Charlotte 49ers Football

[TexasTerror]

Any updates???

All I can find is this article from earlier in the week...


Charlotte football has raised nearly $3.3 million

With a month remaining before a self-imposed Oct. 15 deadline, the Charlotte 49ers have raised nearly $3.3 million toward a $5 million goal to start a football program in time for the 2013 season.

As of late Tuesday, 2,560 football seat licenses have been sold – an increase of 810 since the start of an aggressive marketing campaign on July 13. With the cost of FSLs ranging from $1,000 to $2,500 each, that translates into $3.248 million.

The original recommendation by the school's chancellor, Dr. Philip Dubois, to the board of trustees called for the sale of 5,000 FSLs at $1,000 apiece to raise $5 million in start-up funds.

Momentum appears to be building as the deadline approaches as 150 FSLs have been sold since last Thursday, school officials said.

http://gmine.blogspot.com/2009/09/charlotte-football-has-raised-nearly-33.html

[EmeryZach]

That's a good sign for them.

[Appinator]

That's a good sign for them.

Actually, it's not too good of a sign. With just about a month left for a nearly year long effort, UNCC is just over 50% for their goal of PSL's sold. While the article mentions "building momentum", the 150 PSL's they sold in the past week, just put them over the 50% mark. The guy that wrote this covers UNCC and is really behind the football effort. If he painted a poor picture of how it is likely going to turn out, he wouldn't be doing anyone any favors. Most of the local news stations have covered it more accurately.

I don't know if they will pull the plug, but it's not looking like it will be on the plan they originally mapped out....

[EmeryZach]

I'm try to actually be positive for once and Appinator has to shut me down! Hahahahaha.
Just kidding, you are right.

[SideLine Shooter]

Like I have said before, too many Tar Hole fans in Charlotte for anything else to be successful. xnodx

[SoCon48]

Actually, it's not too good of a sign. With just about a month left for a nearly year long effort, UNCC is just over 50% for their goal of PSL's sold. While the article mentions "building momentum", the 150 PSL's they sold in the past week, just put them over the 50% mark. The guy that wrote this covers UNCC and is really behind the football effort. If he painted a poor picture of how it is likely going to turn out, he wouldn't be doing anyone any favors. Most of the local news stations have covered it more accurately.

I don't know if they will pull the plug, but it's not looking like it will be on the plan they originally mapped out....


Their PSL's dwarf our ASU season ticket sales if there is a comparison.

[Aho_Old_Guy]

I don't want to make any prospective 49er fans mad but their plans and campaign are the most convoluted process I've ever seen.

I understand their 'short-term' desire to site an on-campus facility to drive student support but it's 'short-sighted'.

Nobody in their right mind will drive to University City to watch a football game. Nobody. And the campaign threat that "... only way non-students can be guaranteed a seat at a Charlotte football game is through the purchase of an FSL ... " is Just. Plain. Stoopid.

That's the only guaranteed way to drive out your fan base ---- one that consists of population of 2,574,787 people in the 18th largest city in the United States (a city that has no college football above the DII level).

Did I mentioned how dumb that is ?

Attendance of 20k at $25/head will gross half a million dollars per game at Memorial Stadium --- and that leaves them enough room for 5,000 students to get in free (since their outrageous student fees will be covering a great deal of the debt associated with this endeavor). 10k people will show up just to see what is going on!

Appalachian fans will pay $50/head and fill the stadium for their inaugural game because:

1) We want our $350,000 guarantee; and
2) We would consider it an honor to 'welcome' the 49ers to college football. xsmiley_wix

In 'Uptown' Memorial Stadium is less than a mile from the transit center - even closer from the 7th Street Station. Folks in south Charlotte would love nothing better than an excuse to hop on that half-billion dollar light rail line for a ride 'Uptown' to watch the 49ers play football. It will be the trendy thing to do!

Yeah. Memorial is a dump. BUT Charlotte/Mecklenburg can easily drop $15-$20 million on stadium improvements in exchange for a 8-10 year agreement with the 49ers. As a matter of fact the 49er Football Feasibility study recommended they begin play at Memorial.

Opening the way for a bid to hold the FCS Championship, huh? Charlotte luvs those million-dollar 'Uptown' night-time photo-ops on national television. xnodx

In 8-10 years the 49ers can develop their local fan base, raise a bunch of money and build their on-campus stadium (which can be served by - and it's a Lock, LOL - the North End Light Rail).

AND THE WORST THING: What are they doing with the initial FSL funding?


Last month the architectural team of Jenkins-Peer out of Charlotte and the DLR Group out of Overland Park, Kan., was selected to create designs for a football fieldhouse, a permanent on-campus stadium and a temporary stadium based around the current Belk Track & Field complex.

xmadx


Idiots! (no offense, 49ers)

[WestCoastAggie]

I don't want to make any prospective 49er fans mad but their plans and campaign are the most convoluted process I've ever seen.

I understand their 'short-term' desire to site an on-campus facility to drive student support but it's 'short-sighted'.

Nobody in their right mind will drive to University City to watch a football game. Nobody. And the campaign threat that "... only way non-students can be guaranteed a seat at a Charlotte football game is through the purchase of an FSL ... " is Just. Plain. Stoopid.

That's the only guaranteed way to drive out your fan base ---- one that consists of population of 2,574,787 people in the 18th largest city in the United States (a city that has no college football above the DII level).

Did I mentioned how dumb that is ?

Attendance of 20k at $25/head will gross half a million dollars per game at Memorial Stadium --- and that leaves them enough room for 5,000 students to get in free (since their outrageous student fees will be covering a great deal of the debt associated with this endeavor). 10k people will show up just to see what is going on!

