CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Zawyer Sports and Entertainment announced Monday that it purchased a controlling interest in the AHL's Charlotte Checkers, just months after buying the Gastonia Baseball Club.
The Checkers, the top minor league affiliate of the reigning Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers, announced the move at Bojangles Coliseum on Monday.
“We are excited to welcome the Charlotte Checkers to the Zawyer Sports family,” Zawyer Sports & Entertainment CEO Andy Kaufmann said. “The Checkers are a team rich with history and an incredible fan base and we are honored to do our part in making Checkers Nation proud - not just on game days, but all year long in this very special community. We have already made an impact here in the community with Gastonia Baseball, and we are eager to grow our footprint in the region by providing local families with quality entertainment, community outreach and competitive hockey.”
Zawyer Sports purchased Gastonia's baseball team in February and now controls two sports teams in the Charlotte market. Kaufmann's organization already owns or operates multiple minor league teams across the country.
The Checkers will continue to play home games at Bojangles Coliseum.
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