Charlotte Football Talks

[MYTAPPY]

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/16379320.htm

At least they're talking about it, but I don't see this happening for a long while.

[MarkCCU]

Possibly another team to play in the Big South, definetly not SOCON

[lizrdgizrd]

I don't see them joining the SoCon without moving all sports to SoCon.

[MYTAPPY]

Possibly another team to play in the Big South, definetly not SOCON

I agree. If it does happen, Big South might be the way they go.

[youwouldno]

Tough to say. I'm not sure they would want to hurt their basketball program by leaving the A-10.

[Mountaineer]

After reading the UNC-Charlotte message board about football I've come to the conclusion that many of their fans are slightly delusional.

The SoCon may be downgrade in basketball, but I think their team is currently 7-6 and not exactly lighting the world on fire. Has Charlotte even done much in basketball lately (I know they had a decent streak of wins a couple years back)?

However, the best part is how their football team would "dominate" the SoCon in about 5 years and then jump ship. xlolx xlolx :rolleyes: Dumbasses.

[MplsBison]

They could be a UAB type program.

[lizrdgizrd]

After reading the UNC-Charlotte message board about football I've come to the conclusion that many of their fans are slightly delusional.

The SoCon may be downgrade in basketball, but I think their team is currently 7-6 and not exactly lighting the world on fire. Has Charlotte even done much in basketball lately (I know they had a decent streak of wins a couple years back)?

However, the best part is how their football team would "dominate" the SoCon in about 5 years and then jump ship. xlolx xlolx :rolleyes: Dumbasses.
I guess they could dominate the SoCon after GSU, FU, ASU, & Wofford go FBS. xidiotx

[NoCoDanny]

CUSA would seem a good fit but excuse my memory here but did they leave CUSA for the A-10?

[Appstate29]

what is the Charlotte messageboard?

[goasu984Life]

There is no way that Charlotte gets football. There are too many people in high positions that don't want it. If they do get football, they need to be in the Big South. Obviously, if their fans think they can dominate the SoCon in five years, they are out of their minds.

[mainejeff]

Charlotte would most likely join the CAA. At this point, it's an upgrade in hoops.

[rokamortis]

IIRC, everything I've seen from UNCC is that they are only interested in football at the FBS level. So I don't know if they would consider FCS except for a short period to build things up.

[The Cats]

what is the Charlotte messageboard?


http://www.ninernation.net/forum/index.php

[BrevardMountaineer03]

They are smoking something if they think they can 'dominate' the SoCon in 5 years. 9ers fans, if your reading this don't be delusional.

[AppMan]

This discussion comes up every ten years or so. I live in the Charlotte area and it never has gained any steam whenever it has been brought up.

[DFW HOYA]

Charlotte would not join the CAA, Big South, or SoCon.

They are more likely to take the South Florida route and position themselves as a I-A opportunity. USF went from nothing to a bowl team in less than ten seasons.

[Appstate29]

USF has a lot of advantages that UNCC doesn't. Mainly for football being in the recruiting haven that is Fla. and the Big East wanted to get a footprint in Fla. What does UNCC offer? A large market yes, but one that Loves college basketball first, the Panthers second, and ACC/SEC football third. That being said, I had lots of friends go to UNCC (graduated from highschool in Charlotte) and I'd love for them to join the SoCon so we could play more often(but I don't think they will)

[ATrain]

Charlotte may not dominate the SoCon, but there is no question in my mind that they'd dominate Duke

[lizrdgizrd]

Charlotte may not dominate the SoCon, but there is no question in my mind that they'd dominate Duke
Who wouldn't? :rolleyes:

[89Hen]

Charlotte would not join the CAA, Big South, or SoCon.

They are more likely to take the South Florida route and position themselves as a I-A opportunity. USF went from nothing to a bowl team in less than ten seasons.
:nod: :nod: :nod:

[MYTAPPY]

I doesn't help that they would be playing the first season or so at the decrepid Memorial Stadium in downtown Charlotte (i'm guessing). No where near the university.

[NoSpinZone]

It's pitiful that a school that large in a city that large can't support 63 scholarships for football. Seriously there are several nice facilities in Charlotte for this level and as large as 24k. They could play in for cheap so there isn't much of a facilities cost other than practice and football offices.