Appalachian fans will pay $50/head and fill the stadium for their inaugural game because:

1) We want our $350,000 guarantee; and
2) We would consider it an honor to 'welcome' the 49ers to college football. xsmiley_wix

In 'Uptown' Memorial Stadium is less than a mile from the transit center - even closer from the 7th Street Station. Folks in south Charlotte would love nothing better than an excuse to hop on that half-billion dollar light rail line for a ride 'Uptown' to watch the 49ers play football. It will be the trendy thing to do!

Yeah. Memorial is a dump. BUT Charlotte/Mecklenburg can easily drop $15-$20 million on stadium improvements in exchange for a 8-10 year agreement with the 49ers. As a matter of fact the 49er Football Feasibility study recommended they begin play at Memorial.

Opening the way for a bid to hold the FCS Championship, huh? Charlotte luvs those million-dollar 'Uptown' night-time photo-ops on national television. xnodx

In 8-10 years the 49ers can develop their local fan base, raise a bunch of money and build their on-campus stadium (which can be served by - and it's a Lock, LOL - the North End Light Rail).

AND THE WORST THING: What are they doing with the initial FSL funding?



xmadx


Idiots! (no offense, 49ers)

I think it might be safe to assume that some of the bigwigs at 49erland don't want their school to have games in the Hood. xwhistlex

[DEX]

I think it might be safe to assume that some of the bigwigs at 49erland don't want their school to have games in the Hood. xwhistlex

Memorial Stadium isn't in the hood. Regardless, I'll be surprised if UNCC football comes to fruition before 2013. There just isn't a lot of support in the city for it. xsmhx

[Elon Fightin' Christians]

Memorial Stadium isn't in the hood. Regardless, I'll be surprised if UNCC football comes to fruition before 2013. There just isn't a lot of support in the city for it. xsmhx

Correct. Its not in the hood but the stadium is close to being condemned. It is currently closed for 6 months because the bleachers collapsed. That place is falling apart and there's is no way that the Char/Meck govt will sink $10mil into fixing it up. They explored privatizing it recently but nobody would want it.
Most likely, they will close it (and Grady Cole) and redevelope the land into expansion at CPCC.

IF UNCC needs a temporary place to play it would be at Panthers Stadium, which is also clsoe to rail service.

[WileECoyote06]

Memorial Stadium isn't in the hood. Regardless, I'll be surprised if UNCC football comes to fruition before 2013. There just isn't a lot of support in the city for it. xsmhx

yes the hell it is in the hood. . .lmao xlolx

[Aho_Old_Guy]

Correct. Its not in the hood but the stadium is close to being condemned. It is currently closed for 6 months because the bleachers collapsed. That place is falling apart and there's is no way that the Char/Meck govt will sink $10mil into fixing it up. They explored privatizing it recently but nobody would want it.
Most likely, they will close it (and Grady Cole) and redevelope the land into expansion at CPCC.

IF UNCC needs a temporary place to play it would be at Panthers Stadium, which is also clsoe to rail service.

1) There have been no, zip, zilch, nada contemplations that the 49ers will ever play at Panthers Stadium, even on a temporary basis;

2) Memorial Stadium is nowhere close to being 'condemned';

3) The City of Charlotte nor Mecklenburg County has ever explored 'privatizing' the property or any form of redevelopment;

4) There are not now, nor have there ever been, any strategic plans by CPCC to close the Grady Cole Center and Memorial Stadium for the expansion of their campus. As a mater of fact, the CPCC Strategic Plan makes the point that the uptown campus is simply " ... one campus within a one-college, multi-campus structure."

5) What you promote as a 'bleacher collapse' was in actuality a structural issue related to the failing of a subterranean stormwater tunnel (http://www.charlotteobserver.com/local/story/868630.html) underneath the horseshoe end of the stadium, and is thus far limited to less than 2 sections of seating;

6) In addition to removing the concrete bleachers (at an estimated cost of $338,000) as noted above the Charlotte Stormwater Utility Authority is repairing the tunnel and the City is contracting for a complete repair and renovation (http://southernnc.asce.org/documents/RFQ%20Memorial%20Stadium%20repairs%20-09.pdf) (pdf) of the impacted area.


The scope for this RFQ is to rebuild the concrete seating once the City of Charlotte Storm Water has completed their repairs. This work will be limited to the east end field of the facility. The extent of the repair will be limited to the drive, landscaping, retaining walls, replacing a historical wall at the top of the seating area, sidewalks, exterior walkway lights, reconnecting the electrical feeders, sanitary sewer repair, and bleachers.

7) Memorial Stadium is undergoing the arduous process of Historic Property Designation (http://www.cmhpf.org/Surveys&rmemorialstadium.htm) by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Historic Landmarks Commission; so ...

8) You have no idea what you are talking about.





yes the hell it is in the hood. . .lmao xlolx

Essentially, Memorial Stadium is in the Elizabeth Neighborhood (http://ww.charmeck.org/qol/template.asp?ID=54) at the border of First Ward.

Elizabeth is a high dollar bunch of folks for the most part, and First Ward is quickly becoming an inner-city 'hit spot' where da rich folks move in and redevelop, drive up land values and force da po' folks out.

LOL ---- I meant "Hot Spot" not "Hit Spot"

[Elon Fightin' Christians]

Yeah-- what do I know about the place.... I only worked there for 10 years....

[ThompsonThe]

Memorial Stadium is such a dump that the high schools complain about playing there. And I am not talking about the fancy dancy high schools.