Can Charlotte ever become a major sports town?
North Carolina is home to three professional sports franchises. Two of those are in Charlotte. A lot of major cities have less. Yet, Charlotte often seems to be overlooked in the grander sports landscape. What will it take to change that?
I grew up just outside of Charlotte and for years, we didn’t have any major sports teams. So, a lot of people latched on to neighboring teams like the Redskins or even just teams with a winning reputation like the Cowboys and Steelers. In the NBA, it was usually the Bulls because of Michael Jordan and his ties to North Carolina.
I remember when Charlotte was awarded the Hornets. I was very young, but I still remember it. It was a very big deal at the time and I remember people being so proud of it. Up until then, the only North Carolina sports that were of any note were college basketball and NASCAR.
This was a bonafide, real deal professional team, though. The city had finally become a player in professional sports. It didn’t take long for fans to get behind the team as well, as the Hornets led the league in attendance for so many years, despite the lack of immediate success.
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Fast forward 30 years and Charlotte has two professional teams, one of which has been to their respective championship twice. Yet, if you were to ask the average Joe about Charlotte sports, they’d most likely answer, “Oh, Cam Newton, he had a good year a few years ago,” or, “Oh, you guys are the Bobcats, right?”
For Charlotte to become a household name in the world of professional sports, it’s going to take more than winning.
That may be a bit of hyperbole, but it’s not that far from the truth. So, why the apparent disrespect? Well, frankly, winning does help and Charlotte area teams haven’t been that consistent in recent years. Yeah, the Panthers made the playoffs three years in a row prior to last season, but the NFC South isn’t exactly a glamorous division, at least to the casual sports fan. The Hornets have had their share of mediocrity as well, only making the playoffs three times since Charlotte was awarded a second team.
The apparent lack of a winning culture isn’t the only problem that ails the Queen City. Charlotte has been known as a “City of Transplants” for some time. People flock here from all over (namely the Northeast and Florida). So, while Charlotte is one of the fastest growing cities in the US, it’s usually not native North Carolinians coming here. It’s mostly people who already have their own favorite teams back home. Can winning help sway their fandom? Possibly, but as anyone who’s ever been to a Panthers home game against the Steelers or Redskins, it’s not easy.
There’s a sort of myth about Charlotte being a “small-market,” but it is in the top 20 in the US in terms of population. In fact, it ranks higher than cities like Memphis, Washington D.C., and even Boston. So, the potential fanbase is there. Current fans of Charlotte teams can help a lot in that regard. Get the word out, invite out-of-towners to games, and genuinely turn them on to the teams. “Spread the buzz.”
In addition, players and coaches from both Charlotte teams should continue supporting one another. You frequently see Panthers players at Hornets games and that helps show solidarity to the city’s residents.
Something else that can help is for a team to have a vibrant star. Kemba Walker is unquestionably the leader of this team and he finally got his due in becoming an All-Star. Sadly, his name is rarely ever mentioned outside of Charlotte. That’s a shame because Kemba is arguably one of the best young point guards in this league. If he can continue to play at his current level, the Hornets should see more primetime games, thus gaining more notoriety.
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In the end, however, it’s up to the organization to make this city a known commodity. There’s a solid nucleus here with Kemba and company. It just needs a few more pieces. It might not be easy given the Hornets’ cap space issues, but a trade here and a signing there, and the Hornets could be poised for continued success. One thing’s for sure; the city of Charlotte will get its due.