Like here...
http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/north_carolina/charlotte_memorial.shtml

USF had football offices in double wides, just do that for a few years. Can't imagine it would cost that much and it would be an acceptable option at the start.

They do have a solid recruiting area. Charlotte Independence was one of the top 5 programs in the nation the last 5 or so years. Very good high school football there, maybe the best in the state. If they ever did grow to the D1a level they could most likely rent the Panthers stadium like USF does with the Bucs. I think they see without football they have few conference options and upward mobility. I wouldn't be shocked if they got football and tried to move it on up quick.

They have a solid 7k a game in basketball fan base so I can see them having 10k or more pretty quick in football. I would think this would make App State very nervous. I for one could honestly see them on the top of the Southern in 5 years of starting. They would have a very nice stadium, solid support, probably more name recognition, hotbed of talent, and they have a larger budget.

[HiHiYikas]

UNCC would be the 15th D-I football program in the state. That seems like way, way too many to me.

[NoSpinZone]

UNCC would be the 15th D-I football program in the state. That seems like way, way too many to me.

That wouldn't matter to UNCC. Teams like Elon would be the ones that took the hit I would think. If Charlotte started football they would probably move at or close to the top of the D1aa pecking order IMO. App. St and Western Carolina recruit Charlotte hard right?? I would think many of those city kids would probably elect to stay home instead of going to a small mountain town.

[youwouldno]

Charlotte has nothing in common with USF. What's more is that Charlotte doesn't play in a BCS league for basketball... they play against I-AA/I-AAA programs.

Why would they have such instant success? Villanova can play some basketball and I don't see them dominating the FCS right now... or being invited to join the Big East in football.

Charlotte has nowhere near the football potential of ODU.

[MplsBison]

Louisiana has 9 DI football teams with a pop. of 4 million.

So 15 DI football teams with a pop. of 8 million seems fine to me.

[MplsBison]

Whether or not Charlotte would be good at football is one thing, but they would snag some top Charlotte area recruits away from App.

That must make some App fans mad and make them try to think that they have some control of the situation (IE, there are "high up" people that would somehow be able to disallow it).

[NoSpinZone]

Charlotte has nothing in common with USF. What's more is that Charlotte doesn't play in a BCS league for basketball... they play against I-AA/I-AAA programs.

Why would they have such instant success? Villanova can play some basketball and I don't see them dominating the FCS right now... or being invited to join the Big East in football.

Charlotte has nowhere near the football potential of ODU.

What in your opinion makes ODU have so much more potential than Charlotte? It personally think both have potential and would take a lot of the steam away from schools like App. St and JMU. That said I think Charlotte has a lot more name recognition than ODU. It was only a couple of years ago they were in the same basketball conference as Louisville, Cincy, Marquette, Memphis, etc and all those top tier basketball schools in CUSA. I saw them in the top 25 and competing on national TV a lot more than I did ODU. More exposure there IMO.

As far as Nova they are also a small private school in Phily. Big difference from a couple of 20k or so state universities. I also don't think they have the high school football talent in the area like Charlotte or ODU do, and the talent that is there is competed for with another city school like Temple who probably takes a lot of the better talent just because they are D1a and play in a pro stadium.

[youwouldno]

My point about Villanova was that basketball success does not translate into football success, or vice-versa. Well at some schools money from one sport might help the other, but its an indirect relationship. Charlotte is not really a big name school despite their temporary success... I doubt St. Joes would really do well if they started a football team.

Excluding the basketball issue, I like ODU's chances better for several reasons. One is that Virginia has fewer D-I programs. Second is that the Hampton Roads area is one of the top talent hotbeds in the country. Third is that ODU faces virtually no competition from competing sports venues... there is no pro team and only Norfolk St for college. Frankly this seems to be an obvious conclusion since ODU is starting football while Charlotte is unlikely to.

[gophoenix]

That wouldn't matter to UNCC. Teams like Elon would be the ones that took the hit I would think.

Elon wouldn't take that much of a hit. Elon recruits heavily in PA, TN, MD, OH and VA too and less in the Charlotte market than other NC areas. I'd think you'd see Western with some hit (thought they recruit from TN heavy too), App (sice UNCC and App are somewhat similar and will probably make some mad that i said that - sorry - I almost went to both) some.

