Plans for an MLS bid are in the works![]() By DREW WAYLAND For fans of professional soccer, living in the Raleigh area can be a frustrating experience. The best soccer players in the world play on entirely different continents, and America’s Major League Soccer (MLS) teams never invested in a franchise between Atlanta and Washington, D.C. For the past ten years, the only professional soccer club in the Triangle has been the Carolina Railhawks, a North American Soccer League team that plays at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Since their formation in 2006, they have drawn a considerable fanbase as they take on teams like the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the San Antonio Scorpions. Many Enloe soccer players and fans have worked with the team in one of their many youth programs, including former Enloe junior George Marks, who recently transferred to a new school so he could work with the Railhawks full-time. But now, the Railhawks are taking advantage of their increasing fan base and seemingly unlucky location. Just a few weeks ago, outspoken owner Stephen Malik (who also owns several large biotech companies in the Cary-Morrisville area) announced that the mid-level soccer team is rebranding, with a focus on a new stadium and an “aggressive MLS bid” by 2020. “We know how much potential this club has,” said Malik during the press conference. “All we’re doing is capitalizing on that and planning for the future of soccer in the Triangle.” The Carolina Railhawks are officially no more--now WakeMed Soccer Park hosts North Carolina FC (Football Club), a brand new team with a slick NC-themed crest logo to replace the old orange cartoon hawk. The color scheme is a deep red and navy blue to match North Carolina’s iconic state flag. “We really like putting the ‘North’ in front of the team name,” said Malik in response to a question about cutting out any South Carolina fans with the name change. “None of the other area teams do that, and this team is all about our state.” Malik of course references the Carolina Panthers and Hurricanes, who chose regional monikers in attempts to widen their brand. “That’s not us, though. North Carolina is a great state and we want to represent it as best we can.” With the rebranding, of course, comes big plans for the next five years. In order for a team to be considered for MLS status, they must have a home stadium with more than 20,000 seats. The stadium in Cary, while impressive for an NASL team, seats only 10,000. The team is currently looking at eight possible locations for a new stadium to be built by the end of the decade. Six of the eight options are in the downtown area, with one particularly enticing option just across the street from Red Hat Amphitheater. The team has also expressed interest in combining the stadium with a future light-rail system, so fans from Cary, North Raleigh, and even Durham can get to matches easily. Once the new stadium is in place, Malik plans to aggressively pursue a plan for the team to join the big leagues. “The soccer culture in this part of the country is absolutely unrivaled. If anywhere can support a franchise, it’s the Triangle.”
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
The Eagle's EyeBest of the Nest since 1981 Archives
January 2018
|