Sports in Charlotte, North Carolina facts for kids
Sports in Charlotte, North Carolina are a big part of the city's history and excitement! Charlotte is home to many sports teams, from local clubs to major professional leagues. You can find teams like the Carolina Panthers in football and the Charlotte Hornets in basketball. The city also hosts huge events, such as the famous Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR race and the Wells Fargo Championship in golf. Get ready to explore the exciting world of sports in Charlotte!
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Charlotte's Professional Sports Teams
Charlotte is home to many professional sports teams. These teams play in different leagues and bring lots of excitement to the city. Here's a look at some of them:
Basketball Teams
Basketball has a rich history in Charlotte. The city's first major league team was the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. They started playing in 1988 at the Charlotte Coliseum, which fans called "The Hive." The Hornets were very popular and often had the most fans in the league.
Later, the team moved away, but Charlotte quickly got a new NBA team called the Charlotte Bobcats. In 2013, the Bobcats brought back the beloved "Hornets" name. Now, the Charlotte Hornets play at the Spectrum Center. Charlotte also had a women's basketball team, the Charlotte Sting, from 1988 to 2006.
Football Teams
Professional football in Charlotte began with exhibition games. In 1974, a team called the Charlotte Hornets played here for a short time. Later, the Charlotte Rage played in the Arena Football League from 1992 to 1996. Another Arena League team, the Carolina Cobras, also played in Charlotte.
The biggest football team in Charlotte is the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. Businessman Jerry Richardson worked hard to bring an NFL team to the Carolinas. The Panthers joined the NFL in 1995. They play their home games at Bank of America Stadium in Uptown Charlotte. The Panthers have played in two Super Bowls and won several championships in their division.
Since 2005, Charlotte has also been home to a women's football team called the Carolina Queens. They play their games at Hopewell High's stadium.
Hockey Teams
Even though Charlotte is a warm city, it has a long history with ice hockey! The first Charlotte Checkers team started in 1956. They won two championships before the league ended in 1977.
Hockey returned in 1993 with a new Checkers team. They won the Kelly Cup championship in 1996. In 2010, the Checkers moved to the AHL, which is a step below the NHL. They are now connected to the Carolina Hurricanes, Raleigh's NHL team. The Checkers play at Bojangles' Coliseum.
Soccer Teams
Charlotte has been home to many soccer teams over the years. The Charlotte Eagles and their sister team, the Charlotte Lady Eagles, have won many championships. In 1981, the Carolina Lightnin' won their league championship in front of a huge crowd.
More recently, Major League Soccer welcomed a new team to Charlotte. The Charlotte FC started playing in 2022 at Bank of America Stadium. Charlotte is also home to the Charlotte Independence team.
Other Professional Sports
Lacrosse is growing in Charlotte. The Carolina Chaos is a professional field lacrosse team that plays at American Legion Memorial Stadium.
Baseball has been played in Charlotte since 1892. The Charlotte Hornets were an early team. Today, the Charlotte Knights play baseball at Truist Field in Uptown Charlotte.
Charlotte is also home to the Charlotte Rugby Club, one of North Carolina's oldest rugby teams. They started in 1971. The Charlotte Roller Girls are a flat-track roller derby team founded in 2006.
Professional wrestling has a long history in the Carolinas too. Many big wrestling events have been held in Charlotte over the years.
College Sports in Charlotte
Charlotte and the surrounding area are home to several exciting college sports programs.
UNC Charlotte 49ers
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is home to the Charlotte 49ers. They have 17 different sports teams. The 49ers are a top-level Division I program and play in Conference USA. They have been to the NCAA basketball tournament many times.
Davidson Wildcats
Davidson College, located just north of Charlotte, has the Davidson Wildcats. This is the oldest college sports program in the area, started in 1837. The Wildcats are also a Division I program and play in the Atlantic 10 Conference. They have 19 varsity teams. The Charlotte 49ers and Davidson Wildcats often play each other in men's basketball for the "Hornets' Nest Trophy."
Queens Royals
Queens University of Charlotte is a private school in the Myers Park neighborhood. The Queens Royals play at the NCAA Division II level.
Johnson C. Smith Golden Bulls
Johnson C. Smith University is a historic university near Uptown. Their teams are called the JCSU Golden Bulls. They play at the Division II level in the CIAA.
Johnson & Wales Wildcats
The Charlotte campus of Johnson & Wales University also has sports teams. The JWU Wildcats play in the USCAA.
The CIAA Basketball Tournament was held in Charlotte for many years. This event brought thousands of fans and a lot of money to the city.
High School Sports in Charlotte
High school sports are very popular in Charlotte. Teams from Charlotte-Mecklenburg compete in different conferences.
Mecklenburg County high schools have a strong history of winning state championships. Schools like Garinger, West Charlotte, Butler, and Independence have won many titles in football and basketball. For example, Independence High School once had an amazing 107-game winning streak in football!
Motorsports in Charlotte
Charlotte is a major center for American motorsports, especially NASCAR. Many NASCAR teams are based in Charlotte and the surrounding areas.
The NASCAR Hall of Fame is located in Uptown Charlotte. The very first NASCAR race was held near Charlotte in 1949. Today, Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord hosts several big NASCAR races each year, including the famous NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
Major Sports Events in Charlotte
Charlotte hosts many important sports events throughout the year.
Golf Tournaments
Golf is very popular in North Carolina. The PGA Tour comes to Charlotte every year for the Wells Fargo Championship at the Quail Hollow Club. In 2017, Quail Hollow also hosted the prestigious PGA Championship. Other golf events, like the Chiquita Classic and the Symetra Classic, are also held in the area.
Whitewater Sports
The U.S. National Whitewater Center is a special training site for whitewater slalom racing. It has even hosted events to pick athletes for the Olympic team!
Bowl Games and Horse Racing
The Belk Bowl is a college football game played in Charlotte every December. It features teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Southeastern Conference.
The Queens Cup Steeplechase is a major horse racing event held near Charlotte each April. It's a fun day with several races and even a Jack Russell Terrier contest!
Cycling Events
Charlotte also hosts cycling events, like the Presbyterian Hospital Invitational Criterium and 24-Hours of Booty.
Sports Venues in Charlotte
Charlotte has many different places where sports are played.
Current Venues
- Bank of America Stadium: This huge open-air stadium in Uptown Charlotte is home to the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC. It can hold over 73,000 fans.
- Spectrum Center: An indoor arena in Uptown, home to the Charlotte Hornets. It holds over 20,000 people.
- American Legion Memorial Stadium: Located in Elizabeth, this open-air stadium is used for soccer and lacrosse.
- Bojangles' Coliseum: An indoor arena on Coliseum Drive, home to the Charlotte Checkers hockey team.
- Charlotte Motor Speedway: A large open-air track in Concord, famous for NASCAR races. It can hold over 140,000 fans!
- Truist Field: An open-air baseball park in Uptown, home to the Charlotte Knights.
Past Venues
Some sports venues in Charlotte are no longer used for their original purpose. For example, Charlotte Coliseum was once a very large indoor arena that hosted the Hornets. Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, South Carolina, was the former home of the Charlotte Knights baseball team.