But I'd really think that NC Central, Winston-Salem St, A&T, Gardner-Webb and Coastal Carolina would take the biggest hit since they all seem to recruit the Charlotte market heavily.

[Mountaineer]

That wouldn't matter to UNCC. Teams like Elon would be the ones that took the hit I would think. If Charlotte started football they would probably move at or close to the top of the D1aa pecking order IMO. App. St and Western Carolina recruit Charlotte hard right?? I would think many of those city kids would probably elect to stay home instead of going to a small mountain town.

You do realize Charlotte to Boone is about an 1h 30m drive right? It's not as if kids can't go home on the weekends if they decided to play for App.

We also have to two different highways that come into Boone now too! 321 and 421.*GASP*

[NoSpinZone]

My point about Villanova was that basketball success does not translate into football success, or vice-versa. Well at some schools money from one sport might help the other, but its an indirect relationship. Charlotte is not really a big name school despite their temporary success... I doubt St. Joes would really do well if they started a football team.

Excluding the basketball issue, I like ODU's chances better for several reasons. One is that Virginia has fewer D-I programs. Second is that the Hampton Roads area is one of the top talent hotbeds in the country. Third is that ODU faces virtually no competition from competing sports venues... there is no pro team and only Norfolk St for college. Frankly this seems to be an obvious conclusion since ODU is starting football while Charlotte is unlikely to.

Temporary basketball success? UNCC went to the Final Four in the late 1970's. They have been in and around the top 25 in hoops for the last decade. That's not temporory. They have a much better basketball name and known name than ODU or than you give them credit for.

There maybe fewer D1 programs in the state of VA but the thing you totally ignore is UNC, Duke, NC State and ECU are all closer to tidewater Virginia than Charlotte. State lines don't stop the recruiting and those schools get a lot of player if not more in tidewater. Truth is ODU or UNCC will not beat the ACC schools for recruits anyway they are recruiting a different level of player and they will also rarely beat out ECU for recruits. If either school was going to beat out ECU, UNCC has a better chance because IMO because ECU is on the other side of the state and ODU is very close.

Also look at the D1aa programs around that ODU will have to compete with compared to UNCC. In the tidewater area you have Norfolk State in the same city, Will and Mary, Richmond, Hampton. UNCC will have pretty much only a non-Scholarship Davidson in the city and a couple of close mountain schools to fight off with a different culture. Not saying it's worse just different. Richmond and Norfolk are more the same than Boone and Charlotte and I would think Richmond could get a recruit out of Norfolk easier than App from Charlotte if they had football.

The only thing I agree with you about is competing pro sports. ODU doesn't have to deal with that, but UNCC has proven they can build a strong fan base that exceeds ODU in basketball in a NBA city even when the hornets were tops in the NBA in attendance. They have their niche in hoops and I would think as popular as high school and pro football are in the city UNCC would have some support.

[lizrdgizrd]

Temporary basketball success? UNCC went to the Final Four in the late 1970's. They have been in and around the top 25 in hoops for the last decade. That's not temporory. They have a much better basketball name and known name than ODU or than you give them credit for.

There maybe fewer D1 programs in the state of VA but the thing you totally ignore is UNC, Duke, NC State and ECU are all closer to tidewater Virginia than Charlotte. State lines don't stop the recruiting and those schools get a lot of player if not more in tidewater. Truth is ODU or UNCC will not beat the ACC schools for recruits anyway they are recruiting a different level of player and they will also rarely beat out ECU for recruits. If either school was going to beat out ECU, UNCC has a better chance because IMO because ECU is on the other side of the state and ODU is very close.

Also look at the D1aa programs around that ODU will have to compete with compared to UNCC. In the tidewater area you have Norfolk State in the same city, Will and Mary, Richmond, Hampton. UNCC will have pretty much only a non-Scholarship Davidson in the city and a couple of close mountain schools to fight off with a different culture. Not saying it's worse just different. Richmond and Norfolk are more the same than Boone and Charlotte and I would think Richmond could get a recruit out of Norfolk easier than App from Charlotte if they had football.

