Charlotte Eagles...g-d and soccer

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/08/16/christian-pro-soccer-team-scoring-souls-not-goals/

the new Ocala (FL) PDL team is also definitely faith-based. What I don't understand is that I wanted to partner with the National Soccer Hall of Fame in order to run a USL PDL expansion franchise a couple of years ago. They thought my business plan was such a bad idea that they might have shuffled me off to the asylum. So if these faith-based teams have a successful business model, then maybe I just didn't have g-d on my side?

I'm aghast the National Soccer Hall of Fame couldn't recognize a good business plan.

Well, they were nice folks Kenn...I will say that much.
M

Oh, fabulous folks.

even after they closed their doors in Oneonta I was hoping that I could attract the former CEO, but he went and joined the Mob Museum out in Las Vegas.

They are holding one of the great soccer cities in America hostage and depriving it of its rightful soccer culture. A non religiously affiliated correctly marketed team in charlotte would be a huge success. I hate the Charlotte Eagles with a passion for that reason.

You hate them with a passion for what? Being succesful at what they set out to do? In twenty years or so, they have made the league final eight times and won two championships. Along the way, they have made the world a better place in their eyes. Not a bad accomplishment. Stack that up against your Revs. What have they done exactly? Right. Nothing.

So, are you an anti-Christian bigot or just a troll?

Honestly: Neither, just a foul mouthed lover of the city of Charlotte, and soccer with extensive tailgating and hard drinking, which is fundamentally not compatible with regular church at a soccer game, but is with 99% of every other club in the country, just so happens a regular atmosphere is not available in Charlotte. If there were 2 teams in the city, with Eagles being an alternative instead of the general market standard, I would say no problem.

Just an advocate of making the pro game as accessible to as many people and as inclusive as possible. It is possible to be accommodating and family friendly and bring the kids out and still be conducive to enthusiastic supporters and not exclude the general market. Soccer could flourish in Charlotte with an atmosphere like Rowdy Dowdy for a ECU football game (my dream) if it were not an exclusive provenance of the evangelicals.

Charlotte 49er games are a preview of what is possible, but it would take a pro team to take it to the next level.

I do not consider that to be a controversial view.

TO SUM UP: The example is right there in the league. The Wilmington Hammerheads are doing exactly what I describe!! Thats all I'm saying, except Charlotte is a top 30 metro who could bring out 10,000 fans a game instead of 900 if they operated an atmosphere like Wilmington!!

10,000 fans may be a stretch, but a well run team in Charlotte could average 4,000-5,000 with further potential for growth. I have supported the Charlotte Eagles in the past and they are no doubt a quality organization, but they are far from representative of Charlotte's true soccer potential. Hopefully, it is just a matter of time before Charlotte gets a team in NASL. If the Charlotte Knights ever build their ballpark in Uptown Charlotte, there is always the possibility of converting their current stadium in Fort Mill into a soccer facility. Memorial Stadium is always an option as well especially with the MLL Hounds playing there and plans for major upgrades.

GO CHARLOTTE!!!

Nobody's stopping anybody else from trying to create a competing team in Charlotte. I think you just hate Christianity, and see the Eagles as an easy target to vent that hatred. At least that's how you're coming across.

I think you may be taking my illustrations of behavior to the extreme. Obviously. I don't ruin a game for everyone sitting around me by acting in a way that is demeaning to myself or those around me and frankly resent those who do that.

Whats more important to me is whats going on on the field as well, and when whats going on on the field is a church service instead of a soccer game, thats what I resent. And apples and oranges to watching a game in England, they can't sell alcohol because they have problems with hooliganism and violence, that is sickening and thankfully we do not have that problem in this country.

If you want to twist my INTENT to fit your agenda, and paint yourself and your team as a victim you can, but that is not my intent. I am just an advocate for seeing a regular, inclusive, general market, traditional pro soccer team in the city of charlotte, where I can view the game without feel like I'm being evangelized to, like very other team in every other city in the country. No more, no less.

I do not hate Christianity, I don't hate anyone, this is a free country and believe what you want, I support that. But I do have a distaste for aggressive recruitment and evangelism. These are not one and the same.

i hate Christianity.

I can definitely agree with that, and I understand that you don't have an agenda, but the Eagles do, and I happen to not agree with it. As I said earlier, my ideal soccer game experience would be like a day at Dowdy Ficklen for a ECU Football game at a soccer game in Charlotte, albeit on a smaller stage, I think the Wilmington team does a great job, as does Orlando, and of course the ultimate is Portland, but i don't see that end result being possible with the methods that the Eagles employ. If Growing Soccer is the ultimate goal, it must be as open and welcoming to any and all comers as possible, and any restriction away from that is just narrowing the funnel of available fans you can attract. The Eagles themselves have said, Growing Soccer is not their ultimate goal, Growing Christianity is and that is fine, that is their right. I just would like to se a pro soccer organization in Charlotte whose primary goal is to Grow Soccer throughout the enhancement of the Gameday Experience. I actually have just as much a beef with the New England Revolution, because they also do not have the goal of growing the game but simply to get some use out of their stadium while they wait for the Pats season to start back up. I cant be any more clear. I don't think I have to speak anymore in this thread, I believe I've been clear, and I appreciate the exchange of opinion. The opportunity for all of this freedom of exchange is what makes this country so great!

I'd love to see the Eagles get an SSS, get it sponsored by Church's Chicken, and sell only red wine and crackers in the stadium.

As if they're gonna take advice from the MLS's prawn sandwich brigade.

The big problem is the heat. It's so hot at those games.

Isn't it hot all over the south? Back in New Orleans we drew over 2,000 and its surely hotter in New Orleans than Charlotte.

Between May and Sept. they're actually pretty similar. I think the average July temp in NO is 82, in Charlotte it's 81. Both pop up into the 90's during the afternoon on sunny days, obviously.

What's the humidity like? Can't talk about New Orleans heat without the humidity in the 80-90% range.

Just checked wiki

New Orleans average high - 91º

Charlotte is pretty close 89.5º

Any termite invasions in Charlotte?