10 things you need to know about the Charlotte sports scene

Like the Queen City itself, the sports scene in Charlotte has taken a giant leap forward over the past three decades.

In 1987, the biggest sports in Charlotte were stock-car racing (commonly called NASCAR) and professional “rasslin” (the fake kind of wrestling). There were no pro sports teams in Charlotte among the four major leagues – NFL, NBA, hockey and major-league baseball. The lack of options often meant that sports fans had to drive 150 miles to Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill to see something big-time like a major college basketball or football game.

Those days are long gone, of course. There is rarely a weekend in Charlotte anymore where something big isn’t going on in the world of sports.

The city began to change for good in 1988, when the Charlotte Hornets debuted as an NBA team and led the league in attendance. The NFL’s Carolina Panthers began play in 1995 and now hold the No. 1 spot in terms of sports interest around here.

Here’s a conversational tip for newcomers: If you’re tired of starting every conversation about Charlotte’s weather, simply say to the person next to you, “Did you see what Cam Newton did?” Then wait for the result. There’s always something.

Here’s a rundown of 10 other things you need to know at least a little about to be conversant about sports in Charlotte:

Carolina Panthers

Their most well-known player is Newton, their charismatic quarterback and the NFL’s Most Valuable Player in 2015 when the Panthers reached the Super Bowl and lost. The Panthers’ most popular player is middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. Tickets are generally hard to get but not impossible, especially if the team starts losing. The Panthers have made the NFL playoffs four of the past five seasons and just got a new owner — billionaire David Tepper.

[Related: Why is there a Luke Kuechly shrine at Thai Taste on East Boulevard?]

Charlotte Hornets

Owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, the Hornets have never reached the heights their owner did during his playing career. The team has missed the playoffs and gone 36-46 each of the past two seasons, however, which meant a coaching change and a lot of roster turmoil, too. The next season or two will quite possibly be rebuilding years unless a player like rookie first-round draft pick Miles Bridges becomes a star.

Charlotte Knights

Nestled into a beautiful stadium in uptown Charlotte, the Knights’ roster is always evolving. As a Triple A baseball team, they are a way station for players on their way up to the big leagues or on their way down. The Knights draw good crowds, win or lose, and have been a great addition to the uptown scene since their new stadium opened in 2014. You need to go at least once — the skyline view from the seats is unbeatable.

NASCAR

Stock-car racing has long had Charlotte as its unofficial capital. The sport’s glistening Hall of Fame is in Charlotte, and Charlotte Motor Speedway — while technically in Concord, N.C. — is only about 20 minutes away. Most of the well-known NASCAR drivers live in the area.

Charlotte Checkers

Hockey fans unite for the minor-league Checkers, who play an entertaining and affordable brand of the sport at Bojangles’ Coliseum near Uptown.

UNC Charlotte 49ers and Davidson Wildcats

Charlotte’s two Division I athletic programs both have their pluses. The 49ers didn’t have college football for years, but now they do. The men’s basketball team at Davidson College — most famously where Steph Curry burst into the national athletic consciousness — is a mid-major hoops powerhouse.

Charlotte-area soccer

The aforementioned Charlotte 49ers are a Top-20 soccer team every year. The Charlotte Eagles and the Charlotte Independence both draw relatively well for minor-league pro teams. Tepper, the new Panthers owner, has a dream of getting a Major League Soccer franchise to share Bank of America Stadium one day.

ACC football championship

Traditionally held on the first Saturday in December, this conference title game always draws more than 70,000 people and is the biggest college football game played in Charlotte every year. The game has found a near-permanent home in the Queen City — Charlotte will host every year until at least 2030.

Big-time golf

Charlotte hosted the PGA Championship — one of golf’s four grand-slam events — in August 2017. It also usually hosts the Wells Fargo Championship each May at the Quail Hollow Club and will do so again in 2019. Past winners include Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods.

High school sports

For sports at its purest, check out high school football on Friday nights or go to a steamy prep basketball gym in the middle of winter. Although the lion’s share of attention in Charlotte goes to the pro franchises, the grassroots teams still have a sizable audience.

This story was originally published July 19, 2018 at 9:00 PM with the headline "10 things you need to know about the Charlotte sports scene."