The only thing I agree with you about is competing pro sports. ODU doesn't have to deal with that, but UNCC has proven they can build a strong fan base that exceeds ODU in basketball in a NBA city even when the hornets were tops in the NBA in attendance. They have their niche in hoops and I would think as popular as high school and pro football are in the city UNCC would have some support.
I'm sure UNCC would have a decent football program, but to claim that they would dominate the SoCon in 5 years is a bit of a stretch. I could see them being competitive inside 5 years but the SoCon tends not to be dominated by any one team, more usually 2-3 really good teams.

[B&G]

I know the sports radio guys in town are skeptics when it comes to this. They even go so far as to say Charlotte will have a MLB before the university ever starts football.

[Appstate29]

Whether or not Charlotte would be good at football is one thing, but they would snag some top Charlotte area recruits away from App.

That must make some App fans mad and make them try to think that they have some control of the situation (IE, there are "high up" people that would somehow be able to disallow it).


No, we just know more about it than you. I live in Charlotte, My girlfriend goes to UNCC, so do some close friends, all signs point to UNCC not gaining football in the near future. The AD there is not very football knowledgeable, most of their students are chapel hell or moo-u fans and the other schools have taken over Charlotte. Hell, go to any of the 3 walmarts that are less than 10 minutes driving from me and you'll see more ASU gear than UNCC gear.

[MplsBison]

Probably because they don't have football.

All the more reason to get a team.



If it was some little rinky dink private school like Elon, I could see how money might be a problem.


But UNCC is a huge public research university in a major US population center. No reason why they can't get something going.

[rokamortis]

I remember a few years ago that people laughed at Coastal for wanting to add football. people said that there was no market. That 50% of football fans that lived on the Grand Strand were U of SC fans, 45% were Clemson fans, and the rest were fans of other schools and we shouldn't even bother.

But in 4 years of playing I think most would agree that it was a pretty wise investment for a university looking to help itself grow and transform from a suitcase college. We have had relatively good success early on and hope to continue it, only time will tell.

I think UNCC has a lot of upside and could have a great team, if the admins are serious and commit to the program.

[asufan87]

Things working against UNCC:

1) Still largely a commuter school.
2) Many students are non-traditional and hold full time jobs
3) Support for the NBA is poor, the Panthers receive lukewarm support with many tickets sold to corporations, not individual fans.
4) Minor league teams have not been well supported
5) Stiff competition for entertainment dollars (Nascar, Panthers, Bobcats)
6) Where to play? Memorial Stadium is horrible.

Given the above, I just don't see football at UNCC going over in a big way. In fact, I don't think it will ever get off the ground.

[NoSpinZone]

Things working against UNCC:

1) Still largely a commuter school.
2) Many students are non-traditional and hold full time jobs
3) Support for the NBA is poor, the Panthers receive lukewarm support with many tickets sold to corporations, not individual fans.
4) Minor league teams have not been well supported
5) Stiff competition for entertainment dollars (Nascar, Panthers, Bobcats)
6) Where to play? Memorial Stadium is horrible.

Given the above, I just don't see football at UNCC going over in a big way. In fact, I don't think it will ever get off the ground.

But in the next 10 years they are supposed to grow to over 30k students. Commuter or not that is still a major school plenty capable of supporting football. Just with current student fee's alone they would have a very, very nice budget for this level if not one of the best.

If they can get 8k and 9k for some basketball games I think they could get 10k for football games. As far as entertainment dollar, come on tickets will be cheap. If you want to go you can afford it. I doubt Memorial Stadium is any worse than many stadiums. It looks very nice IMO with sight lines/ close to the field, and just if we were comparing it to App for instance everyone has an actual seat that comes. That is a positive. What makes it so horrible in your opinion?

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/north_carolina/charlotte_memorial.shtml

[Mr. C]

But in the next 10 years they are supposed to grow to over 30k students. Commuter or not that is still a major school plenty capable of supporting football. Just with current student fee's alone they would have a very, very nice budget for this level if not one of the best.

If they can get 8k and 9k for some basketball games I think they could get 10k for football games. As far as entertainment dollar, come on tickets will be cheap. If you want to go you can afford it. I doubt Memorial Stadium is any worse than many stadiums. It looks very nice IMO with sight lines/ close to the field, and just if we were comparing it to App for instance everyone has an actual seat that comes. That is a positive. What makes it so horrible in your opinion?

