CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte FC surprised the soccer world in 2022 by nearly making the MLS playoffs in its inaugural season.
With an expanded playoff this season, the squad comes into 2023 poised to make the playoffs in its sophomore campaign.
The team opens the season at home Saturday night against the New England Revolution, and over 60,000 tickets have been sold.
"We want [the supporters] to really be proud of the team," manager Christian Lattanzio said.
But perhaps it's off the pitch where Charlotte FC turned the most heads.
"I think it did surprise a lot of people," Charlotte FC President Joe LaBue said. "It's a huge testament to the city of Charlotte."
In its first season, the club set a single-match attendance record in its first-ever home contest, averaged over 35,000 fans per match -- which was the second most in MLS -- and doubled the team's value.
"We've got a good recipe," LaBue said. "We can't take our foot off the gas."
Without ever playing a match, the club swung big. It became the first franchise in the league to require personal seat licenses for season tickets.
Despite the atypical choice, the fans kept coming back last year, creating one of the best sports atmospheres in the city right away.
"We had big expectations," LaBue said. "I don't think a lot of others did. It's a growing city. Charlotte FC is the perfect club at the perfect time for this region."
Credit the club for establishing a connection with each part of the community right away, constructing mini-pitches across the region and allowing supporters to set their own in-game standards, even organically developing a permanent tradition on night one when the microphones cut out during the National Anthem.
It all just made the goals for year two even bigger.
"Some people think it was a one-year shine, first year, we'll see how they do in year two," LaBue said. "We've used that as motivation throughout this offseason. But I think our fans have too. I think the city has. You know, we're gonna prove that it wasn't a fluke in year one.
CHARLOTTE FC CLOSURES
FULL CLOSURES
S Mint St between W Morehead and S Graham St (11 a.m. - 11 p.m.)
Brooklyn Village Ave between Church St and Mint St (11 a.m. - 11 p.m.)
Graham St between Mint St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (11 a.m. - 11 p.m.)
Mint St between Brooklyn Village Ave and W Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
Church St between Morehead St and Carson Bv (9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
Morehead St both westbound lanes between Church St and Mint St (9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
PARTIAL CLOSURES
Mint St right northbound lane between W Trade St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
Graham St right southbound lane between 4th St and Martin Luther King Jr Blvd (4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
Morehead St right westbound lane between S Tryon St and McNinch St (4:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)
Martin Luther King Jr Blvd between Mint St and Church St (9 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.)