at Grady Cole.
But now we are going to have to handle this the old fashioned way, my city vs yours, BoJangles (Arena) Parking lot (during a Checkers home game) with rounds of beer.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
TheOllieC
cajun filet
the halleJOKEL
strong as brickwall
where did the bojangles parking lot thing even come from it seriously cracks me up every single time
tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
OK, but I'm going to have a hard time fitting the whole population of the Triangle in my car. There's a carseat in the back.
I agree, not that anything is written in stone but I would be very surprised if both applications were rejected.
Unsustainable
Seth Jarvis is Elite
That car seat thing is a pain. In my F150 with the half sized suicide doors, parking lots are a pain.
Brock Anton
flames #badnwagon
I just don't see either NC bid being accepted this go round. Sacramento, San Diego, Cincinnati and one of STL/DET are the favorites... and if one of them fall by the wayside, San Antonio steps in, as they already have a SSS.
If/when MLS expands to 32, that's when I expect to see a NC team.
If/when MLS expands to 32, that's when I expect to see a NC team.
DaleCooper
NEVER 4GET
One of the requirements for the expansion application is a detailed stadium plan including location, financing, and government hurdles. A number of cities have released details of theirs. There hasn't been a peep from Raleigh. Is there any evidence that they actually have any of this ready to go?
Charlotte's bid is in trouble because the city council canceled the hearing and vote on the subsidy proposal. On the Raleigh end though there hasn't been any political discussion at all that I'm aware of.
I don't see either bid being selected. Too many other cities are much farther ahead in the game. If NC were to ever get one though it's got to be Raleigh IMO. Makes much more sense than Charlotte. It would be pretty depressing to see Charlotte get one instead.
Charlotte's bid is in trouble because the city council canceled the hearing and vote on the subsidy proposal. On the Raleigh end though there hasn't been any political discussion at all that I'm aware of.
I don't see either bid being selected. Too many other cities are much farther ahead in the game. If NC were to ever get one though it's got to be Raleigh IMO. Makes much more sense than Charlotte. It would be pretty depressing to see Charlotte get one instead.
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