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictures/north_america/united_states/north_carolina/charlotte_memorial.shtml
It might have something to do with Memorial Stadium being in a bad neighborhood. Also, UNCC is in the northern part of the city, so that stadium would not be all that near campus.

This is a subject that has been exausted many times around here. UNCC is nowhere close to starting football for a lot of reasons, many which have been expressed here. First and foremost there is almost NO interest in football at UNCC. This is a school that despite its locale has always been in the shadows of the UNC system in virtually every regard. In particular, commuter schools have long struggled to field good football programs. I saw first-hand what happened to so many of the California schools that had and dropped football, like Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State and Cal State Northridge (anybody around here remember games with the ?).

As far as UNCC being a threat to Appalachian State recruiting, consider several things. Appalachian State recruits regionally. They have always done well getting kids from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. They recruit some in the Charlotte area, but that hasn't been a recruiting hot bed for them, despite the fact that Charlotte produces many good players. Who was the last big-name player that ASU got from Charlotte? Areas like eastern North Carolina (around Fayetteville), Raleigh and Gastonia have been far more productive for the Mountaineers over the years. And where would a kid rather go anyway? To a school that is winning national championships, or one that is barely starting a program. UNCC would likely get kids that the ACC and SoCon schools didn't recruit at first, kids that were borderline D-I to D-II types.

UNCC would have to make a significant financial investment in football for it to succeed, that would include probably having a benefactor, and building a stadium on campus, among other things. Also, I can tell you that the rest of the athletic program, especially basketball, would not want football sapping from the other sports. Comparing other schools like Coastal Carolina, or Old Dominion to UNCC doesn't work. It is a unique school, with unique problems.

[BigApp]

We also have to two different highways that come into Boone now too! 321 and 421.*GASP*

yeah, but we still don't have that major International 6-runway airport! :smiley_wi

[ncguitarplyr]

i picture them being as good as chattanooga with a better bball team to go with it but that would be like 5yrs after they take off which is probably 10yrs off

[BigApp]

http://www.charlotte49erfootball.com/

[gophoenix]

If it was some little rinky dink private school like Elon, I could see how money might be a problem.

So why make that comment about Elon, which has more fan following, money and is bigger than a good many of the I-AA schools.

Or is it because North Dakota is such a rinky dink state? Seeing that it is 1/3 of the size of the Metro area Elon sits in. Or maybe because there are more Colleges in this Metro than there are in the entire state of North Dakota?

Would UNCC support football? I really have no idea. I work with 3 young UNCC grads who are big time football fans of ACC schools and said that UNCC football wouldn't be big deal to students. Do the people of Charlotte care? I can't say.

But I have to think that if there is a call for it at UNC-Pembroke, Fayetteville St, Elizabeth City St, Winston-Salem State and NC Central that there would be big time call for it in a city the size of Charlotte with a student population so much bigger than that of the above schools (and Western for that matter).

Can North Carolina support another football team at I-A or I-AA? Why not, look at how much NC talent goes out of state and at how much the current D-I teams recruit out of state.

[rokamortis]

If there is a will there is a way. It just takes a fully committed administration to make it happen. If they don't have that they shouldn't even bother, but i think if they decide to go forward that they have a very strong chance of being successful.

[The Cats]

If they don't have that they shouldn't even bother, but i think if they decide to go forward that they have a very strong chance of being successful.

Thats why they don't have football now - I know some of the past administrations were committed to keeping football out of UNCC.

[BigApp]

I don't remember this being an Official Topic of Discussion for their Board Of Trustees in the past though (might be wrong about that though).

It might not happen under Rose's watch, but I think eventually it will.

[MarkCCU]

You do have to ask if the community would like it. I was fortunate enough to have attended CCU before and after football had come to the school. I still have my ticket for the First Football Game. Conway loves thier football and the attendence shows it. You can go to the games and see professors, citizens, high school kids, staff, etc..all at the games. WOuld UNCC have the same support?

[BigApp]

It's a big enough school, with a big enough town, with well enough alumni. I definitely think it'd work.

[Bobcat in NC]

Who wouldn't? :rolleyes:

Independence High in Charlotte? Never mind, they'd probably dominate Duke, too.

[lizrdgizrd]

Independence High in Charlotte? Never mind, they'd probably dominate Duke, too.
Duke probably wishes they could recruit that whole team for next season. xlolx