Two major soccer events in Charlotte in the next 10 days "will feature large crowds and something more: another chance to get the attention" of MLS, according to David Scott of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. The Panthers' Bank of America Stadium today hosts two CONCACAF Gold Cup matches, and 10 days later, EPL club Chelsea faces Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain as part of the Int'l Champions Cup. Presales for each event "were nearing the 50,000 mark last week, further enhancing Charlotte’s burgeoning reputation as a soccer-friendly city." MLS Exec VP/Communications Dan Courtemanche: "The success of these international soccer events have caught the attention of all of us in the U.S. soccer community." Relevent Sports co-Founder & Chair Charlie Stillitano, whose company organizes the event, said, "We will come to Charlotte as long as they will have us." Scott notes one draw for Charlotte "is that soccer organizations such as Relevent Sports or CONCACAF can use the stadium rent-free -- saving them $250,000." USL club Charlotte Independence "has designs on one day landing an MLS franchise." Independence President & Managing Partner Jim McPhilliamy: "We're working on our blueprint for that. We've seen what other markets are doing and the competition (for expansion) is heating up." He added that he and city of Charlotte execs "will travel later this summer to meet with MLS officials" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/15).
GOOD 'PUB: SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Ian Thomas reports Sac Soccer & Entertainment Holdings, the parent company of USL club Sacramento Republic FC, "has hired Legends as project manager for the development of a soccer-specific stadium in downtown Sacramento, a project it believes is key to an MLS expansion bid." Sources said that the privately financed stadium "could be ready as soon as the 2018 MLS season, pending the league awarding the city a franchise." Legends Senior VP/Project Development Dale Koger "will lead the Sacramento project." The hiring of Legends "represents the next step in Sacramento’s Operation Turnkey ... to obtain an MLS team for the city" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 7/13 issue).
