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Message: [QUOTE="DarthGrumpy, post: 3366752, member: 2141"] As the Charlotte thread went-off the rails a bit, posting this hear. The owner of the Panthers - Tepper, the Mayor of Charlotte and MLS's Garber had a press conference scheduled for this Tuesday, the 18th, for a major announcement. [URL unfurl="true"]https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article238306243.html[/URL] I actually like Charlotte and think its turning into a great city; but, I don't like how Tepper is basically buying and MLS franchise instead of earning it. In addition, his interet in MLS is at least driven by a 'need' (he's worth $2.3 Billion) to get more publci money to renovate his NFL football stadium, which seemd to have worked as Charlotte has offered $100 Million. The Charlotte metro area does not have the legacy, grassroots support of soccer like Raleigh/Durham, which is had a professional soccer team (NC Railhawks/North Carolina FC) since 2006 and averages 4,500 fans per game. Charlotte added a USL team in 2014 (Charlotte Independence) and averages 1,600 per game. In addition, its crazy to think that this new franchise over the long-term will be able to validate playing in a NFL design stadium of 75K in terms of ticket sales AND environment within in a soccer culture that is in its infancy in a metro area that is 2/3 and less than 1/2smaller than the two 2 franchises that Tepper keep comparing to in Seattle and Atlanta (Charlotte #23 in the US with 2.569 Million, Seattle #15 with 3.939 Million and Atlanta (#9 with 5.950 Million). As I have said before, if these jealous owners (Tepper sees Blank at Atlanta as his rival), make them earn it. Move to a European model where a new owner has to buy a lower tier team (USL) and invest in the team's players and facilities to earn their way-up to the big league via promotion. It also forces existing owners to continue to invest in their MLS team unless that want to be relegated down. That competition results in better teams, a better players, and a better experience for fans. [/QUOTE]

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