Let me first state that I know, and respect, many people do think that MLS coming to Charlotte is a bad thing. I get it, I really do, but here are some reasons as to why I think it’s a great thing not only for the City, but also for the growth of the sport. There are also some opinions…

Why did the City give a Billionaire $110 Million? Easy…it’s a Partnership.

This is a logical question, and to be fair, there isn’t a great answer defending the giving of the money, or defending the billionaire paying for his own toys. What I will say is this, having a professional sports franchise adds economic value to businesses within and throughout the city in which it is located. The company brings in jobs, full and part-time, it brings in hotel revenue, food and beverage revenue as well as it adds activities that make that city attractive to live in. All of these things are benefits that the city receives, and the sports team contributes to that revenue, so it’s only fair that it is shared in some capacity. This can be done via tax breaks, revenue splits or even using some of the funds to help outfit a stadium. Having a stadium is a partnership with the city, it’s not just the owners house.

The other side of this coin is that Tepper could have absolutely paid for the additional upgrades to the stadium on his own, but that’s a fight that will have serious ramifications down the line. For a city that loves their Panthers, I would find it hard to think they would let that leave over $110 million. Will they raise taxes to pay for the next stadium? That’s a question that will have to be answered in due time…actually in about 10 years, when Tepper wants to build a new stadium. For the record, I can’t get behind that, but using taxes that are already collected for the purpose they were collected, sure.

Either way, adding another professional team to the mix is an economic benefit all around.

Revitalization of Eastland Mall Site

The City of Charlotte has been looking for an answer to their Eastland Mall site question for years. When the movie production studio was driven out of town by terrible tax laws, the City was left with a large, empty parking lot and a part of the city that was deteriorating quickly. Part of the deal with the City was that the new MLS team would build their headquarters and practice facility on the old Eastland Mall site. This will bring about 80 employees and a destination point for fans to come and see their favorite players. Along with that, it will provide an ample platform for restaurants, hotels and other businesses to pop up around the facility. While it might not be the final answer, it can be a catalyst to help develop that part of the city and restore it back to it’s glory years.

Growth of the Game

Having two very large and successful youth clubs in Charlotte, along with several other small ones, the development of the game is in great hands. However, by adding the highest level of the sport to the professional ranks, it will help develop some fans who otherwise would have never become soccer fans. The sport has a unique way of pulling people into the fold, if they just give it a chance and really watch it. I’ve seen it happen with the Independence as well as other lower level clubs throughout the country. Unfortunately, the pull and marketing of those lower level clubs isn’t the same, so they can’t reach as many people as a top level, “Major League”, sport can. While it may not impact the current lovers of the sport, it will convert those who have been reluctant to attend a game or give it a fair shot. Is it fair that they only give a top level league a chance? Absolutely not, but it is what it is, and I think a MLS team will grow the game.

BofA Stadium is too big!

I can’t argue that point, and frankly, it’s not geared for soccer. It is, however, temporary for the MLS team and if done right, can be a great place to watch a match. When the time comes to build another stadium, Tepper has said he wanted something similar to what the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United play in, which is great for both sports. To me, I’d rather have a separate stadium all together that is soccer specific, but beggers can’t be choosers. So for now, while it isn’t ideal, BofA will serve the purpose of playing some matches and starting this journey through MLS. If done right, I think BofA can actually not look terribly over-sized, and the crowd can make an impact. Tarp off the upper deck with sponsorship and team logos, and make the bottom bowl the MLS tickets and you’ll be in business. Leave the upper deck with nothing more than blue seats, and you’ll feel the size of the stadium overpowering the crowd. It will also make for a terrible visual, and MLS will not want that.

Raleigh Deserved More

Raleigh never had a real shot once Tepper got into the mix for MLS, but had some of the more wealthier people joined forces with Malik in Raleigh, it would have never gotten to this point. The Raleigh bid was a good one, with the exception of a stadium and money. Two things MLS demands of their potential owners. Their local government couldn’t get out of their own way to figure out a stadium, and it bit them in the backside. They are now stuck with two top-level professional sports franchises, the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and the reigning NWSL Champions, NC Courage. Frankly, I think the old guard there is just fine with that. Raleigh would have been a great fit for MLS alongside the Hurricanes, but they couldn’t get their act together to make it happen.

Success Relies on Strong Latino Support

Atlanta United’s remarkable support is based on a strong Latino support base, and they have embraced it. It’s not a secret that Tepper wants to recreate that buzz up here, but in order to do that, they will have to tap into the same support base. If they can do this successfully, where other teams in the area have failed, then they will have tremendous success.

Collateral Damage

It has been noted that the current professional team, the Charlotte Independence, intend to continue playing in the USL even with MLS being just down the street. I, for one, hope it happens because more teams equal more exposure. But I can’t see it lasting long-term. When competition enters a market, there is always collateral damage that takes place. Stronger brands take out smaller brands that fail to keep up, and those than can keep up, drastically alter their business model to remain successful. While I hope the Independence can remain, they will have to change their model and find their niche. Maybe there is a partnership down the line with MLS that will make this pointless, though at this time, aside from absorbing the youth club, I can’t see a benefit with that scenario for Tepper.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Well, first off we pray that they pick a decent club name. Without something at least decent, they will be behind from the start. The other thing that is vital is how everything is established and the community involvement. One piece of the puzzle for success is getting the community excited and engaged. Sell your product to them, and make them want to be part of this. This engagement will create a natural buzz around the city, and for MLS as a whole. Last, but not least by any means, establish some sort of a youth system. Work with the local clubs, create your own, it doesn’t matter. Just get involved in the youth system and provide the ability to play in a competitive environment with great coaching without having to pay the amount of money that is necessary in this day and age. Pay to play is killing the sport, and they have a chance to combat it head on.

The next year will be an interesting one, and I am not sure how everything will fall. I do believe that MLS coming to Charlotte is a great thing, and it has a chance to really impact that city as a whole while growing the game. For everyone, I will leave you with a tag line that I use when recording, “no matter who you support, let’s all work together to grow the game”. Those words have never been more necessary than they are now.

On a side note, if they choose All Carolina FC or Gliders FC, I will retract everything I said.