Today could the biggest day in the short (but rich) history of Carolina RailHawks FC.
The upcoming visit of Major League Soccer president Mark Abbott to discuss the future of soccer in this region has left footie fans salivating. Having enjoyed the privilege of attending RailHawks matches from time-to-time since their inaugural season, I find it VERY difficult to approach this event from a neutral perspective. Thankfully, this is not ESPN… It’s my blog. So I can be unreasonably biased if I so choose.
I am going to make a serious effort to attend the fan forum this afternoon at Backyard Bistro. This is a rare opportunity for fans wanting first division soccer in the triangle to voice their opinions directly to those who have a say in making that happen.
It appears that the main obstacle to overcome is financial backing. That being said, the reasons fans will pitch to MLS to justify an expansion in this area are the same factors that could influence potential investors.
Although there a ton of factors to take into consideration… Let’s pretend money isn’t one of them. Here are a few points I hope make it into the ear-holes of Mark Abbott (MLS President), Aaron Davidson (VP Traffic Sports), and David Downs (NASL):
1. Attendance: RailHawks drew an average of 3,353 per match in their first NASL season. For those who find that total underwhelming, The Seattle Sounders (Highest MLS attendance average of Seattle 38,496) averaged 3,386 in their last season in the USL-1 before Joining MLS.
2. Demographics: Although there is a large soccer-loving latino community in NC, the triangle may be one of the few areas where that demographic would not be “counted on”. It is well-established that soccer has become more popular among affluent youth as well as college students. Both groups abound in Cary, NC and the surrounding areas. How many Cities can boast having universities such as UNC, Duke, NC State, and Wake Forest all within a short drive of each other. Not only are these big schools, they are big SOCCER schools.
3. Mentality: (maybe the most important factor) Fans in NC have proven they are willing to loyally embrace the “other” (not-basketball, baseball, NFL) sports . The Carolina Hurricanes are a perfect example. Not only did the city back this team, the people did too. You can’t drive through Raleigh without seeing Hurricanes stickers on cars everywhere. As someone who grew up in NC, I promise you… NONE of us grew up playing hockey. We didn’t even play street hockey back then. It just wasn’t part of our culture. This phenomenon happened after the hurricanes came to town.
Soccer on the other hand, is here NOW. You can’t throw a rock in a public school without hitting a kid who has played soccer (I don’t recommend trying that). There are school leagues, summer leagues, and camps everywhere. There is a built in audience for the beautiful game in NC. I was having a cup of coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts in Rocky Mount, NC last Saturday when some 10-12 year old kid comes in with his mom wearing a Bayern Munich jersey. The coolest part about this… I wasn’t even shocked. That is how much the mentality and soccer culture has evolved in NC.
Hey MLS... WE ARE READY!
I mean... hey, even my DOGS have been to RailHawks games. (Bark in the Park Night was awesome!)
… more to come
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