Does anyone have any insight into the "A new state of soccer is coming" teaser that the Railhawks have on the website?
IIRC, Malik's holding company trademarked "AC Carolina" a couple months ago, so were probably looking at a rebrand. But I'm holding out hope that it's in conjunction with a move to USL.
I too hope it's a move to USL. But I have also heard it's going to be the announcement of Carolina Flight. A women's team
Malik also has trademarks for North Carolina FC and Carolina Courage. It will almost certainly be a rebrand to North Carolina FC or AC Carolina as you said, not too sure whether or not there will be an NWSL team announcement. The closest to confirmation/denial I have found is "we're working on it" and "it's a fluid situation." I think this definitely won't be a move to USL though as I think Jake Edwards said a few weeks ago that USL would not be adding any more teams for 2017. I could be wrong though. Season tickets will also go on sale on the same day so there will probably be info on that, too.
Yeah, the more I think about the more the rebranding makes sense. Calling the team FC Carolina is a "state" thing.
Edwards also told Neil Morris that there would definitely be 30 teams in USL for 2017 and there are currently 31 active teams. I wouldn't take what Edwards has said in the past month about team totals for next season as scripture; appears that there are still moving parts behind the scenes.
So do we think Malik is pushing to rebuild the Cary stadium again and a new site closer to "downtown" Raleigh?
I do wonder what happens when MLS stops expanding, because that WILL happen eventually. Right now everyone says "Our goal is MLS". The new USL franchises in Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and now Nashville are all saying that. Now it's Mr. Malik's turn. I'm sure Mr. Edwards will say the same thing in St. Petersburg tonight. If those owners DON"T get MLS teams (and not all of them will get in), do they stay in the USL forever or just sell it off....or worse fold up the tents?
It's a good question. I envision a 36 team MLS. So, if you assume Beckham gets his stadium in Miami (stop laughing, you guys!!!) that leaves 12 spots. Of those, St. Louis, Sacramento and Detroit all seem like done deals. So now we're at 27. Baltimore (26), Charlotte (22), Cincinnati (36), Cleveland (18), Indianapolis (27), Las Vegas (40), Milwaukee (35), Nashville (29), Phoenix (12), Raleigh (25), San Antonio (32), San Diego (28) and Tampa (11) as Top 40 TV markets with other major league teams that MLS could expand do. I suppose a market sans a major league team like Hartford (30), Austin (39) or Louisville (49) could also emerge but I doubt it. And while doubtful, MLS might go for a team outside the top 40 that has a history of supporting a pro team or two like Oklahoma City (43) or Memphis (50), but I doubt it. And I suppose Ottawa, Canada's 4th largest city and biggest without an MLS team, could emerge though I suspect they're more likely to go CPL, assuming that gets off the ground. So basically it's 13 markets for nine spots. Four teams will eventually be left out and we'll then see how committed their owners are to lower division pro soccer.
There will probably be more left in the cold than just 4. 36 teams is likely an overstatement of how big MLS will go. I mean the big 4 aren't any bigger than 32, and that's pushing it (NFL 32, NHL 31, NBA and MLB 30). At some point the talent pool dilution and overexposure hits a critical mass. And as the NFL is finding 32 is about where that limit is located. Nevermind that D1 leagues aren't supposed to have more than 20 so every team above that is MLS and USSF pushing it.
NFL owners also don't necessarily want to cut another couple of people in on their pie. But, yeah, there are not 32 NFL quality starting quarterbacks, so that's another reason. God, this goes back so far it's hard to believe we haven't killed it yet. In 2006, the FIFA Congress passed (by 194-5 vote) a recommendation that D1 leagues have no more than 18 teams. You notice that hasn't happened. No one who was above 18 cut back. MLS has blown past 20 and nary a peep. It was never implemented. It does not appear in any FIFA regulations. No, they're not pushing it, at least not from any non-existent FIFA regulation. Markets, talent, capital, all that, maybe. But there is simply nothing in statute preventing MLS from having more than 20 teams.
I was planning on supporting this team, but after I heard one of the owners basically say Charlotte is in South Carolina and that he doesn't really care to get support from Charlotte, hell no. Hate it cause the name North Carolina FC is cool, but he seems way more worried about solely the triangle area. Independence is still my club, and I assume most of our supporters feel the same way
Considering the Independence and North Carolina FC will soon be rivals in the same league, it makes sense for Charlotte fans to support Ind.
Well their plan is to join MLS soon. I always said if NC ever got an MLS team anywhere I would probably support, but this club doesn't have a chance for me already. Even if they go MLS I'll continue to support Independence no matter what division they may be in. Just infuriating they are calling themselves "North Carolina FC" yet clearly have no interest at all in drawing fans from the biggest city in North Carolina.