CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC, which begins play in Major League Soccer in 2022, will become the first team in the league to require fans to buy Personal Seat Licenses in order to purchase season tickets.
The practice was pioneered by two other Charlotte professional sports franchises – Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers – and is a one-time fee in addition to the price of a season ticket.
Charlotte FC’s PSLs range from $350 to $900 and averages $626. The club did a survey about one year ago to try and gain insight on what fans would be willing to spend.
“There’s [simply] more discretionary spending as it relates to events and pro sports in the marketplace,” team president Nick Kelly told sportico.com.
There is no PSL required for a Supporters Section season ticket, which is $486.
As for the season tickets themselves, Charlotte FC’s prices range from $630 for 200 Level Corners to $2,250 for Club 1 Premium Seating -- but they are not the most expensive in the league. Some teams, like Atlanta United, charge over $4,000 for some season tickets.
Charlotte FC fans on Twitter reacted to the ticket prices with a sense of frustration.
"Dreamed of having a team in NC. I was super excited to put deposit down and buy season tickets for my family, but with these PSLs that for sure isn’t going to happen now," one Twitter user said, in part.
Charlotte FC is owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper and is set to begin playing in the spring of 2022 at Bank of America Stadium.
