Charlotte Independence

Charlotte Independence is an American soccer team based in Charlotte, North Carolina that plays in the USL League One, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid.

The Independence currently play their home games at American Legion Memorial Stadium in the Elizabeth neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina. Previously, the Independence have played at Ramblewood Soccer Complex and Sportsplex at Matthews.

The teams color's are navy, blue, and parchment. The independence wear blue kits at home, and grey on the road.

History

The Charlotte Independence were founded in 2014. They acquired the USL Pro franchise rights for Charlotte from the Charlotte Eagles, who moved into the amateur Premier Development League (PDL).

The Independence took their name from Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence. Their crest features the year 1775 (the year in which it was purported to have been signed) and a horse-mounted Captain James Jack, who is said to have carried the Declaration to Philadelphia. Supporters were asked to choose one of twelve designs; all 12 featured the year and Jack. The team is nicknamed "The Jacks," in Jack's honor.

Former Dallas Burn head coach Mike Jeffries was hired as the Independence head coach on December 5, 2014.

The Independence lost their first game to the Charleston Battery 3–2 on March 28, 2015, at Transamerica Field. Jack Thompson scored the team's first ever goal in the 13th minute.

After recording their best season in 2021, finishing second in the Atlantic Division, the club decided to drop down to the third tier USL League One for 2022, with the goal of better serving its youth players, as well as the fact that a new expansion franchise in the city Charlotte FC was joining Major League Soccer that season, with whom several Independence players had signed. The Independence signed an affiliation agreement with Charlotte FC for the 2022 season only on April 5. Charlotte FC will loan a minimum of three players.

Stadium

On February 25, 2015, the team announced they would play most of their 2015 season in a temporary soccer stadium being assembled at Ramblewood Soccer Complex, near the I-77/ I-485 interchange in the southwest corner of the city. After splitting its first five home games between the University of North Carolina at Charlotte's Transamerica Field and Winthrop University's Eagle Field, the Independence won their Ramblewood debut on June 20, 2015.

On February 1, 2017, the team announced they would play in a permanent 2,300 seat soccer stadium at the Sportsplex at Matthews in Matthews, North Carolina.

In 2016, the club began working with Mecklenburg County on a refurbishment of American Legion Memorial Stadium. The club subsequently signed a 10-year lease with the county for Memorial Stadium to become its new home, beginning in 2021.

Sponsorship

Year-by-year

Players and staff

Current roster

Front office

* Jim McPhilliamy – ''CEO & Managing Partner''
* Tim Schuldt – President & COO
* Mike Jeffries – ''General Manager''
* Rich Posipanko – Director of Operations
* Jajuan Mabry – Director Ticketing Operations and Sales
* Ashley Osiecki – Director of Marketing and Communications
* Richard Chatham – Creative Director
* Isaiah (Tito) Villanueva – Team Operations Manager and Director of Game Day Operations

Coaching staff

* Mike Jeffries – ''Head Coach''
* Dave Carton – ''Assistant Coach''
* Bradley Johnson – ''Goalkeeping Coach''
* Cameron Hillis – ''Athletic Trainer''

Head coaches

* Includes USL Regular Season, USL Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup. Excludes friendlies.

Mike Jeffries has been the Independence's head coach for all but 15 games of the teams existence. His first stint was from 2014 to 2018 as head coach. Coach Jeffries was promoted to general manager in 2018. In 2019, he resumed his duties as head coach while remaining the general manager.

Ownership

In 2018, retired Nucor steel company chairman Dan DiMicco became the majority owner. Following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, DiMicco sent out a series of "deeply offensive" tweets blaming the subsequent protests on "Antifa", George Soros and the Chinese Communist Party. DiMicco went on to spread a series of racist conspiracy theories about COVID-19 and false claims of election fraud. Supporters of the club responded strongly to these statements, with the official supporters' group condemning DiMicco, and the Independent Supporters Council urged the league to "take action" against him.

At the same time, the club struggled to pay its staff members, even as it collected more than $350,000 in Paycheck Protection Program loans. Staff members were paid late if at all.

On March 29, 2021, the club announced that several owners, including DiMicco, were "in the process" of selling their ownership stakes but are "in no rush" to do so. When the Independence opened their new stadium in July 2021, supporters hung a #DiMiccoOut banner from the parking structure overlooking the field.

Club culture

The club's original independent supporters' group, "Jack's Militia", was founded in 2012 to promote soccer in Charlotte. When the Charlotte Independence were announced, Jack's Militia became the new team's official supporters group. Jack's Militia criticized the club for a muted response to the George Floyd protests in 2020, and condemned majority team owner Dan DiMicco for his statements. In 2021, the Independence introduced an official members' rewards program called "Jack's Brigade". Despite the similar name, the club insisted that it was not intended to replace the supporters group, but to provided benefits to season ticket holders

A second self-described independent, grassroots supporters group, "The Mecklenburg Reserves," was formed in July 2021. The Mecklenburg Reserves occupy section 114 alongside the Independence Ultras.

The Independence compete for the Southern Derby against their rival, the Charleston Battery. The derby takes place over each team's final home game, and is decided on a points system. If the two games end in a tie, it is then awarded to the team who leads in aggregate goals. The independence won their first Southern Derby in 2021.

The teams games are broadcast on ESPN+.

Achievements

* USL Championship
** Conference Quarterfinals: 2016, 2017, 2020
* Southern Derby
** Winner: 2021

Affiliations

In April 2019, Carolina Rapids Soccer Club, Discoveries Soccer Club, and Lake Norman Soccer Club merged to create the Charlotte Independence Soccer Club, making it one of the largest youth soccer clubs in the country. The club provides programs for Youth and Adult Recreation, TopSoccer, Boys and Girls Competitive, Boys and Girls ECNL, Boys U.S. Development Academy, USL2 and WPSL, for its 12,000 members. The youth affiliation with the pro club designates itself as one of the few youth soccer clubs in the area, region and nation to offer a direct pro pathway for its players. CISC operates as 4 Regional locations throughout the Carolinas, North, South, East and West. Serving North Carolina communities such as Belmont, Cabarrus, Cornelius, Davidson, Denver, Gastonia, Huntersville, Matthews, Mooresville, North Meck, South Charlotte, Statesville, and Steele Creek, as well as Fort Mill, Rock Hill and York County in South Carolina.

References

External links

*

Charlotte Independence
at USL Championship

{{USSoccer

USL Championship teams
Association football clubs established in 2014
2014 establishments in North Carolina
Soccer clubs in North Carolina