Charlotte Eagles...g-d and soccer

Discussion in 'United Soccer Leagues' started by msilverstein47, Mar 2, 2012.

  1. msilverstein47 Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 11, 1999
          
  2. ButlerBob Moderator

    Member Since:
    Nov 13, 2001
    Location:
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Country:
    United States
    Nice, article about the Eagles, although it is from last August. There are a couple other teams in the USL that are faith based ; SoCal Seahorses (also part of the same org as Charlotte), Mississippi Brilla, and the new Southern WV team. Don't know enough about the BYU mission statement to know if that's part of goal. But it might be.
  3. msilverstein47 Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 11, 1999
    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?
  4. kenntomasch Member+

    Member Since:
    Sep 2, 1999
    Location:
    El desierto
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Country:
    United States
    I'm aghast the National Soccer Hall of Fame couldn't recognize a good business plan.
  5. msilverstein47 Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 11, 1999
    Well, they were nice folks Kenn...I will say that much.
    M
  6. kenntomasch Member+

    Member Since:
    Sep 2, 1999
    Location:
    El desierto
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Country:
    United States
    Oh, fabulous folks.
  7. msilverstein47 Member

    Member Since:
    Jan 11, 1999
    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.
  8. TheLincolnKing Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 15, 2011
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Country:
    United States
    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.
  9. ButlerBob Moderator

    Member Since:
    Nov 13, 2001
    Location:
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Country:
    United States
    So how exactly are they holding Charlotte hostage? I don't think they are preventing a group from bringing in a MLS or NASL franchse.
  10. Bluesfan Member

    Member Since:
    Aug 12, 2000
    Location:
    Palm Harbor, FL
    Club:
    DC United
    Country:
    Scotland
    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?
  11. TheLincolnKing Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 15, 2011
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Country:
    United States
    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!!
  12. wellington Member

    Member Since:
    Jun 4, 1999
    Location:
    Charlotte, NC
    Club:
    Charleston
    Country:
    England
    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!!!
  13. Orlando Rays This is your world.

    Member Since:
    Nov 5, 2007
    Location:
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Country:
    United States
    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.
    Nacional Tijuana repped this.
  14. ButlerBob Moderator

    Member Since:
    Nov 13, 2001
    Location:
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Country:
    United States
    So TheLincolnKing, just want to make sure I understand your issue. So you don't really have an issue with the club that's 21 years old and has brought several league titles to Charlotte, and consistently puts a good team on the field. Your main issue is that you can't go to the game, drink heavily and shout obscenties at players. Is that correct? I'm just trying to understand. Maybe saying that's the type of environment you prefer watching a game in would have been better then saying that you hate the club.

    Also, a good portion of the USL Pro don't sell alchohal at the game. For example Dayton, LA, Pittsburgh. To me what's on the field is much more important to if I have a beer in my hand watching the game. Also, if you go to a Premier league game in England, you can also forget having a beer in your seat while watching a game. Also, if you stand for long periods of time and yell obscenties, there is a pretty good chance that you'll be escorted from the stadium. Of at the very least the stewards will ask you to sit down.
    Nacional Tijuana repped this.
  15. TheLincolnKing Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 15, 2011
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Country:
    United States
    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.
  16. TheLincolnKing Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 15, 2011
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Country:
    United States
    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.
  17. ButlerBob Moderator

    Member Since:
    Nov 13, 2001
    Location:
    Evanston, IL
    Club:
    DC United
    Country:
    United States
    It wasn't my intent to twist your message to any agenda that I have. Because I don't have one. Just trying to understand your point of view and perception on what an ideal soccer game experience is. We can agree to disagree. We both enjoy soccer and want it to do well in this country.
    Nacional Tijuana repped this.
  18. evan eleven Member

    Member Since:
    Jun 4, 2009
    Location:
    California
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    Country:
    United States
    i hate Christianity. ;)
  19. TheLincolnKing Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 15, 2011
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Country:
    United States
    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!
  20. GalaxyKoa Member

    Member Since:
    Jul 18, 2007
    Location:
    The 909
    Club:
    Los Angeles
    Country:
    United States
    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.
  21. Orlando Rays This is your world.

    Member Since:
    Nov 5, 2007
    Location:
    Orlando
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Country:
    United States
    As if they're gonna take advice from the MLS's prawn sandwich brigade.
  22. TobaccoMonopolyFC Member

    Member Since:
    Oct 12, 2011
    Club:
    AS Monaco FC
    Country:
    Bahamas
    The big problem is the heat. It's so hot at those games.
  23. panicfc Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 22, 2000
    Location:
    In my chair, typing
    Country:
    United States
    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.
  24. TobaccoMonopolyFC Member

    Member Since:
    Oct 12, 2011
    Club:
    AS Monaco FC
    Country:
    Bahamas
    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.
  25. panicfc Member

    Member Since:
    Dec 22, 2000
    Location:
    In my chair, typing
    Country:
    United States
    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?

    :)

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